Windrush Farms is a diversified farming operation of row crops, hay and livestock on 800 acres.  The main farm is located 5 miles north of Oskaloosa, Iowa, on Highway 63.  The additional farms comprising this operation are further north of the main farm.

Vern Thorp has been involved in farming and raising livestock all his life.  He has always had cattle and sheep, showing sheep professionally as a young man.  He raised and trained Quarter Horses for many years in reining, pleasure and roping and served as a horse show judge.  To supplement his farm income, he was a farrier for 20 years.

Vern and Susan started with a commercial cow/calf herd and small feed lot.  In 1993 they began raising purebred Fleckvieh Simmental Cattle.  The genetics for this purebred cow/calf operation came from Arnold Brothers, McIntosh, South Dakota.

Thorps began raising sheep in 1986.  In the early 90's Dorset sheep were added with a purchase of 13 ewes from Poynters in Illinois.  This flock has been sold to Dr. Lisa King and her husband, Mick, KG Farms, Oskaloosa Iowa, 641-673-0124.  kgfarms@mahaska.org.

Full Blood and Percentage Boer Goats are the latest addition to Windrush. Rollie Rosenboom has been invaluable help in establishing this herd. Thorps have become very involved in the meat goat industry and are founding members of the Iowa Meat Goat Association and the Tall Corn Meat Goat Wether Association, Inc. Vern is currently serving as President of the wether association. Thorps are members of the American Boer Goat Association, International Boer Goat Association, United States Boer Goat Association, American Meat Goat Association, Missouri Meat Goat Producers Association, Iowa Meat Goat Association and Tall Corn Meat Goat Wether Association, Inc .
 

All of the livestock work is done with the help of their Australian Kelpies, the top working stock dog in Australia.  In 1982 Windrush Kelpie Stud was established with two quality imports from Australia, Clovaville Oak and Scoriochre Emma.  Their first litter of top-notch working Kelpies was produced in 1984.  Vern and Susan have made several trips to Australia to bring back additional bloodlines to enhance their breeding program.  The latest import, Scoriochre Ripper, arrived in June, 2005.  The dogs are used daily to chore - gathering livestock from pastures, moving stock from lot to lot, watching gates and working in the barns.  They are also used to sort livestock, help with chute work and load animals into trailers.

Thorps are members of the Working Kelpie Council, Inc. of Australia and are the Midwestern overseas United States Representatives of this organization.  They have been members of  Working Kelpies, Inc. since 1986, serving the organization in several capacities, President, Secretary and Treasurer.  Vern became Vice President in 2006.  Thorps hosted the National twice for this group.  Working Kelpies, Inc. is the United States association representing the Working Kelpie breed.
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Ten years ago Vern taught his first Livestock Handling Clinic.  His clinic was taught in conjunction with the Australian Fund clinics for nine years.  In addition, he has taught clinics in Georgia, Missouri, Minnesota and Washington.  These clinics were developed for people who are using dogs with livestock or involved in the sport of herding.  Vern places emphasis on understanding livestock and the interrelationships between the dog, livestock and handler.