UNCOVERING WELLINGTON COUNTY
MAJESTIC WATER BUFFALO WORDS & PHOTOS BY CHRIS TIESSEN
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When Karen Mansfield was traveling through
Roasts. Ribeye and sirloin steaks. Ground
parts of southeast Asia almost a decade ago,
meat. Tenderloin medallions. The cuts are
she couldn’t help but notice all the water
diverse and similar in taste to beef – although
buffalo dotting the landscape. These majestic
slightly sweeter. ‘You can substitute buffalo
beasts, domesticated three thousand years
meat for beef in any recipe,' Karen assures me.
earlier than cattle, were raised and bred on
'And what’s so great is that it’s lean, low in fat
the other side of the world for draft power,
and cholesterol, and easy to digest.’
milk products, and meat. Fast forward to today, and Karen – along with Andy Fraser – can be found raising and breeding their own small herd of water buffalo on their ninetyseven acre farm, Majestic Water Buffalo, ERIN
outside the town of Erin. ‘Our breed of water buffalo actually has its roots in Italy,’ Karen tells me as she feeds a two-year-old cow an apple at the farm. ‘They’re called Italian Mediterranean Buffalo and most commonly raised and bred for their milk – which is used to make buffalo mozzarella, burrata, ricotta, and more.’ She continues: ‘While we do sell buffalo dairy products at our farm store [including spectacular water buffalo ice cream], we raise and breed our herd for meat.’
Tempted to give it a try? Swing by the farm shop (Fri-Sun 10-5 or by appt); stop by the Elora, Guelph, and Rockwood farmers’ markets; visit Fraberts (Fergus), Top Market Family Farms (Preston), and more; or order online at majesticwaterbuffalo.ca. Like so many other remarkable farms and food businesses that dot Guelph and Wellington County, Majestic Water Buffalo is a partner of Taste Real – a County of Wellington program that promotes local food and facilitates valuable connections among food businesses, consumers, craftspeople, and farmers alike. That includes farmers like Karen Mansfield and Andy Fraser, whose enterprise brings unique local food to our lives. Learn more at majesticwaterbuffalo.ca and tastereal.ca