Tradition Angus

My parents and grandparents were farmers. I was raised on a cow-calf beef farm in Southern Ontario. When my father passed away, our family farm was sold but I kept a pregnant cow, Annie with a calf, Daisy at her side.

I didn’t have a farm of mine own at the time, so I boarded Annie and Daisy with a local farmer. Poppy was born that spring (on the anniversary of my father’s passing, prompting my daughter to call her by the name she used to call my dad). Sadly, Annie passed away the next winter.

We eventually found some land, established a farm and brought Daisy and Poppy home. Today, Daisy and Poppy are the matriarchs of the herd.  I’m proud to be raising the same line of beef as my father so we called the farm Tradition Angus.

It has taken years to grow the herd because we don’t bring in any outside cattle. Everyone is born on the farm.  In addition to our cattle, we also raise free range chickens for meat and eggs, make our own maple syrup and grow our own fruit and vegetables.  One day, we hope to be reasonably self-sufficient and living off the grid.

Sharron

All of our animals are born and bred on our farm. The herd is a family unit.  From birth, they spend their lives within the herd.  They are free range, able to travel between pastures in the summer, and they have free access to quality hay, comfortable shelters and a cedar bush in the winter. They have clean well water (heated in the winter) and ample salt and mineral licks.

We don’t buy any animals, for breeding or meat, from other producers or auction barns.  We know our cattle from the moment they are born.  Not allowing outside animals into the herd eliminates the risk of diseases being brought onto the farm.

This is one reason why we use artificial insemination (AI) to breed our cows and heifers. Bulls can travel from farm to farm and can carry diseases with them. Biosecurity is always a consideration since we don’t vaccinate the cattle or use antibiotics. We watch for and follow each cow’s natural heat cycle, which given that they are free range on pastures, is a time intensive endeavor.  Using AI, allows us to select purebred Angus bulls that exhibit superior genetic traits in meat quality. Calving ease is another genetic trait we look for in a bull to ensure that our cows have an easy delivery. We would rather have smaller calves at birth that may take longer to grow than big calves that could go to market faster but would put the moms at risk.  With AI, we are not just getting a black coloured bull with questionable genetics – we are ensuring the safety of our cows and the quality of the meat.

All of our cows/heifers have names and we know all of them as individuals. We feel for our cattle and all of our animals, the way people feel about their pets.  Our “boys” are not given names because it makes sending them off so much more difficult. The only comfort comes from knowing that we brought them into the world and gave them a wonderful life with their family during which they were treated with love and respect.

How We Price Our Pure Angus Grass Fed Beef

We understand the confusion customers face when wanting to purchase beef directly from the producer. Some producers may charge per pound by the live weight of the animal (on the hoof), others, more commonly, by the hanging (hot) weight of the carcass. The hanging weight refers to the weight of the carcass after the head, skin, tail, internal organs and lower legs have been removed. As the carcass hangs to age, natural enzymes act to tenderize the meat while some of the water in the meat evaporates. After aging, the carcass is cut, trimmed and fat and bones are removed. The meat is then wrapped and frozen. This is referred to as the processed or net weight of the beef.

A carcass may lose approximately 25% to 30% of its weight between the hanging stage and the final wrapped product. So, while the price per pound by hanging weight may appear less expensive than the price per pound by net weight, it’s not necessarily. The price of cutting and wrapping may not be included in the hanging weight’s price per pound either.

To make purchasing straight forward for our customers, our beef is priced on the net weight of the meat. You are charged per pound of meat that you will put into your freezer. It includes cutting, wrapping and freezing. We typically use the standard butcher wrap, but you may request the cryovac plastic packaging at an additional cost.

We use licensed, local, family-owned abattoirs. All the meat is government inspected.

Quantities and Price of Beef

Our beef is available by the side (half an animal), the quarter (half of a side). The box below summarizes the approximate weight of each quantity. Please note that these are only estimates and that weights will vary based on individual animals.

*Mixed Quarter : 80-110 lbs, $10.75/lb
Side : 160-220 lbs, $10.75/lb

*A mixed quarter includes cuts from both the front and hind quarters
**Organ meats (liver, tongue, heart)and suet are available by request. They are not included as part of the beef order.

Required Freezer Space

Generally, 1 cubic foot of freezer space will hold approximately 25 lbs of beef. An 8 cubic foot freezer will hold approximately a side (about 200lbs) of beef.

Some of our customers share the purchase of a half beef with family or friends and divide the cuts  according totheir individual preferences. Some young families will find they need more lean ground beef and fewer steaks and roasts. Others love the convenience of cooking roasts that will last for several meals.

How to Place an Order

Please fill out the order form. If you are ordering a side of beef, please fill out an order form and continue down to select your cutting preferences. If you are ordering a mixed quarter of beef, the cuts have been pre-selected.

Standard vs. Custom Cutting Instructions

When purchasing a side, you may choose the standard order which gives you the most popular cuts or often, you may be able to provide your custom cutting instructions.  Depending on your specific cutting instructions, an additional charge may applied by the butcher.

Standard Order

• 2 steaks per package, cut 3/4″ thick
• Ground beef is medium
• Stewing and ground beef is in 1lb packages
• Roasts are 3-4 lbs

Deposit and Payment

We ask that you make a deposit when you place your order. The deposit is deducted from the balance due when your meat is ready for pick up/delivery. The deposit for a mixed quarter is $200, for a side is $300. The deposit is non-refundable.

Waiting List

Raising grass fed beef to market weight takes longer than raising animals on grain. Because we are a small family farm, not a feedlot, we may not be able to immediately process an animal to fill your order. In that event, we would ask that you join the waiting list so that we may provide you with beef as soon as an animal is ready.

At certain times of the year, the abbatoirs become especially busy and there can be a wait time for producers to take their animals in. This is beyond our control but we will book an appointment as soon as you place an order and an animal is available.

Delivery

We deliver your order free of charge within a 20-minute radius of Richmond.

Questions

Thank you for taking the time to visit our website and learn about our farm. If you have never eaten Pure Black Angus All Natural beef, we hope that you will try it. We know that once you experience the rich flavor and tenderness, you will never accept anything less.