NOT ALL GRASS-FED BEEF IS CREATED EQUAL
Ask your farmer / grazier how they raise their beef cattle - understand what is important. Grass fed and finished beef can significantly vary in its health for you, the animals, and in particular the land. It is unfortunately common for “grass fed” cattle to be left out to graze for weeks at a time without being moved to a fresh paddock. Overgrazing often looks like animals in paddocks for periods greater than 3 days and often continuously, forage eaten down to less than 3”, and not allowing forage time to rest and regrow to its pre-flowering stage. This results in compacted and eroded soils from constant hoof impact, negatively impacted surface and sub-surface water quality on site and downstream, overly concentrated areas of manure and impact, poor animal performance, etc. This type of management compromises water quality, soil health, animal health, and capacity of the pasture over time. Many cattle are often fed hay through much of the grazing months when fresh forage is in season. There is another way!
At Robinson Hill Beef, we move animals daily onto fresh paddocks, allowing for 30 - 65 or more days of rest (depending on the season) before returning animals to that same paddock. Frequent movement and flexibility is key. The cattle’s water source moves with them so that there is no path being further compressed each day and no “sacrifice area” where they congregate for water. This allows the forage species to grow to their most optimal nutritional point for the cattle and their optimal point for growing soil, biological integrity, and carrying capacity over time. Wet areas are fenced out or included when conditions are appropriate. In this method, the land and forage are the primary determinants of grazing management – the number of animals, the duration and concentration of animals in a single paddock, the number of rest days before returning animals to the paddock. The animals are constantly surrounded by optimal and diverse fresh forage, have access to clean water, and develop a relatively easy and calm relationship with humans as we visit them and move them to a new delicious area every day.
For research and more information on the positive impacts of our grazing and management on human health and ecological health please refer to the Learn section of this website.
ORDER, PICK UP AND DELIVERY
Please call or email us to Order and arrange for Pick-Up or Delivery
graham.rufenacht@gmail.com / 802-585-6236
We have a pick-up site in Marshfield at the home farm, and are available to make deliveries upon arrangement. Also, please contact us even if you live far away. We are more than willing to talk with you about transporting beef, its logistics, and expenses it may entail.
PRICING
Click Below for Retail Pricing
Wholesale Pricing
Restaurants, Caterers, Coops, Schools, Colleges, Universities and others...
We are currently arranging wholesale pricing with clients on a case by case basis - please contact us for more information
Bulk Order & CSA
If you are purchasing a split half / half / or whole animal, you are welcome to fill out your own cut sheet, fill it out with us over the phone, or have us fill one out for you.
Robinson Hill Beef works to sell most, if not all, of its meat direct to consumer in the form of split half / half / and whole animals. Among other benefits, this allows the customer an opportunity to achieve a discount on product, and the farmer to not have to store or market individual cuts.
CSA MODEL
Our Bulk Order is based on a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model, in which an upfront investment from the consumer helps the farmer to more resiliently afford establishment and operating costs throughout the season. CSA's also provide the farmer with some security, as they serve as both an investment in the operation and a deposit on a future product.
Deposit
There are many substantial costs involved in seasonal grazing, such as: the initial cattle purchase, transport of animals at the beginning and end of the season, slaughter and processing fees, fencing and corral infrastructure, and water systems infrastructure.
We ask that the customer pay roughly 1/3 of the estimated value of their bulk purchase up front. The final amount owed will not be able to be determined until after full processing and will be presented to you upon delivery / pick-up. Thanks!
Pricing
SLAUGHTER & PROCESSING
Robinson Hill Beef supports and respects people's right and ability to choose to use a USDA inspected slaughterhouse or to perform on-farm slaughter or hire an itinerant slaughterer. Graham has hired itinerant slaughterers to perform on-farm slaughter in the past. We currently choose to bring our animals to a USDA inspected slaughterhouse as this is the most accessible method for us to legally sell our beef, and because we are bringing a large enough number to slaughter right now that it is most efficient for us to do it this way. We appreciate the skills and services of Northeast Kingdom Processing - our current USDA processor - located in Lyndonville.
Slaughter & Processing Facility
Northeast Kingdom Processing
www.nekprocessing.com
NorthEast Kingdom Processing is our first choice of processor. After going to a number of different slaughterhouses over the years, we've decided to work with NorthEast Kingdom Processing because we appreciate the customer service, working with Edmund - the production manager, and in particular have been impressed with the clean and calming drop off space for the animals.
ON FARM SLAUGHTER
If you are interested in learning more about on-farm slaughter, please call or email Graham, and see the website of Rural Vermont - a local organization which organizes and advocates for agricultural equity and food sovereignty, and which has worked with farmers for a number of years to maintain a legal foothold for on-farm slaughter in Vermont. Robinson Hill Beef will consider facilitating on-farm slaughter if you are interested and can help you figure out how to make it happen legally.