Your steer was born and raised at high altitude (over 7500 ft) in the San Luis Valley and San Juan Mountains of Southern Colorado. The region has plentiful rivers flowing out of the mountains that are lined with cottonwoods and lush natural pasture. This area has a rich and unique ranching and farming tradition dating back more than a century and a half to the first Spanish-American settlers in the area.
Your steer is selectively bought from local ranchers of good repute. During this process we talk to the previous owner of your steer regarding genetics and individual history, to confirm no hormones or antibiotics had been used and to ensure that he was only grass fed.
Your steer is responsibly grazed using a rotational basis on abundant natural pasture that is, and always has been, 100% pesticide/herbicide/chemical free. The Sweetwater herd of approximately 20 steers leaves a small footprint on the 100+ acres of diversely vegetated pastureland. An untainted mountain creek runs through the pasture, guaranteeing clean drinking water and fresh grass.
Your steer has never seen a feedlot or been fed grain of any kind. Both of which are bad for the health of the animal, as well as compromise the natural health qualities of the beef.
Your steer has not been fed any antibiotics, nor has he received any unnecessary prophylactic antibiotic injections (both common practice in feedlots). We will administer appropriate medicine if a steer is sick or injured and antibiotics are recommended by the veterinarian to restore the steer to good health and alleviate suffering. In such a case we will notify the owner(s) of the steer, and will not process that steer until an appropriate amount of time has passed for such medicine to naturally clear the system.
In the fall, your steer will be gently transported to a well established, locally owned and operated custom butcher shop complying with state and federal processing regulations.
Your steer is humanely raised in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner by two really nice people who probably care too much but believe wholeheartedly in healthy food.
