Schuemann Farm

05/10/2024

The 2024 Livestock Conservancy Watch List has been published. The Florida Cracker Horse and Florida Cracker Cattle remain in critical status. The Royal Palm Turkey is now on the watch list.

Working to protect agricultural livestock and poultry in the U.S., the Livestock Conservancy aims to preserve and promote more than 180 breeds.

02/07/2024

The Florida Cracker breed of cattle is a heritage breed that has a pretty lengthy lineage in the state of Florida. Thier roots trace back to 1521 when Juan Ponce de Leon traveled to Florida on his second journey. Unfortunately Ponce de Leon never made it, but his horses, cattle and other livestock did, making these the first cattle to set foot in the United States. These Andalusian cattle roamed the Florida prairies for over 300 years. The Florida Cracker breed is naturally parasite resistant and are very heat tolerant, making them the perfect breed for Florida. They are a smaller breed, weighing in at 600-1200 pounds. The Florida Cracker is considered “Threatened” by the Livestock Conservancy. The state of Florida has been a leader in the conservation and promotion of the Florida Cracker breed in the latter half of the 20th century. Cracker cattle are considered a living part of Florida history, and herds have been maintained in several state parks and forests. The state has supported the establishment of the Florida Cracker Cattle Association and a breed registry, which is operated by The Livestock Conservancy.

02/07/2024

The Royal Palm Turkey is a Heritage Breed that was developed right here in Lake Worth, Florida. Turkey Farmer, Enoch Carson developed this variety when the Palm color pattern appeared in a mixed flock of Black, Bronze, Narragansett, and wild turkeys. This breed is on the watch list by the Livestock Conservancy. The Royal Palm was recognized by the American Poultry Association in 1971. Royal Palm turkeys are a smaller turkey, they are white with a sharply contrasting, metallic black edging on the feathers. The tail is pure white, with each feather having a band of black and an edge of white, this is known as the Palm pattern.

02/05/2024

The Florida Cracker Horse traces its ancestry back to Spanish stock brought to Florida in the 1500s. The genetic heritage of the Florida Cracker Horse is derived from the Iberian Horse of early sixteenth century Spain, and includes blood of the North African Barb. This Heritage Breed is considered “Critically Endangered” by the Livestock Conservancy, fewer than 200 annual registrations in the United States and an estimated global population of less than 500.

The Florida Cracker was a vital part of Florida’s cattle history. These horses were used by the early pioneers in our state to round up the native scrub cow. There smaller size and wider hooves were perfect for the Florida wilderness.

The breed’s survival over the last fifty years resulted from the work of a few families who continued to breed Cracker Horses for their own use. It was these ranching families and individuals whose perseverance and distinct bloodlines that kept the Cracker Horses from becoming extinct. The family names include the Ayers, Harvey, Bronson, Matchett, Partin and Whaley names.

Our Buddy is a registered Cracker and is descended from the Ayers line. He is gaited. Buddy came out of the Tallahassee herd that is maintained by the Florida department of Agriculture and was purchased through the annual sale put on by the Florida Cracker and Horse Association.

02/04/2024

What is a heritage breed? According to the Livestock Conservancy, “Heritage breeds are traditional livestock breeds that were raised by our forefathers. These are the breeds of a bygone era, before industrial agriculture became a mainstream practice. These breeds were carefully selected and bred over time to develop traits that made them well-adapted to the local environment and they thrived under farming practices and cultural conditions that are very different from those found in modern agriculture.” Some breeds that we feature on our farm are heritage such as the Florida Cracker Horse, Florida Cracker Cattle and Royal Palm Turkeys. All of these breeds have deep Florida roots, Cracker horses and cattle were here since the 1500’s

01/20/2024

The peach trees are the only things that will enjoy tonight’s 30 degree weather. At the farm we have several varieties of peach trees developed at the University of Florida. These special varieties reqire less chill units than their Georgia cousins.

01/05/2024

This is our big girl Paloma. She was born at Rucks Dairy in Okeechobee, FL and was purchased by a friend of mine to be used as a surrogate in his Wagyu program here in Indiantown. She and her sisters were all raised as bottle fed babies on his farm. She is most likely a Jersey/ Angus mix. Her ear is missing because a large dog entered their pen one day and attacked several of the babies. Paloma is the only survivor of the attack and now lives here on our farm. She is just part of our family as you can see

12/25/2023

Merry Christmas from Thomas, the Florida Cracker.

12/13/2023

December 13th is set aside in the US to celebrate the important role horses have played in the country's history, economy, military, and culture. The Florida Cracker horse, like Buddy, was also a vital part of Florida’s history. These Spanish Colonial horses were brought to Florida by the Spanish in the early 1500’s and were used in battle and on the prairie herding cattle. They are classified as a threatened breed according to the Livestock Conservancy.

11/23/2023

Happy Thanksgiving from a Florida Cracker

07/30/2023

With feel like temperatures at 108 in Indiantown we are exercising caution and keeping out of the sun and drinking plenty of water.

07/16/2023

The hay is for eating. Silly horse! Buddy, the Florida Cracker horse