Reuniting the Herd and Preparing for Winter in Ontario

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November 7, 2025

This year, we had two groups of cows, one at our farm and another at a rental farm. This past week, the group that spent the grazing season at the rental farm finally came home. Bringing everyone back together always creates a bit of commotion, as the pecking order needs to be reestablished.

For the first half-hour or so, the boss cows made sure everyone knew their place. Some of the calves joined in, too, though they seemed more interested in playing around than asserting dominance. The main event was the bulls testing each other for supremacy.

Bulls Establishing Dominance

Adam, our big black bull and a purebred Black Angus, spent the afternoon getting acquainted with our red bull, a Speckle Park and Red Angus cross who doesn't have a name yet. The red bull did not really stand a chance because Adam is much bigger and stronger, but he did put up a good fight.

The next morning, when I checked on the herd, the red bull was off in the distance, clearly exhausted, while Adam looked relaxed, grooming one of his ladies.

Now that the bulls understand their hierarchy, the herd is peaceful. Adam occasionally nudges the red bull away from hay, but beyond that, there's little drama. Later this week, the two bulls will be separated from the cows for the winter until it is time for them to rejoin the herd next summer.

Preparing the Farm for Winter

Everything on the farm and in the business is running smoothly. As we transition from fall to winter, we're busy placing hay, moving animals to their winter pastures, and ensuring all watering systems are in good working order. We're setting ourselves up for a hopefully relaxing winter, a chance to slow down and recharge for a strong 2026.

We're Grateful for Your Support!

Orders continue to increase steadily, and we're incredibly grateful. Thank you to everyone who supports us and shares our farm with friends and family. Your support allows us to focus on running the farm and the business without worrying about advertising or extra costs. This helps us keep prices lower for you. It is a win-win, and we hope you think so too.

Wild Meadows Farm

Blog: On The Farm

Regenerative Farm in Ontario

Durham, Ontario

Grey County

Preparing for Winter on the Farm

From Pasture to Price Tag: Understanding the Rising Cost of Meat

I consider myself very fortunate that I rarely go to the grocery store (we have one in our backyard, and for the things we don’t have here, Rebecca is usually the one who goes). When I do find myself there, though, I usually linger in the meat aisle to take a look at the prices. For the record, when we set prices for our products, we do not consider prices in stores or those of competitors. We determine prices based on our costs, plus a markup that we know will keep our doors open and the business sustainable. I do, however, find observing grocery store prices interesting and telling of what the commodity meat system produces and how it is priced. Just a few years ago, I often thought to myself how amazingly inexpensive meat was at the grocery store. Products like ground beef, chicken, and many pork cuts were so cheap. More recently, prices in stores are definitely up across the board. While our prices are still higher (and justifiably so, due to the quality of life our animals experience and the quality of meat our customers receive), the difference isn’t as great as it used to be. So why have grocery store prices increased so much? 1) Inflation is affecting everyone.Inflation is affecting everyone, including farmers, butchers, transport companies, and even grocery stores. Out-of-control money printing, higher energy costs, higher taxes, and wages that don’t keep up are a recipe for higher food prices—and for the general public to feel the strain financially. 2) Supply and demand are out of whack.Several factors, such as drought in the West, an aging farmer population, and higher beef prices (which discourage farmers from maintaining breeding stock), are leading to a lower cattle “inventory” in North America. That means fewer calves and a lower overall population, reducing supply. No one really knows when beef prices will come down, but the best-case scenario appears to be early 2028, based on what I’ve heard. Traditionally, chicken and other less expensive proteins have helped replace beef as prices rise. While it’s true that more people are choosing chicken as an alternative, beef demand has remained strong despite higher prices. Additionally, increased demand for chicken, combined with population growth and Canada’s restrictive production system (supply management), is projected to raise chicken prices by 25% in 2026. 3) Demand for meat isn’t slowing down.Experts often claim that more people will turn to “alternative” proteins as prices rise, and perhaps this is true for some. But you can’t beat the real thing, and I believe most people understand this. The public outcry over news that cloned meat could enter the supply chain without labelling is a good indicator that people do not want their food tampered with. So while I believe our products exist on a different playing field than their commodity and mass-produced counterparts, it’s interesting to observe how markets are changing and to track how these shifts may impact our customers and our business. Thanks for following along, and I hope you find my insights into our food system useful.

Reuniting the Herd and Preparing for Winter in Ontario

More from the blog

From Pasture to Price Tag: Understanding the Rising Cost of Meat

Food Debates Are Getting Wild – Here’s Why It's A Good Thing

Cloned Meat? Never on Our Farm!

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