MM Livestock Co

That's a tough one. Where I come from Ranching is done from the back of a horse (or ATV) with working dogs, Handling and skill. Long hours spent managing and moving stock over large areas to keep them well fed and in good condition. Many of us have spent generations on the land. Ranching is a way of life, not a marketing tool. In my lifetime I have seen the available pastureage decrease by 90 percent in my area. One by one the big spreads like the Vail Ranch, The Shamel, and others get chopped up and sold off. First to the horsemen and vintners and later to the housing developer. We run on one of the last remnants of private rangeland thanks to one family whose vision is longer than the distance from elbow to wallet. We understand the importance of range management and land stewardship. Our Grass Fed Beef are bred specifically to thrive on grass. The genetics are proven to be some of the best around. Our mother cows come from generations of cattle bred to convert grass. These aren't some tired roping calves thrown out to fend for themselves. These aren't cattle stuck in a pen with hay thrown in twice a day. These are herds that took almost 100 years to build into what they are. Cattle that grade on grass! You hear these newcomers touting higher omega 3's and CLA in the same sentence that they claim extra lean. Hey Stupid! Fatty acids are stored in Fat! You need finish on those steers to make them palatable. You need to properly age your beef to improve tenderness and enhance flavor. Grass fed cattle move! They get their nutrition from LIVING grass, not hay or grain. I saw an ad for grass fed beef from local indigenous pastures and I almost fell over. Pastures have to be improved to some degree in this part of the country or it would take 5 acres to keep one cow alive, never mind get it to slaughter weight let alone finish. So many people are getting in to grass fed beef for the money that they produce an inferior product at the expense of the health and welfare of the animals. Well managed rangeland produces superior beef. Well managed cattle protect the rangeland. Do it right. Do it well. Don't do it without knowledge and experience, it's not fair to the cattle or your customers.

As many of you know we have an Open Farm Day and Educational Fair on shearing day every spring. This year we are adding a Farm to Table supper to our line up. Several of the chefs we supply as well as local produce growers have expressed interest in showcasing their offerings to the community. This year the proceeds will benefit Truly Local a Non Profit Certifying Agency that focuses on grass based production and provides farmers and ranchers the needed link to traceability and source verification. More on them later. As soon as Julie sends me the date that they will be here to shear I will pass on the date of the event. Plan to spend the day learning about Grass Fed Production, Range Management, Cooking Classes, and what to do with all that wool! Time to take the sheep out! Meg