Hamilton Cattle Co.

At 24, Jamie Hamilton is now one of the youngest cattlemen in Vermont. He manages 220 head of grass-fed beef, a mixed herd of Red Devon and Angus. 

It’s been said that your 8-year-old self often shapes who you become as an adult. If that’s true, Jamie Hamilton was destined to be a farmer.

The clear-eyed young man remembers being a toddler riding in the cab of a John Deere tractor during summer holidays at a crop farm in Cornwall, England. When he dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, his parents suggested he help with milking and chores at a dairy farm a short bike ride from his home in Chittenden. He was 13. Jamie bought his first Jersey when he was 17 and tried to hide the cow from his parents by keeping her at a friend’s farm. During college summers, Jamie worked at Mountain Meadows Farm, a large organic, grass-fed beef operation in Sudbury.

“I was fortunate to have great mentors who have stuck with me. Bob Baird at Baird Farm, Brian Kemp at Mountain Meadows, and Dave Parker who ran the dairy farm where I first worked as a kid and all through high school—these men taught me what hard work is all about.”

At 24, Jamie is now one of the youngest cattlemen in Vermont. He manages 220 head of grass-fed beef, a mixed herd of Red Devon and Angus. “I run a cow-calf to finish operation. I calve in both spring and fall to ensure uniform product year-round, and I have 70 cattle processed throughout the year.”

The premium quality, richly flavored beef reflects the care Jamie devotes to his herd. 

Jamie originally planned to raise a dairy herd of pedigreed Jerseys, but as he saw the milk market continue to struggle, he shifted his vision to beef. Six months after his graduation from Vermont Technical College in December 2018, he decided to expand his knowledge and check out large-scale beef in Montana. “I headed west and connected with a rancher in Big Timber and said, ‘I’m a Vermont kid looking to experience the Western ranch way of life. Don’t need any money, just a roof over my head.’ He messaged back that he had a camper, 20,000 acres, and 700 cow-calf pairs. Come on out.”

“Montana made me fall in love with the beef industry,” Jamie recalls. “I worked there for a couple of months and learned about the potential scope of the beef industry.” Back home in Vermont, his first step was to lease a farm in nearby Florence that came available in the fall of 2020. The farm included a herd of 170 Devon to which Jamie added his own 50 Angus. The entire herd lives at the Florence farm from December to May, and then from May to December, he moves 60 to graze a farm in Orwell and another 60 transition to the lush pastures at Baird Farm.

How did he land at Baird Farm? “I grew up two minutes from here. My dad and Bob Baird were hiking buddies, and Bob had raised replacement dairy heifers here forever. Bob has always provided great guidance for me, and Jenna and I have known each other since we were young. Jenna works with me on the marketing end, which is incredibly helpful. I’m really grateful to collaborate with the Bairds. And I think the folks who live on the road are pretty happy to see three young farmers keeping things going here.”

“The beef industry can be as volatile as dairy so I try to diversify my markets. Can’t put all my beef in one freezer, so to speak. I sell live cattle to an out-of-state wholesale buyer; I sell wholesale to some restaurants at Killington and Pico; and I sell retail to Baird Farm, Rutland Food Co-op, Kamuda’s Market in Pittsford, and the Wooden Barrel Country Store in North Chittenden. On my website, people can order bulk boxes of ground beef and assorted cuts as well as whole, half, and quarter cows.” The premium quality, richly flavored beef reflects the care Jamie devotes to his herd.

(photo: Simeon Pol)

“I think the folks who live on the road are pretty happy to see three young farmers keeping things going here.” –Jamie Hamilton 

Richly marbled, juicy steaks ready for the grill

Jamie quickly admits that he couldn’t be pursuing this dream if he weren’t living at home with his parents’ support. “Deep down, they probably think I’m crazy. Most days, I’m gone before they wake up and don’t get home till after they’ve gone to sleep. I love what I’m doing, but the finances are still pretty challenging.”

Jamie is a one-man show who manages more than 750 acres of pasture and cropland. That entails haying, spreading manure, fixing fences, repairing equipment, cleaning the barn in winter, and tending the herd. “I’m always chasing down my project list and feel lucky if I get half done. Any hiccup—a tough calving, an electrical problem, fixing a broken piece of equipment—can dramatically change the day’s plan.” He’s grateful for a couple of good friends who pitch in during hay season or on jobs that need a second or third pair of hands.

So what keeps Jamie going? “I just love the cows. They’re such characters! Beef cattle are wilder than dairy cows, and they do crazy stuff that keeps me on my toes. I also love hay season and operating my tractor, which also serves as my office.”

That toddler in the John Deere cab clearly foresaw the 24-year-old farmer he would become.

• hamiltoncattleco.com