Grandpa's Way of Doing Things
The beef produced by the growers in the Buckeye Valley Beef Cooperative is naturally raised because our calves follow the traditional growing methods of our past generations: from birth until weaning around 4 - 6 months, they are with their mothers in the pasture; when they reach a good weaning weight, they are weaned and moved to a different grass pasture.
This is where they stay for another 3 months or so. Some grain ration is introduced, and the calves love it so much that they will run for the feed bunks when they hear you coming. When they reach a good point to be "finished out," the grain ration is increased in order to start the marbling process in the meat. Marbling is the amount of fat that builds within the meat muscle. It is what gives you the superior flavor, as well as the "cut with a fork" tenderness.
There are no therapeutic antibiotics, hormones or other additives used during any of these stages of our beefs' life.
Grandpa raised his family on beef that was grown using this traditional method; as did our parents and now ourselves. It's this homegrown tradition that we want to make available to growing families just like ours.