The blood runs strong, Highland Scot full of bull and proud of it! Local ancestors might be surprized how the search for ones roots might change ones life. What a surprize to find history in the making and history from the past colliding in the present. Our search for our roots brought us to the highlands, now we know where and from whom we are from ... almost. still looking for the father of Alexander Macrae, Roderick not the father, born 1896 sept. 26. to Flora Macrae. 

Now the rest of the story. There's a face living in Lochcarron which I am told is very much like my own, very interresting! To view the face check out Loch we's writers forum, last poem. Oh, you notice the Highland bull? Now the rest of the story. 


He is Resurrector our friendly bull and founder of our new breeds Blueland and Diarmid cattle. Besides being a good producer, he is known as Babe the blue Ox, a legendary beastie of the Northwoods.We now live in Northern Minnesota where we moved to in 1989. After following our ancestrial trail backwards in time. Eventually ending with family returning to Scotland in September of 1999. They reported a good visit and wonderful time, though they have been slow to share the information and I must admit growing impatient. 

Todays news is very important, we were published in the Record Stockman Ag paper. They took information off our site and reported the news in their breed edition on Belgian blues. So we are now known to the world! I share this with you all because the best kept secret in the beef industry has been the Higland cow. Now the world shares this information as I share it with you. How it effects your lives is up to you. Now Scotland has at least two wonders of the world Nessie and Babe the Blue Ox. As to the lost children of Kintail, those who survive, we are contributing to the world each in our own way one small step at a time. Now because of the computer, we can return to our homeland if only on the internet, once again becoming part of a land most never should have left. We might get lucky someday and come for a visit. 

I wonder, will any recognize our likeness as members of the community or just view us as tourists. We will be both of course. Times change and places change with time. Some things transend change, like a child which grows up and breeds highland cattle, much as was the tradition of ages past, and like the people of the Highlands we may not be rich, but we eat better then most people even so. We still have a love for the land, gardening, and animals. Nature ever at our door. Eagles fly over us and birds come to rest in our ponds. We live in the wilderness, where few would choose to be and we and the cattle are happy in our solitude. We battle powers beyond our control as the American Highland Association has a power group killing the organization and threatning the UK Highland cattle society with restrictions on semen and embryo importation to prove they have power.What a waste of time. ( see the bagpipe spring issue: page #18. ) 

So time will change and we will change with time . Isn't it nice to know the cattle are kind and the people of the highlands, the friendliest in Europe? There is a place in the Highlands where our ancestors lie and our histories will be remembered as well as our names. I like the idea of not locking doors, we never have even when we lived in Seattle, but thats another tall tale. Take a peek at our wedsite www.blueoxfarms.com If you want a picture of a highland cow e-mail us blueox@paulbunyan.net . Journeys begin with a step followed by many, history begins with the telling of a tale. 

Sincerely, 
Michael McDermott 
Any body got an old set of pipes, I'd like to play, before these ears give out. We led a group of highland cattle to a show once(1996 world beef expo), Resurrector, seemed light of foot with the sound.