Skip to content
About the Farm

More than just a farm — a legacy.

A family-owned Texas Longhorn ranch in Waveland, Indiana, raised on three generations of farming heritage and a stubborn affection for a breed most folks have never seen up close.

About Us

A family, dedicated to the land.

Nestled in West Central Indiana, we specialize in raising registered Texas Longhorn cattle — known for their strength, resilience, and beauty. Our commitment to ethical, sustainable farming ensures that we provide the best care for our livestock while preserving the traditions of American ranching.

For us, this farm is more than just a business — it's a way of life. We are creating a foundation that our children and grandchildren can carry forward, instilling in them the values of hard work, respect for the land, and a love for agriculture. Whether you're here to learn about our Longhorns, support local farming, or simply connect with a family passionate about what they do, we welcome you to be a part of our journey.

From our family to yours — welcome to Fun-EE Farm.

Our Story

From a 4-H project to a way of life.

Our journey began as our girls started showing animals in the local 4-H program. We became the Fun-EE Farm at that time, as we chose animal breeds that were "different" than the norm — with a desire to bring something new for people to see and enjoy. With all the different breeds and types of animals on the homestead, the girls decided we should be named the Fun-EE Farm.

At that time we lived on three acres of land, but we maximized it to its full potential. Our master bathroom garden tub was never used for restful baths — but it raised plenty of chickens, ducks, and bottle baby goats over the years. We raised heritage red wattle pigs, runner ducks, chickens, rabbits, and dairy and Boer goats, plus a few animals purely for entertainment, like our myotonic fainting goat, Sideways, and the pot-belly pigs, Jasper and Miss Piggy.

Toward the end of the girls' 4-H years, we joined the dairy beef cattle program — and that's where the cattle started. We began with three the first year and offered freezer beef locally to gauge interest. It was a success, so the next year we ran five, and the year after that, seven.

In 2021, we got to truly live our dream. We moved to a 20-acre farm in Waveland, Indiana. For years, Nettie had wanted Longhorn cattle — it had become a running joke between her and Phil, who once brought home a plastic toy Longhorn from the farm store and, another year, gave her a set of mounted horns as an anniversary gift. But she never gave up. She researched the breed and shared every finding with Phil: their endless colors and patterns, their docile nature, their lean and healthy beef.

"We now have a true breeding stock of all registered Longhorns — with plenty of promise in the years to come."

We bought our first two cows with calves at side, then made a trip to Missouri for a young bull and two heifer calves. The following year we purchased the rest of that first herd. In 2024, the Fun-EE Farm became what it is today — a herd dispersal brought us a second bull, Jest Hangin' Tuff. Where Prince carries the wild-type gene and gives us amazingly colored calves, Tuffy adds height and horn to their offspring. Together, they are the heart of our breeding program.

The Journey

How we got here.

  1. The 4-H years

    How the Fun-EE Farm got its name

    Living on three acres, the family raised every "different" animal they could fit — red wattle pigs, runner ducks, rabbits, dairy and Boer goats, even a fainting goat named Sideways. The girls decided a farm this unusual deserved a name to match.

  2. 2021

    Twenty acres in Waveland

    A long-held dream came true with the move to a 20-acre farm in Waveland, Indiana. The mixed herd that came with the place was sold off — it was time to start fresh with cattle of their own.

  3. 2021–2022

    The first Longhorns

    Two cows with calves at side — Leah with Libby, Dot with Red — were the first. A trip to Missouri brought home a young bull, Prince, and the herd began to take shape.

  4. 2024

    A true breeding herd

    A nearby herd dispersal brought a second bull, Jest Hangin’ Tuff — "Tuffy" — already 59 inches at the hip with 92 inches of horn at three years old. The hobby had become a breeding program.

  5. Today

    Registered, and growing

    A full herd of registered Texas Longhorns, raised on evenings and weekends, with a calf crop every spring and plenty of promise in the years to come.

Our Heritage

Different walks of life, the same love of the land.

Nettie and Phil come from different backgrounds, but both carry a deep-rooted passion for the land and livestock — and it shaped everything about this farm.

Nettie

Raised in the city after moving to southern Indiana as a toddler, Nettie's love of country life was engrained in her by her Missouri family. Her grandfather — Pappy — ran a farm of crops and beef cattle; her grandmother, Mema, kept a yard full of flowers and a sprawling garden.

Summer trips to Missouri only deepened the pull. She was always amazed at how Pappy could walk into the pasture with a bucket of grain, shake it, and watch the whole herd come running — knowing in an instant if a single animal was missing.

Phil

Phil was raised living the country lifestyle. His father, Phil Sr., worked many years as a hired hand on a local farm, and Phil grew up helping — harvesting crops and raising pigs, attuned to hard work from an early age.

Those years left him with a lot of good memories and a clear sense of purpose. The drive to build a legacy for the family is what keeps him putting in the hours, evening after evening, on the Fun-EE Farm.

Neither Nettie nor Phil is afraid of hard work. Both were single parents for years before they met, and both still work full-time jobs off the farm — which leaves evenings and weekends for tending the livestock. This place is built on that effort.

Our Focus

Longhorns are more than just beef.

We are committed to raising registered Texas Longhorn cattle. Our focus is on breeding for impressive horn, correct frames, calm temperament, and striking color — using top genetics in the industry.

We sell registered breeding stock as well as freezer beef, and occasionally we will have skulls available. Visit us to witness firsthand the beauty and splendor of this historic breed.

Breeding Philosophy

What we breed for, in four words.

Every pairing on the farm goes through the same filter. Trade-offs are inevitable — but these are the four pillars we will not compromise.

Horn

We breed for length, shape, and the kind of growth that keeps coming year after year. Tuffy reached 95 inches tip-to-tip at four — up from 92 at three — and that is the standard we measure against.

Frame

Correct conformation that holds up under a long pasture career — good hip height, sound feet, a balanced build that ages well.

Temperament

A disposition you can put a kid next to. Longhorns are a docile breed, and we cull for temperament as hard as we cull for anything else.

Color

Prince carries the wild-type gene, so his calves come in every color and pattern — some change shades as they grow. Half the fun is watching what shows up.

The Breed

Why Longhorns?

We've raised plenty of breeds over the years. Longhorns are the ones we kept coming back to.

Jest Hangin' Tuff, a brindle Texas Longhorn herd sire at Fun-EE Farm
  • A breed worth preserving

    Texas Longhorns helped build the cattle industry of the American West and very nearly disappeared. Raising registered stock is a small way of keeping that history alive.

  • Hardy, easy keepers

    Longhorns thrive on grass, calve unassisted, and shrug off most of what knocks other breeds down. Less intervention, less stress on the cow, less stress on us.

  • No two of them alike

    Every Longhorn is its own animal — color, pattern, horn shape. There is always something to look at when you walk out to the pasture.

  • Lean, flavorful beef

    Longhorn beef is leaner than mainstream cuts and lower in cholesterol, with real flavor. Customers who try it once tend to come back.

Stop by and meet them.

The cattle make a much better impression in person. Set up a time and we'll show you around.