WHY Grass fed?

As the chilly winds of winter whip through our pastures, Farmer Tim here at Autumn's Harvest Farm is huddled up in the cozy warmth of the farmhouse, planning and dreaming about the upcoming seasons. Winter is the time when we order our pasture-raised chickens and turkeys, eagerly anticipate the calving, and most importantly, daydream about the glorious grass!

You see, being a regenerative farm, everything revolves around the grass – the green carpet that sustains our livestock and breathes life into our ecosystem. It got me pondering about one particular topic that's close to our hearts: the importance of choosing grassfed and finished beef.

I recently stumbled upon a fantastic blog post from our friends at White Oak Pastures, and it shed light on the real differences between pasture-raised, grassfed cattle and their counterparts in the industrial, conventional production model. Let's dive into the beefy details, shall we?

First things first, the terms can be a bit confusing. Conventional and grain-finished cattle start on pasture but end up in centralized feedlots, where they're fed grains like corn to fatten up quickly. On the other hand, grassfed and pasture-raised, like our cattle at Autumn's Harvest Farm, means they roam freely on pasture, munching on grasses and hay without a grain in sight.

Here's a quick rundown of why our pasture-raised, grassfed beef is a cut above the rest:

Cattle Environment: Our grassfed friends are like fitness enthusiasts, always on the move. Unlike their sedentary grain-fed counterparts, they graze freely, burning calories and fat, resulting in leaner and healthier beef.

Cattle Diet: Conventional cattle chow down on a high-carb grain diet, leading to unnatural obesity and various health issues. Our cattle stick to a natural forage (grass) diet, gaining weight at a steady, healthy pace.

Antibiotic Use: Our pasture-raised cattle, living their best life on the grassy plains, develop robust immune systems naturally, without the need for preemptive antibiotics and synthetic supplements.

Environmental Impact: While conventional beef production contributes to soil degradation and water pollution, our multi-species, holistic grazing system actually supports healthy ecosystems. Our grassfed cattle are eco-warriors, sequestering more carbon than they emit.

So, my friends, as we huddle around the fireplace, dreaming of green pastures and the delightful taste of grassfed beef, let's make mindful choices that support the well-being of animals, the environment, and our rural communities.