What is Grass Fed Beef?
Grass fed beef is the beef from cattle which live the entire summer on pasture, free to roam and graze as they please. During the winter, they eat only hay. They are given no antibiotics, and no hormones or additives are used to promote extra growth. For these reasons, beef from these animals is healthy, wholesome and natural in every sense of the word.
Why feed only grass?
Over eons, cattle have evolved eating a high-fibre, forage-based diet. Cattle in feedlots are fed corn and grain because this is the most economical and fastest way to add weight. However, growing corn or grain for cattle can be harder on the environment, and produces beef with a higher level of saturated fats. 100% grassfed cattle spend no time in a feedlot, and their meat is leaner and has a much healthier composition of vitamins and nutrients. Recent research backs this up. (link)
Why don't we use antibiotics?
Because our cattle spend their entire lives on free-range pasture, they have little or no chance to get sick. The majority of anitibiotics in beef production are used in feedlots, where a large number of cattle are brought together from many different farms, which increases the likelihood of viral infections and sickness. As well, being shipped from their home farms the day they are weaned is also very stressful, and can lead to sickness in the animals. As well, a number of infections occur when cattle walk through muddy areas to access drinking water. By fencing cattle out of all the natural waterways on the farm, we have virtually eliminated these infections. At the same time, this goes a long way to protect aquatic ecosystems (learn more). Finally, studies have shown that cleaner drinking water leads to healthier and faster-growing cattle.
Why don't we use growth hormones or growth additives?
Many of our customers are requesting beef raised with no supplemental growth hormones. Although there is no scientific data which proves that the use of hormonal implants in the beef industry is harmful, we strive to use the most natural production methods possible. Because added hormones are not part of the natural growth proccess, we choose not to use them.
How is grass fed beef better for the environment?

The pasture that our cattle graze offers continuous cover of the soil 365 days a year. A sustainable grazing system allows us to never have to till the soil and expose the earth to the elements. On our rolling fields, we strive to keep erosion to a minimum, and every year the top soil is enhanced by the nutrient cycling from our cattle. Many species other than cattle benefit from the continuous grass cover on this farm. As well, with grass-fed cattle, no fields are tilled or intensively cropped as is required for grain or corn production. Please read more about the other environmental projects on the farm


Feedlot vs Grass-fed. What's the difference?

 

A typical steak from the grocery store comes from cattle that have lived a portion of their lives in a feedlot. In a feedlot, hormones and antibiotics are commonly used. Cattle are fed a high-energy grain and corn diet, to acheive maximum weight gain in the shortest time possible. Many calves come to feedlots immediately after being weaned from their mothers. This introduces extra stress into their lives, resulting in a higher level of illness, requiring additional treatment.

 


On this farm, cattle lead a very different life than feedlot cattle. They live their entire lives on our farm. Here cattle graze lush green grass in the summer, and are fed a forage (hay) diet throughout the winter. As they have all the space and fresh grass they need, these cattle are generally much healthier than their feedlot cousins. The cattle are given no hormones or antibiotics in their lifetime. The cattle are fenced out of any natural waterways on the farm, which makes for cleaner water, healthier cattle, and a sustainable environment, and enhanced wildlife habitat.

Because these cattle are raised in an entirely natural environment, we can guarantee the following:


Our Cattle are:

-free ranged for their entire life, on our farm.

- raised on grass and hay, with no supplemental corn or grain.

- given no supplemental hormones or growth additives.

- 100% antibiotic free.