Welcome to the Ranch!

Just recently Food Safety News came out with a disturbing report about honey. To read more, you can go to another article I wrote called, “Fake Honey?” to get the details of this news. The gist of the report is that most honey offered at grocery and other retail stores is not what bees make. Instead it is ultra-filtered sometimes diluted with water, which the FDA does not even recognize as honey.

The study also found that all the honey sold at farmer’s markets and health food stores was indeed honey. Therefore, all the honey enthusiasts out there need to track down good and trustworthy sources of honey from local beekeepers.

The honey scandal is just one more reason to support your local food producers. Looking for food produced by local farmers and ranchers not only insures that you receive the freshest products, but also supports them so that they can continue to provide food for your family. It is a mutually beneficial system for all involved.

At Cross Creek Cattle Company, we take pride in our grass fed beef. It is a pleasure to be able to produce lean, healthy beef for other families. The beef is raised in a natural way without man-made interference. It has no antibiotics, no grain, no hormones. The cattle live as nature intended on fresh water and a diet of grasses. It is the real deal, just like the honey I want in my morning coffee.

It is more challenging to find reliable sources of food, but a good place to start is at your local farmer’s market. The internet is second best, which is where most of our customers find us. Buying naturally raised food by local farmers requires some time and traveling. This is no one-stop shopping, but the rewards are priceless.

For one, you can rest assured that you are actually eating what you think you are eating. After reading the results of the honey study, this peace of mind is worth ever penny that I spend. It does not take a degree in nutrition to instinctively know that eating organically-grown, fresh vegetables, meat, and other food is better for the health of your family.

If you are looking for a source of grass fed beef, consider Cross Creek Cattle Company. We plan to harvest our first batch of grass fed beef in early spring. Right now, everything is already sold. Therefore, you have plenty of time to plan and find freezer space. Regardless whether you order beef from us, support your local farmers and ranchers when you can.

Cross Creek Cattle Company had to raise our price per pound from $3.50 to $4.00 a pound based on hanging carcass weight. In order to stay in the grass fed business, we had to increase our price in order to make some profit on the sale of our beef. It was a decision that we did not take lightly, and it is one that we stand by. For more information on the particular reasons, please read “Necessary Price Increase.”

One factor that we have not shared with you that played a role in our decision-making process is the cattle population in the United States. As our human population continues to increase, our cattle population has fallen to the levels of the 1950s. If you do not believe me, please read this report out by AllGov. This is not good news for anyone who likes red meat, grass-fed or not. Based on the rules of supply and demand, the price for beef of any kind is going to rise.

Now I just read in the Drover’s Cattle Network about the prices of retail beef based on a study done for 2011. For the last four months of 2011, the price for choice beef set a new high. The month of December saw a record high of $5.02 a pound. There is no way to imagine how high the price for grocery store beef is going to climb this year.

I don’t want to make an argument for choosing grass fed beef over retail beef. I have shown in countless articles, videos, etc. the differences between the two choices. However, I do want to make the case that investing in a deep freezer and ordering a whole, half, or split quarter is a smart move for any family who loves beef.

A half from us requires approximately 9 cu ft of freezer space. A whole would be double the amount. A quarter if packed neatly could fill a refrigerator freezer with 4 to 4.5 cu ft of space. These are of course estimates and not exacts. Each animal is slightly different, but we have enough experience to be able to confidently publish these amounts.

We will begin harvesting beef, both grass-finished and grass-fed, in the early spring. We have several customers who have already secured their orders. If you are interested in our grass fed beef, please contact me. I will answer your questions to the best of my ability. We only require a $100.00 non-refundable deposit to secure your order; therefore, you will have plenty of time to find room in your freezer.

Not only does this video by Bryan Marcel accurately show the conditions on a committed grass fed ranch operation, but he is a big proponent on eating healthier as a lifestyle.  Beyond his catchy motto, “Look Better Naked,” he has a healthy diet plan that includes grass fed beef.  For more information, check out The Bryan Marcel Healthy Diet and/or read his article, “Unhealthy Americans.”

For most of our customers, they seek out grass fed beef because of a desire to eat healthier.  They instinctively know that the more naturally an animal lives the better.  They believe the adage, “You are what you eat.”  If you eat meat filled with antibiotics and growth hormones, then it stands to reason that the meat will eventually have an adverse effect on your health.

On Cross Creek Cattle Company, we raise our beef in a natural setting in Grimes County.  The herds graze natural grasses, and they are currently enjoying planted rye grass.  They have access to fresh water and loose minerals. There is no feed-lot setting on our ranch.

To see for yourself, we invite you to tour Cross Creek Cattle Company.  Contact me for an appointment so that I can make myself available to you and your family.

This steer took time to pose while feasting on rye grass.

Our calves are in rye grass heaven.  With all the rain that we have been getting lately, our winter grass has grown well.  After our past summer, it is a wonderful sight to see fields of deep green.

Most people at the turn of the year reflect on the past year.  News shows are notorious for this.  They run specials and many segments on “The Year in Review.”  I don’t feel compelled to look back.  Last year was a hard one for ranchers and people in general.  Instead as we stand in the threshold of 2012, Cross Creek Cattle Company chooses to focus on the future.  We are excited about 2012.

We have many things going for us this year.  We have spent a good part of this year already meeting new grass fed beef customers and seeing some repeat customers again.  It is one of my favorite duties that my job requires.  I love hearing how you became interested in grass fed beef.  The reasons range for one extreme to another.  For some, there are health reasons.  For others, you watched the video, Food Inc. And for others, you are interested in eating as healthy as possible.  There are as many reasons as there are customers.

We are looking forward to continuing to offer grass fed beef to the public.  As our business grows, our customer base does in proportion.  Most of our customers come from the Woodlands and Spring area.  Some come south of Houston.  Many come from the Bryan/College Station area.  We have a great customer as far as Georgetown and quite a few from the Dallas/Ft.Worth area.  We are so thankful for the growth of our customer base.

If you have been telling others about us, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  If you are one of our customers, we cannot express how appreciative we are.  I can say this with all honesty, we would not be in the grass fed business if it weren’t for you.  So as we look forward, we want to thank our customers, first and foremost.

Then we want to tell you what is happening at Cross Creek Cattle Company.  Our family’s ranch has expanded.  We have acquired more land on which to raise our herd.  More pastures means more grass.  More grass means more beef we will be able to offer.

We now have a water well on the ranch.  We will no longer be completely dependent on our natural waterways and man-made ponds to supply our herds with water.  The well will keep fresh water available for our cows come what may.

Exciting things are happening and I hope that exciting things will keep coming our way.  2012 may be the predicted end of the world, but we are working to make every day count with a vision to keep working for decades longer.

In the midst of an exceptional drought, Cross Creek Cattle Company is thankful for the rain we have gotten. We are thankful that we have not been driven out of business.

With the cost of hay rising through the roof, we are thankful for securing our needs at a relatively good price. We are thankful for all the friends and neighbors, who sent us names and phone numbers of possible hay suppliers.

We are thankful for our customers. Without you, we would not be in business. We especially thank our repeat customers and those that refer others to us. We greatly appreciate you. As the person who writes, speaks, and meets with our customers, I can honestly say that it has been a pleasure meeting with you at the ranch. I love to hear your stories and meet your families.

Cross Creek Cattle Company is thankful for the attention in the press it has received this year. Thank you, Dr. Ward Bond, for committing a large portion of your show, Think Natural, to focus not only on grass fed beef, but our ranch in particular. Thank you, Shauna Lewis, for writing about our business in the Bryan Eagle. And, thank you Beefmaster Breeders United for getting the word out.

I was jumping up and down Tuesday afternoon because I was so thankful for the rain.  The Good Lord blessed us with 3.5″ of rain!  The ground soaked up as much as it could and the rest ran off into the creeks and ponds.  The water level in our big lake rose about 4 feet.  It was such a beautiful sight watching the precipitation fall to the ground.  Now our rye grass will really take off.

Family is so important to us at Cross Creek Cattle Company.  We are thankful for each other.  Our family wants to extend warm holiday wishes to yours.  Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Alton Brown, host of Good Eats on the Food Network, prefers grass fed beef to grain fed beef.  As usual, he presents his argument in a humorous way.  Enjoy this clip as Alton explains why he loves the texture and flavor of grass fed beef.

If you have never tasted the true flavor and texture of beef, there is no time like the present.  Cross Creek Cattle Company is still harvesting beef.  Please contact Lara DeHaven, our Business Manager, today.  Her phone number is 936-870-5798 or her email address is lndehaven@aol.com.

Well if you missed the broadcast of our interview with Dr. Ward Bond on his new show, Think Natural, don’t worry you can still see it.  We are so excited to be a part of his show, especially in regards to grass fed beef.

The episode begins with Dr. Bond and my father, Kenton Holliday, discussing the differences between traditional ranching and the grass fed business on location at Cross Creek Cattle Company.  Then there are different segments, including rare cheeses, useful herbs to have around your home, etc.  Towards the end of the broadcast is my interview with Dr. Bond.  Then it goes full circle as Dr. Bond closes his show with his thoughts on grass fed beef.

We did not have any idea what Dr. Bond was going to choose to air from our interview.  And, we are pleased with the results.  Through the course of the interview we said much more, including an explanation as to why one of our cows in particular was so thin.  She is number 16, and the camera man seemed to love her.  Since this part of the interview did not air, let me explain now.

Number 16 is a first calf heifer.  At the time of the interview she was raising a big bull calf.  She was putting everything she had into producing milk for him.  We have since weaned the calf, and she is now building up her own body condition.  Keep this fact in mind while you watch our segments on Think Natural.

As my family was watching the show play in real time Tuesday morning, the Blackwell family came to pick up their grass fed beef from our most recent harvest.  We not only enjoyed watching the interviews with Dr. Bond on television, but we also enjoyed getting to view it with customers.  We hope you enjoy watching it, too.

Cross Creek Cattle Company is being featured on Dr. Ward Bond’s brand-new show, Think Natural, on Tuesday, September 13th at 11:oo a.m.  Dr. Bond is a nutritionist and television host among other things.  He and his camera crew spent a day with us on the ranch not long ago.

Kenton Holliday, the owner and my dad, was interviewed extensively about the history of our family and ranching, the transition of our family’s ranch into the grass fed business, and the difficulties and adaptations of being in the middle of the worst drought in recorded history in Texas.  I was also interviewed mainly about the health benefits of grass fed beef.

We have obviously not seen the episode, and we don’t know what made the cut on the editing floor; however, we are excited about the show.  We invite you to tune in your television to ABC’s Live Well Network on Tuesday morning at 11:00 September 13th.  The time zone is Central.  If you live in the Houston area, the Comcast channel is 315 and/or 685.  It also airs on TV Max channels 116 and 118 and En-Touch channels 661 and 662.  If you are live my family and have an antennae, the Live Well Network is on channels 13.2 and 13.3.

Dr. Bond also posts the episodes on his website, Dr. Ward Bond’s Nutritional Living.  I will post the episode on Welcome to the Ranch as well in case you cannot get the Live Well Network where you live.  So, really you don’t have an excuse to miss the Think Natural episode on grass fed beef and our ranch.

Tuesday was an exciting day at Cross Creek Cattle Company.  Dr. Ward Bond, a nutritionist and television host, arrived with a small camera crew to spend a few hours at our ranch.  Dr. Bond is the host of Nutritional Living, a program that is in its sixth season, which is devoted to showcasing natural products and nutritional information.

A brand-new show, Think Natural, will begin on August 30th.  It will air on ABC’s Live Well Network in Houston, Texas.  Dr. Bond is doing an episode on grass fed beef.  We are honored that he chose our ranch to showcase.  He interviewed my father, Kenton Holliday, who is the owner of Cross Creek Cattle Company, as well as myself.  It was a pleasure to discuss what we do here on our ranch with a nutritionist.  Dr. Bond was well-versed in the health benefits of grass fed beef.

We also enjoyed taking our guests on a walk through our herd.  We showed them the free choice minerals that we mix from kelp meal, stocker salt, and diatomaceous earth.  The camera man was impressed with the condition of the calves that are in the finishing process.

It was also fun for us to invite them to lunch.  What did we serve?  Grass fed beef, of course.  My father grilled hamburger patties prepared simply to showcase the flavor of grass fed beef.  We also served salad and chips.  I think they really liked our beef since they went back for seconds.

The grass fed patties did not exhibit much shrinkage due to the fact that the meat is naturally so lean.  Cooking the patties at a lower temperature and for less time on each side insured that the patties were not dry.  We seasoned them with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder.  If you don’t mind me saying, they really were delicious.

All in all, Tuesday was a great day for our family and our ranch.  Being able to help spread the word about grass fed beef is an honor.  I will let you know when Cross Creek Cattle Company will be featured on Think Natural.  I hope that you check it out as well as support Dr. Ward Bond as he tries to educate people on health, nutrition, and natural living.

Texas A&M University hosts an annual Beef Cattle Short Course in August.  It is a three-day event filled with a variety of sessions, vendors, and food.  It also provides opportunities to meet other ranchers and cattlemen from all over the United States.

Dr. Temple Grandin is a keynote speaker this year.  She will be discussing what she is best known for, “Cattle Behavior and Proper Handling Techniques.”  We are excited about the opportunity to listen to her speak in person.  If you are not familiar with Dr. Grandin’s work, then read my article, “Thank You, Dr. Temple Grandin,” to see why we are such fans.

Other sessions that caught my eye include: Marketing Grass Fed Beef, Landowner Issues such as water rights and eminent domain, and Range Management-Recovery from Wildfire and Drought.  There are many more sessions available.  To check out the tentative schedule for the Beef Cattle Short Course, click here.  Many of the sessions offer continuing education credits.

The course also offers live cattle demonstrations including cattle handling, dehorning, castrating, etc.  It also has a class to learn how to grade beef and where different cuts come from off a hanging carcass.

Cross Creek Cattle Company proudly sends our ranch manager to the three-day course every year.  We find it beneficial for the ranch.  We are also happy to see so many sessions that address current issues in the cattle industry.

If any of this interests you, consider attending the short course.  You have until July 26th to register.  We highly recommend it, and guarantee that you will learn something new.