Barhaven Farm is a long-established family-run Hereford cattle operation located in a picturesque setting along the Kettle Creek valley south of St. Thomas, Ontario. We raise purebred, polled Hereford cattle for sale to other breeders and produce beef of the highest quality for a select number of customers. We take our time, always improving.
about the farm
Douglas Gunn has completed more than fifty years in the practice of law. Over that time, he has maintained a significant farming operation ‘in his spare time’, including growing cash crops, participating in renewable energy production, and gradually assembling a first-rate herd of Hereford cattle. Sustainability is key to the farming operation, from the care and treatment of the animals to the stewardship of the land. The cattle are raised without the use of added growth hormones or unnecessary antibiotics. We have established wetland areas along Kettle Creek to enhance natural water retention and filtration in the local watershed.
our livestock
The history
Barhaven Farm (known simply as “BARHAVEN”) began in the late 1960s with the purchase of three horned females from JARVIS HEREFORD FARM, but soon thereafter the focus shifted to polled Herefords.
Historical sires used in the herd as it expanded included the influence of Justa Banner and Keynote, followed by Square D Max and the Vaquero bloodline. More recently, and for nine years, a HEAT son, SINNIBARS ULTIMATE HEAT 201U was used, which added a great deal of depth and thickness to the herd. In 2017, the DOWNHOME bull, which was the 2013 Junior Champion at Agribition and also the Supreme All Breeds Champion at the 2014 Royal Winter Fair from the LYONS herd, was used extensively and with excellent results.
present day
In 2018 DOWNHOME was used again together with the 2017 Hereford Champion at the Royal Winter Fair, ELM-LODGE CHEROKEE. In the spring of 2018, all of the two-year-old heifers were pasture-bred to BARHAVEN NAVIGATOR, a home-raised son of LEVELDALE RESISTOL. A home-raised son of KEYNOTE, BARHAVEN PATRIOT 35D (D.O.B. August 1, 2016) became the senior herd sire and clean-up bull, replacing the HEAT son which had served well for many years.
The result of the foregoing has been to put in place a herd of forty breeding females with exceptional height and thickness, and great udders. Good feet and disposition together with longevity have always been of utmost importance in the selection of the females.
Livestock sales
On an ongoing basis, BARHAVEN has for sale by private treaty females of all ages, plus a number of herd sire prospects along with calves on an annual basis.
about our beef
We provide exceptional beef to a small number of customers once a year. If you would like to be on the list to be notified when our beef becomes available, please send us an email. We compile our list of customers by February 1st each year, and we work with everyone to place a custom order by April 1st (depending upon available supply).
Beef sales
Most of our beef is sold in quarters and halves, and occasionally whole. We send to each customer a detailed account of how our cattle are raised and the various qualities of our beef. The beef will be ready to be delivered by June 15th, perfectly timed for the summer barbecue season. Yes, we take our time, and yes, the wait is worth it …
contact barhaven farm
address
Barhaven Farm
41644 John Wise Line
St. Thomas, ON
N5P 3S9
Telephone & Email
Douglas G. Gunn, Owner
Office: 519.631.0700
Home: 519.633.1292
Cell: 519.852.4343
Email: douglasgunn@gunn.on.ca
Patrick Vanwynsberghe, Manager
Cell: 519.633.6690