Mike has always had a love for farms and cattle.  His earliest and fondest memories are of the holsteins at his Pepere's farm, the smells in the barn, and the sweet hay tied in bundles over the bed.  It was an easy decision to go into the cattle business, but not an easy decision on what breed of cattle to raise.  We knew we wanted to raise our herd naturally- without feeding grain, implanting hormones, or administering needless antibiotics.  The cattle would have to do well on grass alone.

After months of research and looking at different herds, we visited Holiday Ranch-owned by Cliff and Kay White in Vernon Florida.  Cliff and Kay raise South Poll cattle.  They were such gracious hosts and answered our questions for hours.  We were sold on South Poll Cattle.
The breed was started in 1990 by Teddy Gentry and is a four way composite.  The cross is Barzona-Senepol, Hereford-Red Angus.  The result is a highly fertile, quality carcass, calm disposition, slick haired, heat tolerant, moderate frame cow that thrives on grass.  "The Southern Mama Cow Breed"

Jeanine, being a non-farming South Florida girl, has become quite the farmer.  She is in charge of all pecan harvesting, cattle management, and marketing, as well.  Jeanine is avid about all-natural foods and raising two young children.  She wants nothing but the best on the family dinner table.   
   
 Many people have asked, "what does otium mean".  Well it is a latin word and has many meanings, such as peaceful, quiet, and leisure time.  Some Christian writers formulated otium as meaning to serve God through deep thought.  One meaning is personal retirement from business where one attends only his own farm.
So for us here at Otium Farms, it pretty much covers all of those things!