Welcome to the Ranch!

I know that the economy is not good, and we cannot yet see the end in sight.  Families everywhere in our country are tightening up their belts and looking for ways to spend their hard-earned money more wisely.  At some point, we have to balance the health benefits of organic produce and grass fed meats with the higher cost of each.

I watched Michael Pollan being interviewed on NBC Nightly News.  It was filmed on June 24.  Michael Pollan has made the documentary, “Food Inc.”  He has also written many books on the subject of making healthier food choices.  You can read more about it on an article that I wrote also called, “Food Inc.”

In this interview, Mr. Pollan is specifically speaking about the whether or not buying organic is worth the higher cost.  He gives great advice as to on what produce we should spend our money.  Some produce is not worth spending the money on organic because we peel it before consumption.

The reason that I am showing the interview on “Welcome to the Ranch” is because Mr. Pollan spends a good time discussing organic beef versus grass fed beef.  He talks about the health benefits and the environmental benefits.  Most importantly for this article, he talks about the most economical way to enjoy grass fed beef.  I feel it is an interview worthy of your time.

If you would like either a 1/4, 1/2, or whole order of grass fed beef, please let me know.  Like I wrote last week, we are currently sold out, but have started a waiting list.  We already have many families waiting for our grass fed beef to be harvested.  Now is the time to get your name on the list, too.  To read more about the waiting list and what I need from you to be on it, read last week’s article, “A Waiting List.”

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Some of our horses with the pond in the background.

Nine horses call Cross Creek Cattle Company home.  During the fall and winter, they graze in small fenced-in pastures. Then we lead them to their stall in the horse barn to spend the night.  We feed them grain and plenty of fresh hay.  In the morning we feed them grain again and then lead them back to the small pasture for exercise, fresh air, and some grass.  Then we can spend two hours a day cleaning the stalls.

Compared with the Beefmaster cattle we raise, horses are much more time-consuming and expensive to raise.  We buy their feed, supplements, and hay.  Shavings are needed to spread over the floor of their stalls.  These things all cost money.  Horses also require training, exercising, and riding. And, this requires time.  In addition, the ferrier comes out every six weeks to trim hooves.  Horses are high-maintenance, plain and simple.

With the wonderful rain that we have been receiving this summer, our pastures are filled with tall, green grass.  We always have our cattle rotating pastures to ensure that plenty of fresh grass is being consumed.  While the cattle are eating grass in one pasture, the grass in the other pastures are growing.

This summer we have also let the horses have a vacation from their routine.  We have released them into a large pasture full of grass that also has a 3 acre pond.  At first the horses’ heads went down to taste the tall grass.  It did not take long before the excitement of being in a new place caused them to forget the grass and run as a herd.

It was one of the times I wished that I had my video camera.  It was a beautiful sight to behold.  Like a herd of wild horses, they ran over the pasture, up a hill, down the hill, around in large circles, in figure eights, etc.  I don’t know what was more beautiful: the beauty of the horses themselves moving as one or if it was the landscape in which the ran.  The sky was bluer than blue; the grass was swaying in the light breeze.  Thinking back, it had to be the combination of the two.

All the pretty horses.

They settled down and then noticed the pond.  Every single one of the horses stepped out into the water.  Some literally went for a swim.  They were completely enjoying themselves.

Weeks later, the horses are still enjoying their freedom.  They have all kept up their condition on grass only, including the oldest horse, Ladd.  We are enjoying not having to clean any stalls.  Raising horses on grass is much more economical, which is why both equine and human alike are enjoying the summer here at Cross Creek Cattle Company.