The sunlight is shining through my office window this morning, warming everything it touches. The first rays just peeked over the Eastern ridge of Joy Valley and the whole valley is bathed in soft, rosy light. Out in the pastures, the cattle are already grazing, heads down, their glossy black and brown coats soaking up the sun’s warmth.

Yes, there’s snow, and plenty of it. It’s been cold. After all, it’s winter in Michigan. It’s what we expect. Last night, the air was clear…very clear… you could see stars, stars…oh yeah, and more stars. 

That same clear sky is what makes it so darn cold the next morning. All the heat drifts away during the night.

​So, here we are…morning on the ranch!

Grass-fed beef is a popular choice if you’re seeking a more natural and sustainable option for your meat consumption. Unlike grain-fed cattle, grass-fed cattle are raised on a diet of grass and forage, resulting in beef that is reported to offer higher nutritional value and supports environmentally friendly farming practices.

While I am not passionate about backyard grilling, I do enjoy it...and I bet you do too. As we are nearing the end of the traditional “grilling season” in Northern climates, there’s no need to stop grilling just because football season has started, the kids are back in school, etc. In fact, temps have cooled slightly…and the days and nights are 100% perfection.

Who would have thought that ground beef, meatloaf, roasts and steaks could taste this amazing?

Creating great-tasting beef requires more than just grass.

Life's just too darn short for mediocre meat! 

Have you ever stopped to really think about what's lurking in those grocery store aisles?  

​Tasteless cuts pumped full of who-knows-what, from cows that live a miserable existence. It's a grim picture and it's not doing us, our planet or those poor cows any favors. 

Why settle for that mystery meat? 

In the vast landscape of American cuisine, there's an intriguing phenomenon that often raises eyebrows.

The apparent preference for processed, frozen and packaged foods over fresh, farm-to-table alternatives.

It's easy to dismiss this as a mere consequence of a fast-paced lifestyle, but it goes deeper than that.

Let’s explore a little.