The Buckhams have been farming and raising livestock in Kalamazoo County for five generations, since the late 1800's, when great-great grandfather George Buckham came over from Great Britain and bought his little piece of land in Prairie Ronde township in Schoolcraft, some of the most fertile and productive land in the state.
Now, Buckhams own and rent around 1,100 acres across the county to grow corn, beans, wheat and alfalfa and to pasture their sheep flocks and cattle. We show and sell our purebred livestock across the state and country, as well as selling club lambs to 4-H and county fair exhibitors in neighboring counties and also across Michigan. We also raise commercial ewes on pasture and finish lambs on grain, which then go to the commodity market. We now are selling our local, home-grown lamb at the Texas Township Farmers Market in Kalamazoo.
Many of you in the livestock and shepherd world remember Fred and George Buckham, who farmed, raised and showed from the 1930's to the 1980's and up until just a few years ago. Though both are now gone, we still remember them and try to honor them by carrying on the Buckham tradition and culture, working the land and raising quality livestock.
Read George Sr.'s stories here at the United Suffolk Sheep Association's tribute to his
Story Telling Time...
