Welcome

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It is our belief that farmers who grow food for others should also grow food for themselves.  Our family does that.  Farming/ranching organically since 2008 and Certified in 2011, we’re located 10 min. west of Willmar.  Our family farm, with its rolling hills and refreshing creek, has been in operation since 1941.

We specialize in grass-fed Highland grass-fed beef, lamb, soy-free pastured pork, chicken and holiday turkeys.  We do not feed medicated feeds or hormones and all of our meat products (eggs included) are naturally grown & always soy-free. 

Click here for pricelist

 

What is 'Solar Beef'?

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We are solar farmers.  The energy of the sun is used by and stored in the grasses of our restored prairie pastures.  In other words, the grass and plants are the solar cells and our pastures are massive solar banks of these solar collectors. Healthy soil is simply the medium or electrical connections.  Without good healthy soil, our solar cells cannot efficiently store the sun's energy.

So what is solar beef?  When our cattle graze our certified organic pastures, they are harvesting the energy of the sun and converting it into beef - natural, healthy beef.  There are no artificial hormones, herbicides, insecticides or antibiotics in, on or around our cattle.  We consider it as pure as sun light.

We want to help promote the benefits of pasture-based farming/ranching... and let others know that we all have a healthier, local choice of where we buy healthy beef.  When you buy 'solar beef' directly from us (the rancher), you know where your food comes from and how it is cared for.

Being pasture based is a philosophy - a practice of the old school style of ranching/farming.  In addition to raising Highland grass-fed cattle, we also raise and sell pastured ducks, chicken & eggs, lamb, and pork.  We are especially proud of our free-range Heritage Holiday Turkeys.  This is what one of our customers told us, "The turkey was FABULOUS!  We received rave reviews, it was moist and tender... it truly made our Thanksgiving dinner a feast."

Pastured-pork, lamb & turkey will, again, be available in the fall.  We will have chicken, eggs, garden produce & bakery goods for sale throughout the summer.

To learn about the Top 10 Reasons To Eat Grass-fed Meat... click here.

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Qualities of Highlanders

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Where's The Beef?

Our healthy, naturally raised 'Solar Beef' isn't found in your grocery stores.  It's found right here, at the farm.  Highland Premium Beef, on its own, is some of the leanest beef of any breed of cattle, with the exception of Buffalo. Like the buffalo, Highland cattle keep warm using their double coat.  Most beef animals have a layer of fat to insulate them from the weather. And unlike standard beef breeds, Highland Premium Beef is naturally marbled. The present day beef market demands leaner meats, and Highland Premium Beef cattle are and have always been superior in this department as well

Cattle, in general, are meant to eat grass.  That's how they're made. Grass-fed Highland beef is high in Omega-3 and Beta Carotene, which we all know is important for good health.  Cattle that consume a diet primarily of grain are, in general, unhealthy.  Most are fed antibiotics.  Solar Beef is healthy beef.

More Info

Highland Premium Beef cattle are known for their gentle disposition and they are “a naturally laid back beast.”  They are gentle and loving creatures.  Cows will nurse their calves and then leave them lying behind a clump of grass for long periods of time.  This is quite normal for Highlanders.  Out on the moors of Scotland, the cows would have to forage some distance away from their calves, to find their daily requirements.  For protection, herds have been known to form a circle around the young in order to keep them safe from predators.

A Breed Apart

The Highland breed has a long and famous ancestry. It has been described as charismatic, beautiful and noble. Throughout the centuries the breed has developed and adapted, often in adverse conditions, until we have the extremely efficient and versatile animal we see today. There is no finer sight than a Highlander with a new born calf at her feet.

Cold weather and snow have little effect on these cattle. They have a thick skin and long shaggy coats to protect them, even in blizzard conditions and temperatures as low as 20 degrees below zero. They have been raised as far north as Alaska and the Scandinavian countries. The cattle’s food intake does not increase until 18 degrees F, whereas most breeds of cattle’s needs increase at 32 degrees F.  Thus proving that the Highland Cattle are well adapted for harsh conditions.  Highlands are slow growing creatures and are known for their ruggedness. 

The Breed for Health

Highland cattle represent one of the best ways to produce beef and preserve our landscape. The cattle are experts at improving unproductive land and maintaining a balance of plants. They will thrive on rough fodder enabling less competitive grasses and flowers to flourish. In winter, their diet is naturally healthy as they don't require feed compounds that are now suspected of being a disease risk. The breed's natural immunity to many diseases eliminates the need for antibiotics and other medicines. Our pastures & cattle, together, create naturally lean, healthy Solar Beef.