One Maine Cow, Plenty Of Grain, Clean Water, Pature Grasses.
Charlie, Raised As An Only Cow. One Is a Lonely Number In The Maine Field.

On the way to Drews Lake since last fall, I have noticed a small black and white holstein Maine cow grow up alone.

For starters I am used to calves coming in to the world around northern Maine in the early spring, actually late winter. Timed to arrive to maximize the weight that calf can gain munching on grass and grain.

But Charlie seemed out of synch, place and all alone. He had a small horse trailer for shelter from the weather. But he was very small, all by himself.

His Maine farm owner told me he bought Charlie for 200 dollars last fall.

His previous owner had toyed with the idea of slaughtering him for veal, baby beef.

Now Charlie weighs a whopping 900 pounds. The steer is short but rugged. Big shouldered. The grain and 40 gallons of water per day mixed with way more grass than one cow needs in an oversized pasture is making its mark. Taking its toll day in and out.

Another male younger cow is coming to share that pasture this week. It will be interesting to see how Charlie adjusts to another black and white cow. To see how social he is or isn’t. I’ll keep you posted on this edge of your seat, late breaking Maine farm report story. Promise.

Charlie’s owner is widening the pasture to extend it to woods to the south so the bovine can have shade. Summer has arrived in Maine. I finally stopped yesterday after work on the way to Drews Lake to snap a picture, meet Charlie and learn the scoop on his solitary life so far. It seemed he was raising himself, an only cow. A herd of one.

Maybe noticing him started because he was so small, all alone in a very large field where 80 cows could live happily.

Maybe he got my attention because he had no other cow to swish its tail to help with flies.

To return the favor standing end to end with other black and white cows in a large Maine farm field.

Charlie the Maine cow’s owner has been attentive. Dosing him up with fly dope. Lovingly, carefully raising the smaller than average lightweight, low to the ground holstein cow in to what he is today. Happy, content and well fed, watered, grained. Charlie may have some black angus breed in him too showing black streaks in his sturdy hooves.

Maine, we’re more aware of the weather, the critters, the landscape around us in a rural farm state up here in the right hand corner of the country. I’m glad I finally stopped to snap a few images, meet his owner and get the story on this solitary cow singled out, raised alone.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com