Frequently Asked Questions
Is your meat "organic"?
It depends on what you mean by "organic."
Our beef is
not USDA "certified organic"
, so we can't legally use the term "organic" to describe our meat.
But our meat IS all-natural and follows organic farming principles.
Our farmers haven't been through the expensive and highly-regulated certification process because, frankly, it would make our meat too expensive for the average consumer. Our famers
could go through the organic certification process without really changing how they care for their animals, but it's a bureaucratic bother we don't think is worth the hassle.
According to the USDA National Organic Program Standards passed in 2002, certified organic livestock must have its entire breed history, veterinary care, and everything they eat carefully tracked and verified from the day it's born until the day it dies.
The livestock must be produced without genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, or sewer sludge. The animal must be allowed continual access to the outdoors. It must be fed organic feed and/or be raised on land that meets all the official organic standards too. The animal must never receive antibiotics, growth hormones, steroids, or any other un-natural chemicals.
Our farmers are doing everything right, organically speaking. We're just not a fan of government paperwork
So...
In conclusion, our meats are NOT
"certified organic."
But they might as well be...
Is your meat "free-range"?
Yes!
According to Wikipedia, "free range" denotes a method of farming husbandry where the animals, at least for part of the day, can roam freely outdoors, rather than being confined in an enclosure 24 hours each day."
"Free-range" simply means the animals have access to the great outdoors. All our animals roam the fields, hills, and meadows of the Upper Cumerland at will, with as much space to spread out as they desire. Just as nature intended it to be.
Some purists insist that the term "free-range" only applies to poultry, but we think the term is commonly applied to all forms of livestock.
A word of caution: just as in the term "grass-fed," there's no legal definition of just how much time to roam outdoors an animal must have to be considered "free-range." This is why it's important to know exactly how your food was raised. You can be sure our animals spend their entire lives in the outdoors.
How is your meat different than what I buy at the grocery store?
The main diference if that you know exactly your meat was raised, and you know it's going to be delicious. You know you're supporting local farmers. You know what the animals ate-- and what they didn'). You know the animal was processed (butchered) humanely and safely.
Our animals are raised doing exactly what Creation intended. They eat and roam at their leisure in the pasture. They are not force-fed unnatural feed, crowded into small spaces, kept indoors, given synthetic drugs, or exposed to stress and disease like animals raised commercially.
What breed of cattle does Simple Beef Co. use?
Our catttle are Black Angus.
Black Angus is a breed that is world-renowned for flavor and tenderness. This is largely because of the way fat is distributed evenly
throughout the meat in hundreds of little flecks as well as in larger veins. This is called marbeling and is what gives tenderness and flavor to the beef.
In general, cows carry their fat in two ways: in a thick outer layer under the skin or in marbled specks and veins throughout the meat. Different breeds of cattle carry their fat differently. Black Angus carry a higher percentage of their fat distributed throughout their body than other breeds which tend to carry more of their fat under their skin.
Does Simple Beef Co. use growth hormones, antibiotics, additives, or steroids?
No. We don't give our animals hormones, routine antibiotics, or steroids.
We pride ourselves in the health of our animals.
Rarely (very rarely) one of our herd may become unwell due to natural causes and require extra attention to help get it back on it's feet. When this happens, of course we call the vet and follow the necessary steps to help the animal recover, we love our herds! Once the animal recovers fully and is given a clean bill of health by the vet, it goes back to its happy illness-free life.
We never, never process a unwell animal.
How old is your beef when it's processed?
Our steers are raised to the optimal age of nine to twelve months of age and weigh anywhere between 600 to 800 pounds. Younger cattle yield more tender, flavorful beef.
Does Simple Beef Co. butcher the animals itself?
No. Absolutely not. And we don't recommend you purchase meat from a DIY (do-it-yourself) butcher either.
All our animals are processed humanely and safely at a local, reputable, safe USDA-inspected facility where we can guarantee the processing has been done eithically and cleanly following best-practices.
What does "USDA-inspected" mean and why is it important?
USDA stands for United States Department of Agriculture. This means that a federal USDA inspector is present--in-person--at the processing facility when our animals are processed. This ensures that all federal laws that have been established in this country to ensure the safety, quality, and wholesomeness of our food are met. It also ensures that the meat is packaged correctly.
If you buy meat that isn't USDA-inspected, you have no assurance that it's safe, clean, and honest.
Other people might be comfortable with meat that was butchered by an unknown friend-of-a-friend in some amateur, backyard facility somewhere ... but we're not.
For us, nothing but the highest industry standards will do. It's that simple.
How are your steaks packaged?
Our steaks come two per package and are generally about one inch in thickness.
Do you sell whole or half cows?
Yes, we do when supply is available. Please contact us directly for availability.
How long will the meat stay fresh once I get it?
We encourage you to place our meat directly in your refrigerator for consumption within a week. This will ensure you have the freshest, tastiest product available. If you won't be eating it within a week, you can freeze it for later use.
Do you deliver?
Yes, we deliver locally. Please contact us directly to make arrangements.
Do you ship your meat out of the local area?
No, not at this time.
How are Simple Beef Co. cattle raised?
The cattle roam freely on pasture their entire lives, which is about nine to twelve months. The cattle have approximately 1700 acres available to them, so over-crowding is never an issue. During the last eight to ten weeks of their lives they are supplemented with a non-GMO blend of grain to add marbling to the beef for flavor and delciousness.
What breed of hogs do you use for your pork products?
Our hogs are a Berkshire Cross and usually weigh between 250-300lbs at harvest.
