Natural Beef Company - Ozark Prime Beef of Marble Hill Missouri

Ozark Prime Beef Location

Pamela Alford — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 23:37:15 +0000

Ozark Prime Beef is located in the Missouri range, in the foothills of Bollinger County. There are two mountain ranges within the Ozarks: the Boston Mountains of Arkansas, and the St. Francois Mountains of Missouri. Much of the area supports beef cattle ranching and, like it is in many rural areas, agriculture and farming play a critical role in the economy of Bollinger County. The average size of a farm in the county is 250 acres, and 93.65% of all farms are operated by a family or one individual. Bollinger County is located above the Bootheel, and average temperatures range from 22 °F in January to 89 °F in July.

Farming operations large or small add to the economic wealth of the county, providing local jobs and a good source of local meats or produce. The county’s agricultural strength is anchored in great part based on the value of beef cattle production and the impact of family farmers. The high-quality crop ground, timberlands and water resources make cattle farming a popular use of the land.

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Our Founding Roots

Pamela Alford — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 23:36:51 +0000

Quality beef is a key component, but it is not the only driving force. Ozark Prime Beef founder, Keith Brotherton, is a life-long resident of Bollinger County with a level of commitment for the land and his livestock that few unfamiliar with farm life understand. His level of care is evident by the sacrifices made for the welfare of his cattle and demonstrated by the details that bring them comfort. Farmers tend to take better care of their animals than themselves sometimes, and Keith is no different.

He is no stranger to hard work, but whether sitting on a tractor, building a fence, tending the cattle, or doing any one of several other chores – time spent on the farm is the most rewarding. The satisfaction of a productive day spent cutting hay or watching his calves mature, is part of what makes it all worthwhile.

Keith and “Waylon” after a long day at the farm.

Sustainable Practices + Healthy Cattle = Quality Beef

Cattle contribute to the survival of humans and have for many thousands of years. Consumption of beef is an indicator of socio-economic status and food preference. Americans today eat a lot of beef – an estimated 79.3 pounds per person and the U.S. is fourth on the list of per capita beef consumption worldwide. The next several years appear to favor increasing desire as trends and tastes continue to favor beef.

For most cattle farmers, it is the raising of the cattle that is the most rewarding – not just the bottom line of profitability. Like most farmers, Keith forms attachments to his cattle and cares for them by providing five freedoms of animal welfare: 1) freedom from hunger and thirst; 2) freedom from discomfort; 3) freedom from pain, injury or disease; 4) freedom to express normal behavior; and 5) freedom from fear and distress. Going the extra mile for the care of his animals is an important part of ensuring beef is delivered safely from the farm to your fork.

While Keith is a cattle farmer, as with most farming operations he is also an investor in land. The land where his cattle graze is beautiful, with a view across the valley and a pond at the bottom of a hill on which his rustic cabin sits. Farming is not his primary occupation and some evenings after a day at work, Keith comes to the farm, sits on the hill, and just watches the cows and their calves. According to the agricultural census, more than half of all farmers say it is not their primary occupation – it is something they do because they enjoy it, or it is a family tradition they want to continue.

Keith has a tremendous commitment to producing healthy, quality beef and knows other farmers equally passionate and hoping to maintain family farms for future generations. The dramatic expansion of industrial agriculture has made it increasingly difficult for small family farmers to stay in business, and when they shut down – they are not being replaced. The revival of fresh, healthy eating that is occurring means more farmers are selling their products directly to the public. It is very gratifying to provide beef to people who appreciate what is being raised on family farms, but it is also time-consuming and challenging to both farm and market one’s products.

Founded to Promote Quality

Ozark Prime Beef was founded to help introduce those who produce and those who wish to consume quality beef raised sustainably and treated humanely. This network of small family farmers is committed to the most natural and compassionate approach to raising cattle and dedicated to providing the healthiest, most nutritious meat.

This website exists to make certain you have easy, uncomplicated access to higher quality beef. It is designed to help you every step of the way – from selecting cuts you may not be familiar with, to figuring out freezer space, to exploring new cooking methods, and more.

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What We Offer

Pamela Alford — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 23:36:08 +0000

If you’ve ever thought about how to buy beef online, the first concern was probably how to find a reputable source. Most folks that buy whole, half or quarter beef are referred to a local farmer by someone they know and trust. But what if you want to buy beef online? Maybe you don’t have access to local farmers in your area, and no one you know has ever bought “nose to tail” – let alone is knowledgeable enough to vet a potential source.

Sourcing Beef Online

Surveys show many of us, given a choice, would gladly pay a little more if we knew the exact source of our steaks, roasts or hamburger meat. While “cut of beef” ranks highest among steak traits, 63% of survey participants say they would love to purchase source-verified steaks over meat with unspecified sources. Makes sense – everyone agrees it would be optimal to know where their food is coming from. If you’re going to buy beef online from a large steak purveyor, how can you possibly be certain of the source?

Let’s face it, selecting meat quality for your family shouldn’t be a guessing game. That’s why Ozark Prime Beef showcases each local farmer in our network so you know their location, history and farming methods. Yes, there is a label to tell you organic, grass-fed, farm-fresh, all natural, etc. – but the reality is, we trust people, not packaging to know how good our food really is. If you know how the animals were raised, fed, and processed, you can feel far more confident about feeding your family.

While you can buy meat from local producers at a farmer’s market, a big drawback is that producers cannot butcher meat themselves and most of it comes frozen. This means less flexibility around cuts and overall uncertainty for constant availability from the same farmer. Ozark Prime Beef allows you to buy beef online by selecting from “chapters” offered by each individual farmer.

Beef Online Ordering Benefits

When you order beef online vs. from the supermarket, you take back control of what you feed your family. The majority of meat in supermarkets comes from “factory farm” raised livestock. There are 257,000 of them in the U.S. and the production process concentrates large numbers of animals in small, confined places where they are forced to live in unhealthy conditions. To combat that, they’re given antibiotics, hormones, de-wormers, growth-promoting drugs and other medicines to help them quickly reach harvest weight without getting “too sick”. According to a recent USDA Inspector General Report, beef sold to the public was found to be contaminated with 211 different drug residues.

When you order beef online from us, you can review all network producer profiles to select the local farm that most appeals to you. If animals raised in natural environments with free access to water and green grass, tended by caring individuals is of importance, then you’ve come to the right place. Producers list their location, methods, harvest timeframes, price-per-pound, and cutting options for your whole, half or quarter beef. You can also take advantage of a convenient, interest-free “lay-away” payment plan to spread the cost from date of order to date of receipt.

Rather than continue to support the massive industry that puts cheap, low-quality meat on your dinner table while putting your family’s health at risk – support the dedicated, local family farms that respect both their animals and the environment. Keep in mind, when you buy from a small farmer you’re eating exactly what his/her own family enjoys. That peace-of-mind alone is worth a few extra dollars, but if it keeps your family healthier, the value could be significantly higher.

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Why We Exist & Who We Serve

Pamela Alford — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 23:35:38 +0000

Buying a whole, half or quarter beef is something many people think about but discard as a good option because it sounds more complicated than buying from the local grocery store. Encouraging and assisting local purchase from smaller farms helps everyone involved.

Locally grown beef creates important economic opportunities, provides health benefits and helps to reduce environmental impact. People agree local food tastes better, last longer, and it helps bring the community together by extending the opportunity to make a difference. You can realize peace-of-mind knowing exactly where your food comes from, and how it was raised. Local beef producers can focus on their farms instead of trying to market their beef.

We take the complication out of the equation and make it easy for anyone to buy beef online. There are four easy steps to follow…

Buy Whole, Half or Quarter Beef

STEP #1
Browse our site and choose a prime beef chapter from a farm that appeals to you and offers the price and cutting preferences you like. Every farm in the network is showcased with a bio so you can select based on methods or location that appeals to you. Choosing your cutting preferences takes a few clicks and we offer great recipes for cuts with which you might be less familiar. Take a few minutes to browse our Recipes to explore delicious options with full nutrition labels, meal planning, and shopping list features. We also provide articles for different cooking methods and techniques we hope you’ll find interesting!

STEP #2
Decide if you want to buy a whole, half or quarter beef – depending on your needs, eating habits, and size of your family. Buying a portion of a beef is not for everyone due to the yield, so it may be more efficient to share a half or quarter beef with friends or family members. Payment methods include the option to pay a deposit and spread the balance between order date and receipt of your processed order. This can be a matter of weeks or months – based on the chapter selected.

STEP #3
Pick up your order from the processor (if local), or have it shipped directly to you – and fill your freezer. The amount of meat in a whole, half or quarter beef varies depending on bone-in vs. boneless cuts, the amount of fat remaining on the cuts, and beef genetics. Customers buying quarters get a good selection of cuts from all the primal sections of a beef. Cuts are standardized to ensure that both customers sharing a side get a true split of the variety of cuts. Approximately one cubic foot of freezer space for every 15-20 pounds of meat is needed. Example: a half beef requires a 7 cubic ft. freezer.

STEP #4
Enjoy high-quality, 100% natural beef raised without confinement the way nature intended – then processed and aged to deliver delicious taste. You’ll discover the benefits of selection, quality, economy, customer service, and cost from producers in the Ozark Prime Beef network!

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