HIGHLAND BEEF
IT'S WHAT'S FOR DINNER
UPDATE: We are taking reservations for our summer 2024 butcher date. Please email us if you are interested.
BEEF SALES: HOW IT WORKS
With food shortages coming and going wouldn't it be nice to know that your freezer is full of the best, highest quality beef available out there? We curate only the finest beef from our small herd of Highland cows who are free to graze from our lush Skagit Valley pastures, where for eons the Skagit River has laid down minerals out of the Cascade mountains. This heritage breed was developed to thrive in the harsh environments of the Scottish Highlands, with little human intervention. Known as the Grand Old Breed, these cows are not only regal to look at, and gentle in their disposition but they also produce the highest grade of lean meat that is also tender and highly flavorful. Because beef stock yards don't like dealing with their horns, this is one breed that has been left alone and not been bred to only fatten on corn, They fatten on our lush green summer pastures with little issue and produce the best and healthiest beef available anywhere.
*Note price increase- while we raise our beef on grass, that grass has to mowed after cows have eaten it to encourage regrowth (increased fuel), and the grass has to be fertilized (extreme increase), and we must purchase winter grass in the form of round bales (now very expensive and high demand for it nationally). Therefore, we now must charge $5.00 lb. hanging weight excluding the butcher fee which is about .69 lb for cut and wrap as well as a portion of the kill fee (about $75). Hanging weight is the weight of the meat carcass after butchering (only meat and bones).
If you are interested in getting on our list please email us directly at jsschleh@yahoo.com.
We collect a list of interested people and then before the butcher date we contact people and get a commitment from those who definitely want beef. We will ask for a deposit based on the size beef you are signing up for- $75 for a quarter, $150 for a half. A quarter beef usually weighs around 150 lbs. hanging weight, or 300 lbs. a side.
We use Del Fox Meats in Stanwood. They are a custom butcher shop who comes to my farm to harvest the animals in their own environment so they are never stressed. We have used them for many years and always the animals are handled in a humane and clean way. After the butcher takes our animals you will notify him with your specialty cutting order. The cutting order is how you want your meat cut up. For example, do you want steaks or roasts? How big of roasts or steaks do you want? T-bones or tenderloins, etc. If you are not sure ask the butcher to walk you through your choices. After the aging time on the beef has passed it will be cut and wrapped and quick frozen. After that you will be requested to pick up your beef. As soon as the butcher leaves the farm and returns to the shop with the meat he notifies me of the individual weights which allows me to invoice you through an email of your beef cost to me. Payment must be made in full BEFORE picking up your beef or the butcher will not release it. When you go to pick up your beef the butcher will charge you his own fee for the cut and wrap. Payment can be mailed in to me or we also take PayPal or Venmo.
This is grass fed beef and as such you should take care to educate yourself about how to prepare it. We do notice a wonderful improvement when we take the time to cook it gently and appropriately.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF GRASS-FED BEEF
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New scientific studies show that Highland beef is more tender than other standard breeds in their prime cuts.
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High in Omega 3’s (good fat) that actually helps your heart
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High in CLA (another good fat) that helps to protect against cancer
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High in Vitamin E (an antioxidant)
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Lower in overall fat
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No funky foodstuffs or special formulated feeds to offset dirty, unnatural, cramped, and stressed conditions.
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Humanely treated- slaughtered onsite in their own environment, unlike meat packing facilities where they are stressed and those stress hormones can come through to their meat, creating a tough beef.