We had no idea miniature Jerseys existed until we were on the hunt for a milk cow for our smaller-than-ideal farm. It was late 2017 and, at that time, we had a small pasture, a barn and fencing, but not enough pasture for a standard Jersey cow.
Enter the mini Jersey. Just one look at those doe eyes and long lashes and we were smitten! And due to their miniature size, they required much less feed and much less space… the perfect choice for us. What we didn’t know at the time was just how hard it would be to find one of these mini milkers. Weeks of searching turned into months, some days it felt like we’d never find one! But then, after reaching out to every single mini Jersey breeder we could find, one responded with a photo of a little painted cow, shaggy in her winter coat, with those beautiful doe eyes.
In July 2018, in the pouring rain, our perfect little mini Jersey stepped off the trailer after enduring a three-weeklong trip from Nebraska. Memory Lane Sarah was even tinier and more perfect in real life, and it wasn’t long after she joined our farm family that she became the very heart of it.
We moved in 2021 from our too-small farm to 30 acres in Tennessee and grew our mini Jersey herd, which now includes several more cows as well as a handful of young heifers.
All our bovines are registered with the IMCBR and occasionally we do have a calf or cow for sale. When we do, we typically post the information on our Instagram page along with a link to our inquiry form. We ask interested folks to complete this form to help us get to know them and, in turn, help us choose the best farm for each of our individual animals. We believe the best way to set our animals up for success in their new homes is to make sure they’ll be well-cared for and meet (or exceed) the expectations of their new owners!
We moved Etta up to the front pasture 🏡 She and Pumpkin will get turned out on these few acres every morning and sleep in the calf shed at night… it should work well for her as she gets close to calving and will allow us to be more hands on when the calf arrives 🙏🏻 Mabel and Lilibet will now stay out with the heifers and sleep in the hay shed (or mini barn if they prefer) as there’s only room for two girls in the calf shed… it’s Etta and Pumpkin’s turn to get a little extra pampering 🥰 #ettatheminijersey #ettajanebutters #minijersey #calfwatch…
So happy with this little hay shed my son built 🙏🏻 Only issue is making sure the big girls let the younger girls have enough time to eat 🌱 Still making adjustments as how we do things and watching condition on each of them super closely… stewarding dairy cows well is a 365 day a year job 😅 #crickettheminijersey #minijersey…
So grateful for our Old Spot barrow that we were able to grow out so nicely – it is always so sad to take them to the processor 😭 Thankfully he just had one bad day… they were able to butcher him within a few hours of us dropping him off 🙏🏻 The hard makes us just that much more thankful for every bit of this meat that will feed our entire family for the next year 💙 #gloucestershireoldspot #gospigs #pasturedpork…
Etta’s due date is less than a week away ✨ She is getting dairy ration twice a day now along with ACV and XZelit, a supplement to help prevent milk fever… thankfully she’s a superstar and gobbles it up without complaining 🤩 Admittedly I am nervous as her calving date approaches – we’d be so grateful if you’d keep her and her calf in your prayers 💛 #ettatheminijersey #ettajanebutters #minijersey #calfwatch…
My friend Tim, who has been keeping Rango the last few months, sent me these pictures of him the other day… definitely looks like he’s enjoying himself up there 🥰 Hoping to go get him soon! #gettingchubby #rangotheminijersey #minijersey…
Little Cricket looking more grown up all the time 🥹 She is 18 months old now and is due with her first calf right around her second birthday 🥰 I love all my girls but Cricket and Lottie have an extra special place in my heart ❤️ #crickettheminijersey #minijersey…
Day two post snowstorm and today the sun is peeking out ☀️ Cows are doing great and while not necessarily enthralled with the white stuff, they don’t seem to mind it one bit ❄️ #mabeltheminijersey #minijersey…
We were a few minutes late to milk this morning and Lilibet was already outside, waiting for us and wet 🥹 The temp was just above freezing and she was wet enough that when we were done milking, we put her and Mabel back in the calf pen so they’d have extra time to eat, get warm and relax in their little barn… pretty sure they were happy with the deal 🥰 #lilitheminijersey #minijersey…
Woke up to a big blanket of snow ❄️ I brought some extra hay out for them and Etta and Pumpkin were happy to dine alfresco 🍴 Etta is showing small signs of her approaching due date – hoping the weather is a bit more moderate when it’s go time 🙏🏻 #ettatheminijersey #ettajanebutters #pumpkintheminijersey…
The hay shed is finished, just in time for the nine inches of snow headed our way ❄️ The boss cows, Etta and Pumpkin, have chosen the attached stall as their preferred sleeping area which leaves the mini barn open for the younger girls… plenty of room for everyone to stay warm and dry 🙏🏻 Pretty sure even Jasper the cat gave his stamp of approval! #minijersey…
Look at Lilibet, all grown up and giving us two gallons a day in her first lactation 🥰 She is so unfazed by the busyness of the milk parlor, the milk jars clanking or the cat walking in between her feet… as long as she has her feed in front of her, she’s happy 😘 #lilitheminijersey #minijersey #familymilkcow…
Resolution for 2025: spend more time loving on baby cows ❤️ Mr. Darcy left for his new farm on Sunday and we are missing him so… but thankful for the time we had with him 🥹 #mrdarcytheminijersey #minijersey #resolutions…
One more load of rough cut lumber to get this hay shed finished 🪵 We made lots of progress this week and hope to have it finished shortly, just in time for all this winter weather 🌨️ #crickettheminijersey #minijersey…
Etta Jane is our next cow due to calve, her due date in January 20th and she is looking fantastic for an almost-thirteen year old! We are hoping for a heifer but we all think it’s a bull… but any healthy calf will be a blessing ❤️ #ettajanebutters #ettatheminijersey #minijersey…