The Holding Family
Hunter's family had a Dairy Farm in upstate NY and he loved
working with cows and being on the land from an early age. He
used to peer through the fences at nearby Ankony Angus
and dreamed of raising purebred Angus cattle.
Encouraged by his wife, Anne, they established Holding
Ranch in 1994 as a Black Angus breeding operation. Before
investing in angus cattle Anne and Hunter visited leading
breeders throughout the country to learn about their operations
and cattle. They finally bought three foundation
cows, two from a well-known bloodline in Virginia and one
from an equally famous bloodline in Kansas.
The Holdings expanded their herd through embryo
transfer and artificial insemination, and in 1996 began selling
bulls to commercial cattle ranches and heifers to other angus
breeders. Their cutting-edge genetics helped them become
established as successful breeders.
As the Holdings established their breeding business, many people visited their
ranch in suburban Lafayette and asked if they would offer angus beef for sale.
These inquiries became so numerous that in 2004, they decided to offer retail
cuts of beef at the ranch. Demand was very high and, in 2005, they decided to
increase production of grass fed beef and offer it at the Walnut Creek Farmer's
Market. Business has continued to increase, and the Holdings now offer their
beef at several East Bay Farmer's Markets. |
In the Press:
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"Ever since childhood, Anne Holding
and her husband, Hunter, knew just what they wanted to do in life. Anne
wanted to help children; Hunter wanted to raise cattle."
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