Mike has been farming in some form or another his whole life. He started out helping both his grandparents when he was old enough to do chores on their farms. When he went to college, he tried tobacco farming while in WNC. After moving back here, one of his brother's purchased his maternal grandparent's farm following their passing. Mike decided to start working towards revitalizing his paternal grandfather's farm as his health was failing and he was unable to keep it up. The beef idea was started then and he has provided beef on a very small scale to friends and family until this year when he made the switch into more retail type of sales.

The Big Oak Farm name came about because there are a number of really big oak trees on the farm that we have pictures of Mike’s grandfather standing beside them when he was a little boy when those same trees were smaller.

Farming is Mike’s golf game. He really enjoys doing it and he sees the need for the all natural product he is now producing. This is his hobby now but he would love to make it a full time commitment. He does most of the labor himself, although his wife Dawn is willing to help him when she is able. Friends and family step in when needed.

Mike is proud of the fact that his family has participated in farming activities in Cabarrus Co for over a century at the same location and survived all the perils of the ecomomy, weather, and now development and still be a working farm today. They were one of the original 109 farms in Cabarrus Co that signed on to be in the Agricultural districts in the county.

He would like to see some of younger members of his family take on an interest in farming and make their own decisions about how to provide a product from his family’s farm to the local community.

Big Oak Farm is registered as a NC Certified Meat Handler.

Beef

Mike currently has around 30 momma cows, 3 herd bulls, and 5 replacement heifers and steers. Most of the cows have calves on them now so his total number is around 60 head.

Everything he has is a product of his farm. He has complete control from selection of cows and bulls, to keeping selected calves for beef. This includes selecting which cows will breed with each bull.

The cattle are given access to around 80 acres of pasture that is divided between three different farms in Cabarrus County. He is able to rotationally graze the herd to keep from over grazing any single area.

Mike provides momma cows with mild and green grass their entire lives. After he selects a calf for beef, they are taken out of the pastures and given a free choice between hay and an all natural feed mixture that he has specially blended from all natural products.

He has never given and never will give any of his cattle any type of growth stimulant or hormone. Everything that enters their bodies is all natural.

All of his beef is finish fed with a blend that he has worked on for years to provide the best in leanness, flavor, and tenderness. Mike normally finish feeds them between 4-6 weeks. In the finish feeding areas they are not given access to any green grass but do have a choice between hay and feed. The cows overwhelmingly prefer the feed by 10-1. While in these areas they can still see and hear the other cattle on the farm.

He does not routinely give antibiotics to any of his cattle, however if one does get sick and needs antibiotics, that animal is not selected for his beef production.

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Big Oak Farm