Devon Cattle in South Carolina

So what's a herd of Devon cattle doing in the steamy heat of South Carolina, USA?  Turning the abundant forage into beef, and according to Dr Bill Walker from Walker Century Farms doing an excellent job of it!  Apparently Devon cattle have been around in the USA since the 1600s arriving with the Pilgrims, they even have a national society specifically devoted to the breed, and as a result have managed to dodge the grain-finished bullet that most beef cattle are subjected to for the last few months of their lives.   As the name suggest Walker Century Farms has been around for well over a hundred years and although recent generations have increased the acreage of the land, this patch of Anderson county has been farmed by the Walker family for a few decades.  Dr Bill's ancestors weren't into the Devon cattle, and most likely raised a mix breed with some Angus thrown in for good measure, and towards the end of his farming career Bill Walker's father got into the grain feed trend that was starting to infiltrate America with the new modern scientific farming practices (referred to as 'industrialized' practices today).  Dr Bill got out of the beef farming for a number of years, he sold off the cattle and concentrated on his medical practice; then a family health crisis made him and his wife Dr Nancy Walker, who runs the farm alongside her husband with their children, question their diet and begin to source healthier food options - including their meat source.  As a farmer and medical doctor Bill Walker realized that pasture raised and importantly pasture-finished livestock produces the healthiest beef and so that was what led them to begin building their herd of Red Devons.  What attracted them to this breed?  Apparently Devons have a number of great attributes:- temperament, size (not too big but with a good yield of beef), adaptable, good all-rounders, and according to the American Red Devon Association very efficient at converting grass into meat and milk!  The all-rounder aspect has led to a 'branch-off' breed, Dairy Devons which are obviously used for their milk production - but 'back in the day' (I'm talking about the days a century or three ago) the Devons were a three-faceted beast - good for meat, milk and draught work and some of the steers would be raised as oxen.  At the ALHFAM (The Association for Living History and Agricultural Museums) in Williamsburg, VA. you may be ale to see oxen in action.
Back to Anderson, SC., the ideal situation is for the cattle to be born, raised, finished and slaughtered right on Walker Century Farms - for the most part Drs Bill and Nancy Walker are aiming as close to this ideal as possible, although whilst building their herd some of the steers are bought from the Red Devon Association sales, but we did get to see the newest arrival born on the farm a couple of weeks ago.
As for ending their days, the cattle are taken just a few miles down the road into town to a family run processing facility, Anderson Frozen Foods.  This plant was set up just after WWII by an aunt and uncle of the Walker family and has maintained its small family ethos ever since.  As an interesting aside, the processing plant is named Anderson "Frozen Foods" because in its early days of production the small farmers who took their livestock for slaughter didn't have on farm freezers and so would rent space at the processing plant to store their meat after slaughter.
WCF also has pigs and goats  - the latter were acquired for weed control and in terms of meat this is as yet an under-developed side of their business, but the Walkers have ascertained that there is a growing demand for goat meat in upstate SC so stay tuned for the development in this side of their meat business.

Gloucester Old Spot Boar

The Walkers usually process around 15 hogs every six months for pork and cured pork products and sausages, and all these delights are found in their on-farm shop along with other local produce - locally grown veggies, Charleston grown and dried tea, Carolina rice, sweet treats made by local producers, Walker Century Farms honey, and many other items.
It really is God's country in Anderson county, the climate is temperate and for the most part there is abundant green pasture all year round. Go visit the farm, take a cooler, buy some delicious produce and watch the world go by on the porch swing at the farm shop - farm to table at its best.   ~ THE ACTIVIST