Springhaven Farm

Great tasting beef is carefully grown - it doesn't just happen. Many things go into what makes a terrific gourmet steak. The right breed of cattle is key, especially when grass fed and finished. We chose Milking Devon for their superior ability to marble on grass alone. Another key aspect of good tasting beef is animal access to clean water, high quality minerals served cafeteria style so that they can choose what they need when they need it, and having balanced forage in pastures. Too much fescue and the meat is gamey and has off flavors. A clover/alfalfa pasture with other mixed grasses is ideal. An oftentimes overlooked aspect of cattle farming is stress. Animals that are stressed produce copious amounts of cortisol, a stress hormone that will taint the flavor of the beef. Carefully handling animals slowly and quietly, taking advantage of their natural movements and behaviors during handling, and using homeopathic preparations to keep them calm is essential to minimizing their stress. Growing gourmet beef is more than just putting animals in a feed lot and stuffing them full of grain or just plopping a mongrel herd of animals on a pasture and hoping they will grow to produce good-tasting beef. The genetics of the animals plays a key role as well. For those who are interested in the grass-fed and finished market, do your homework. See how the animals are raised and treated, if there are any signs of stress or illness, and how they behave. If they are calm, you are likely to enjoy a good gourmet eating experience. Otherwise, maybe shop elsewhere for beef. We can all vote with our dollar and support local, well-run family farms rather than the industrial system that is fraught with animal abuse and poor sanitation. Your choice! Personally, I love a good steak and Milking Devon is it for us! Bon appetit!