ST. FRANCISVILLE — What started as a dream for better food has turned into one of the most unusual farms in Louisiana.

Sarah Roland of Bayou Sarah Farms wanted to provide fresh, high-quality food for her family, and that dream led her to something rare in the state, a water buffalo farm.

"You know, I just had a dream of starting a farm, and then it kind of came to a point of not being able to find the kind of food that I want to eat and that I want to feed my family, and so I figured I'd raise it myself," Roland said.

Roland's farm, tucked away in St. Francisville, is home to 38 water buffalo, plus chickens and honeybees. The farm operates with a focus on regenerating the land, moving the herd daily to different pastures to enrich the soil naturally.

Her water buffalo are raised without hormones, antibiotics, or shortcuts. While the meat is lean, flavorful, and slightly sweeter than beef, selling the milk comes with strict regulations.

"There's a lot of regulations involving one being that the animal has to be standing on a permanent concrete slab in order for the milk to be safe for human consumption," Roland said.

The farm produces a variety of products, from meat to cheese and even water buffalo yogurt, a rare treat in Louisiana. Roland says her animals are smart, gentle, and full of personality.

"They're beautiful animals. They're really fun to work with. They have a fun temperament. They can be very aggressive if they're not handled properly. All of mine are very, very gentle and tame because I spend a lot of time with them," she said.

Roland hopes to redefine farming by keeping it closer to nature and closer to home.

"I think they intimidate a lot of people, but in my opinion, they're the most underutilized farm animal in the United States," she said.

For visitors, the farm serves as a classroom of sorts, offering a chance to see an alternative to commercial agriculture firsthand.

"People just love being out here. It's a beautiful place, and it's run a lot differently than a lot of the commercial farms that, unfortunately, are where most of our food comes from today," Roland added.

Roland's farm stands as a unique example of sustainable, family-focused agriculture and a rare spot to see water buffalo roaming Louisiana pastures.