Naturally Raised Beef

I was contacted the other day from someone asking what we meant when we advertise that our meat is “naturally raised”.

What we mean by this is that our beef is all natural. No additives, no steroids or growth hormones and no antibiotics are ever given to our cattle. The only exception to that would be if one of our cows or calves were to get sick, then of course we would treat them with an antibiotic, or whatever the vet would suggest.

However, if something would happen to one of our calves that were on the list to be harvested, they would be promptly removed.

Another definition of naturally raised is probably what you would think of when you hear that term. It is natural for cattle to graze on green pasture, or be supplemented with hay during the times of the year when grass is not available (winter). It is natural for cattle to drink fresh water that has not been chemically treated. It is natural for cattle to forage for other foods, such as corn, husks, wheat, hulls, and other grains.

Some of our cattle in their natural habitat

Our cattle are about as “naturally raised” as you can get. During three seasons of the year, spring/summer/fall, they move from pasture to pasture munching on green, tender, tasty grasses; drink water out of creeks and waterers, that we abundantly provide; laze under shade trees lining the fields; and in late summer they get their belly’s filled with sweet treats from the pears that drop into the field next to our house. 

Maybe those pears are the reason our beef tastes so good! J

If you would like to order freezer beef from us, you can be assured that we practice sustainable farming methods, and all of our beef are naturally born and naturally raised right here on our family farm. Naturally!

Or >>Click Here<< if you would like more information about the process.

Freezer Ground Beef -- Taking Orders

Some times buying a side of beef is not convenient for some people. The initial cost can be a little overwhelming, although, bottom line, you do save money. Our beef will cost you a little over $5/lb. for most orders. This seems high for some cuts of beef, like hamburger and stew meat, but it's a great price for other cuts like roasts and steaks.

This year we are putting together small packages of hamburger, to make buying our beef product a little easier on the pocket book.

The following packages will be on a first come, first serve bases. 

Package #1 ($55.00)

-- Quarter Pound Beef Patties- $55.00

     This package includes 10 lbs. of beef, already formed into quarter pound burgers

Package #2 ($42.00)

--Bulk Ground Beef packages

   This package includes (10) 1 lb. packages of ground beef

Package #3 ($100.00)

--Bulk Ground Beef packages

   This package includes (25) 1 lb. packages of ground beef

If you are interested in any of these packages, or if you would like to buy a side of beef, click on the button below:

OR

...Learn more about our products

Spring Has Sprung?

When I looked out of the window this morning, I could hardly believe my eyes! It was snowing like a “big dog”… the snowflakes were incredibly large! 

Some friends on Facebook described seeing hamster-sized flakes ... I didn’t see anything that big!

I’ve lived in Missouri all of my life, but I guess I’ll never get used to this bipolar weather. Last week it was 80+ degrees, and we were wearing short sleeves and bathing in the sun. Today it’s 33 degrees on this first day of Spring, and it’s looking like we’re going to have to get out the snow shovel.

Although as I’m writing this, I can hear the melted snow drip to the ground, since the sun has decided to start shining. …Oh well…

Welcome to Mooosouri!

...and 2 Hours Later...

Today is also the official day that we start advertising our home-grown beef for sale. If you are interested in purchasing some freezer beef, click on the “Buying Beef” tab at the top of the page, or click >>HERE<< to be taken to our order form.

For the past few years, we have been selling our naturally grown, grass-fed, grain-finished cattle 3 ways:

•  a whole beef, which can be around 500 lbs of meat
•  ½ beef for the serious meat lovers
• and ¼ beef—our standard most requested size of freezer beef.

This year, however, we will also be selling bulk ground beef; again in 3 sizes:

• Quarter pound beef patties (10 lb. box) $55.00
• 10 lbs. ground beef (1 lb. pkgs.) $42.00
• 25 lbs. ground beef (1 lb. pkgs.) $100.00

Although we don’t usually harvest our beef calves until June (approximately), the ground beef orders will be available as soon as we receive enough orders to process.

So if you are interested in either the freezer beef or the ground beef, please fill out an order form. All orders can be secured with a small deposit equal to ¼ payment of your expected charge.

Where's The Beef?

It's coming up on that time of year again, and I'm getting a lot of calls from people asking me 

“Where's the beef?”

Well, we weighed the fat cattle yesterday and The Farmer is very satisfied with the numbers. After calculating the weening daily average and the average daily gain, we found our cattle are doing super-duper!

The Farmer compared our calves to the recorded numbers of feedlot cattle and discovered that our home-grown, non-enhanced, naturally-raised beef average a better weight gain than the feedlot cattle that have been enhanced with hormones and other stimulants.

Yay, For the local farmer!

If you're interested in finding out more about our cattle we sell for freezer beef, >>Click Here<< or click on the Buying Beef at the top of this page.

A Successful Hay Season

After the rain had passed this spring, The Farmer was able to get out into the hay field, and we ended with a very successful hay season!

Due to a cool, wet spell late this summer,
we were able to get a second cutting this fall!



Being Content from Life With A Farmer.com

Harvesting Cattle

Well, this year is quickly passing by, harvesting cattle is an annual event that happens right smack dab in the middle of the year, and we just had it. Last week our customers visited the farm to pick up their beef. Each year as the time approaches, I envision meeting our new customers and embracing our old friends (not "old" but, well-acquainted friends). Unfortunately, it never works out like I imagine.

In my mind, I see The Farmer and I greeting our customers and leading them over to their nicely packaged frozen beef. Telling them the history of their calf, showing them the grazing fields, and letting them enjoy the serenity of the farm.

But in reality, The Farmer and I get up early to make a mad dash to the processor's. Finding all of our orders, the workers bring the frozen meat outside (in 75 degree weather), and The Farmer and I frantically throw the beef (over 2,000 pounds this year) into all different sizes of boxes. As The Farmer quickly loads the boxes, I'm busy checking off all of the orders and making sure everyone has everything expected.

We jump into the truck, and rush back to the farm, taking all the shortcuts we can, over crooked, curvy back roads. Approaching the farm, we see everyone eagerly awaiting our (their beef's) arrival. 

I get out to greet everyone (and collect money), The Farmer begins to unload boxes, and in a whirlwind of activity, smiling faces, and joyous farewells, I find myself standing on the porch waving goodbye to a late-coming customer, and watching The Farmer take off to do another chore.

Not quite the "Rockwell" moment I had envisioned.

 Life With a Farmer

Rain, Rain...

Much of the nation has been experiencing drought conditions the last couple of years. In fact, two years ago, because things were so dry, hay production was very low. Due to the shortage of hay, it became a very “hot” commodity. We had to buy a lot of hay during the winter, and it was very expensive! (Supply and demand—capitalism at work!) The large, round bales of hay that historically cost $25-$35 a bale, were selling for $55-$65. We even heard of someone paying (well, charging) $90 a bale!

Last year was a little bit better, or we were a lot more prepared. We had enough hay to feed the cattle through the winter, and we still have a few bales leftover to feed cattle that are put in the lot for various reasons.

We are not out of the drought conditions, yet. In fact, our farm sits in an area that the old-timers used to call Dry Branch--possibly because the rains seem to keep going around us. At times, we see a storm moving in, and then it begins to clear up and looks like a completely different weather pattern.

During the last couple of months, we have been praying for rain…the situation was getting serious. The fields were thin, the grasses were not growing, and we were wondering what we would do for hay for the coming winter. But thankfully, this month we have been blessed and over-blessed with rains, here on the farm. Now The Farmer has another problem…the rain is keeping him from cutting the hay!

He only needs three straight days of good sunshine to cut a field, rake it, and bale it. Unfortunately, the weatherman keeps predicting “chances” for afternoon, morning, or evening showers. His latest prediction looked like this:

So understandably, The Farmer is a little hesitant about laying any grass on the ground. But like all ventures here on the farm, he’s going to eventually just take a chance and hope for the best.