It is almost dark as we finish building the mound that covers a pit of glowing volcanic rock and coals from hickory wood. Deep in the mound is a savory treasure of seasoned beef that will spend the night being steamed and smoked.

 It is to be the feast for the celebration of spring as it is our first outside cooking. It is also the birthday of our son, Logan, who is turning 16. Our family has gathered and we have a crowd of about 15. While waiting for the hickory wood to burn into coals we roast hot dogs and fish in the pond.

 Barbacoa is a traditional cooking technique that migrated out of the Caribbean and into other languages and cultures but especially that of Mexico. This traditional barbacoa involves digging a hole in the ground and placing some meat (usually a whole sheep, goat or cow head) with a pot underneath it, so that the juices can make a hearty broth.

 The meat is covered with maguey cactus or banana leaves and left to cook in the earthen oven overnight or for about 12 hours. Barbacoa is one of the most mysterious and obsessed-over pieces of Mexican cuisine.

 Throughout Mexico, barbacoa varies by region. In the far north, cow head predominates. Barbacoa makers use goat in the area around Monterrey. Pig is served in the Yucatan, and sheep in Hidalgo. What unites the various barbacoas is the cooking method, developed by the Chichimeca Indians of northern Mexico.

 We began the process by building a fire in the pit. This takes about five or six hours for the coals to be right. Starting in the afternoon we combine this job with checking out the fish situation. It is great fun in the spring to catch fish from the stocked pond. We have a small boat that allows you to get on the water and fish.

 Nothing in the world seems to impart such a peaceful surrounding as the afternoon sun, the water, grass and trees. The busy day and all the rush simply fall aside. Since we work on the fire in the afternoon we usually combine the fire with roasting hot dogs and making smores.

 We season the meat with our own version of a barbacoa marinade. Utilizing the Mexican flare we combine onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper with chicken broth, red wine and olive oil. We allow the meat to sit in this mixture for several hours or most of the day.

 Traditionally, the head of a cow or goat meat is then wrapped in maguey or banana leaves. We prefer a more American fare and use chuck, brisket, and cheek meat. Since the southern Ozarks do not have a supply of banana leaves we end up wrapping the meat in foil and then moistened burlap sacks.

 A cauldron of hot water is placed in the pit which is about 3 feet deep with hot coals and lava rock in the bottom. A grill is put on top of the cauldron and the meat is placed there. The pit is then sealed and covered with damp earth.

 The next morning it is with a great sense of anticipation that we go back to the pit and open the treasure. The beef is opened and “pulled” into pieces. This meat is then used along with rice, beans and the trimmings to either eat with tortillas or over the rice and beans.

 Traditions are what builds families and this tradition borrowed from Mexico has become a favorite right of passage from winter into spring or just anytime you want to celebrate.

When we travel we are huge fans of local eating and love to discover chefs who create seasonal menus sourcing product from their local farms. Our farm works with some great chefs that take our beef and work their magic with amazing results. When on the road we love to especially seek out burger joints. In fact we consider ourselves to be somewhat expert burger connoisseurs.

 Our expert credentials come not from raising beef as much as from having 6 kids that over the years have eaten a mountain of burgers – literally. Considering the all-American burger a staple of any balanced diet we have prepared our share of the meal between two buns. From the elegance of Telepan in Manhattan to the farm atmosphere of our local diner, Pie Bird’s, our beef is a part of this American tradition and we are proud that it is.

At the same time when we are on the road we love to discover local diners and dives (yes, we do watch the show with that same name). Our favorites tend to be those places that have been in business for 40-50 years, flipping burgers and serving up handmade fries. We figure that in the world of fast food whatever it takes for a small family owned restaurant to have stuck it out and still be in business that long (usually through many generations) they must be doing something right.

If we are in a new city and find a restaurant using grassfed beef then it becomes a “must do” meal. Such was the case in our recent trip through Atlanta. Our friend and webmaster, BJ, told us about a new burger place called, Flip Burger a burger boutique. Naturally we had to go and see for ourselves.

Flip Burger was a stand alone building in the north part of Atlanta it had the bright, bold colors and modern appearance almost of fast food but when you walk in the cool, jazzy style has the refined uptown look of a hip bar. We gathered into a white, cozy leather circular booth at about 2 pm for a late lunch. The simple and yet fresh menu was mainly burgers, fries and milkshakes.

 We loved the names of the burgers like Farm Burger and the Butcher’s Cut which were our selections. The butcher cut featured fine dining between two buns (bakery fresh) just like they describe themselves on their website www.flipburgerboutique.com. It paired a wonderfully prepared grassfed beef burger with caramelized onion, blue cheese, red wine jam.

 The farm burger was again grassfed beef this time with smoked mayo, heirloom tomatoes, local lettuce, grilled Vidalia onion, and b&b pickles. The onion rings and handmade fries on the side completed an awesome meal. The chef at Flip Burger is Richard Blais who has taken the all- American icon and made it an uptown gourmet experience. Our congratulations on an excellent job!

We asked our server where the restaurant got their grassfed beef. Good burger but it would be totally disappointing to find it was supplied by off-shore beef from somewhere like Uraguay who ships into the USA container loads of trim for a cheap grassfed grind. She explained that no, it came from a local grassfed farm. This delighted us, our meal satisfied us and all is well in farmville.

Family farms such as our Rain Crow Ranch allow for plenty of variety in your job description. As a grassfarmer we nurture the soil so it can produce better grass. We promote the grass growth for the maximum quality and yield while using sustainable practices.

Our cattle harvest our grass crop without having to use the first drop of fossil fuel. Our animals then support the farm as their harvest produces protein in sync with natures. This is all accomplished under our straw farmer’s hat. But how does this healthy and safe protein make its way to the table? The farmer needs some different hats.

Once harvested the farmer, in this case our son Peter, wears a white hard hat as he produces primal cuts of beef. The meat is broken down into what the industry calls primals. These primals are then fabricated into steaks, roast, and trim which is ground into burger or further processed into ready to eat products. These products are vacuum sealed and placed in the cooler or freezer ready for shipment or pick up.

Now the farmer must don another hat to market that beef as a product. It may be dealing with chefs in a 5 star restaurant or with a burger flipper in a diner, or a customer who calls on the phone and wants beef shipped to their door, or a retailer who wants to buy wholesale.

At American Grassfed Beef we do all the marketing. I wish at times that we were big enough to use marketing experts but for the most part we, the farmers, are also the marketers.

This is the case with many family grass farms that I know. Not trying to compete with the big boys in the meat industry, we keep our staff low and simply wear the right hat for the job. So, when our customers call to discuss the possibility of using our farm to source grassfed beef . . . they are talking to the folks who also grow the beef. As such we feel it a real privilege to have our beef offered in some of the finest restaurants and retailers in this part of the country.

We are committed to the partnership and the business of selling through the beef. We conduct training for restaurant staff and retail meat managers so they can explain to their customers why and how our beef is different from conventional grocery store beef.

We design and promote the use of educational brochures aimed at providing information to the consumer at the point of sale. We also do our part to provide in store sampling of our beef. Mark gets a kick out of going into the store and connecting directly with customers interested in buying our grassfed beef. We share our farm story, answer questions and ask them to try a taste. Mark explains in good humor that this is his chance to get off the farm and play “Emeril” for a day.

When you buy products from an American Grassfed Beef and other family farms like ours, you are investing in United States products raised with pride and care every step of the way until it reaches your table.

The Expo is spread out over three days of carefully crafted events that are designed to connect local family farms and artisan food producers to consumers and trade businesses. We were proud to be a part of this event as an exhibitor, participant and as a speaker.

As an exhibitor we set up with hundreds of local farmers to display for the public what we do, how we do it and why we do it. For many this included offering product for sale much like a giant farmers market. For us it meant offering a sample of our grassfed beef to many who have never tasted it.

We offer the information to explain how our beef differs from conventionally raised beef. We feel that a prime goal in the grassfed message is to provide the consumer with the needed information so they can make an informed decision at the meat counter.

A particular joy this year for Mark and I were to kind of sit back and watch. We have done our share of these mammoth events that leave you dead tired and sore on your feet. This year we took along our college intern, Carrie Leoni, and our now-old-enough-to-participate daughter, Katie Grace.

They did a wonderful job of talking; giving out samples and making sure the crowd went away with the educational brochures. It is of particular satisfaction to see a new generation of raised-on-the-farm kids go out into the consumer public and explain with pride what they do.

As a participant I especially enjoyed networking with other farmers who tackle agriculture in a similar approach as us. These farm families have become friends and we keep up with them through the year. Many times sharing advice along with their successes and challenges. This event had over 1500 in attendance and it was especially exciting to see the enthusiasm of the attendees / consumers seeking out farms and farmers who produce products with pride and care on their family farms.

As a speaker on the panel for “Let Them Eat Grass” I got to share our personal farm story along with why I think grassfed is best. The grassfed message is a passion and it is something I love to tell people about with pictures and by speaking. Contrasting a solar based supply model with grassfed beef produced by sustainable farms to the journey of beef from farm to the table with factory farming I explain the choice.

Sustainable grassfed farms are better for the animals, better for the environment, better for the consumer and better for the family farms. Contrasting the industrial model which may produce cheap food, but at what cost and harm? Harm to the animals placed in CAFO, harm to the environment through heavy dependence on fossil fuel and waste management, and harm to the consumer through the heavy use of antibiotics and hormones.

The Family Farmed Expo was a pivotal event that connected in a direct manner farm and table. If you have opportunity to attend this event or one similar in your area then I highly recommend you do so. To become more conscious of the food you eat and how it is grown influences so much of how we live. Remember you vote for what exists in this world by how you choose to spend your dollars in the supermarket.

By Andrew Gunther

At a hearing of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Wednesday, July 14, 2010, a representative of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) finally caught up with the rest of the world – and his peers at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – and admitted that the use of antibiotics in farm animal feed is contributing to the . . . .
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Today America is witnessing a food revolution where customers want to know how their food is grown and who grows it. Knowledgeable customers ask questions, read labels, do their investigative homework and decide ethically what food they want to eat.

This new consumer is met by a new generation of caring farmers. This new generation of sustainable farmers can be referred to as grandpa’s gutsy grandkids. These pioneers are willing to take risks and tread where the industrial factory farms feared to go.

These sustainable farmers are selling direct and flaunting the attributes of their products that can’t be replicated by the industrial factory farm system. They seek and find a market where customers appreciate the cattle raised with pride on American family farms. They are finding a niche where their farms, their families and their communities can thrive.

Many kids are returning to their family farms after graduation and taking on the new challenge by seriously studying the market and their farm’s place in it.

All of our children play an important role in the success of our family grass fed beef business. Our son, Peter, manages our processing plant and keeps a close eye on the production end of raising our cattle.

Jack, our oldest son, helps with marketing our beef. Katie Grace, our daughter, travels with us to food demonstrations and seminars. Logan, Cody and Trenton help with raising our cattle.

The future looks bright as this new generation of Whisnant’s are able to incorporate fresh energy and ideas to reach new customers with our sustainable products.

The well attended Earth Day event usually draws 25,000 or more to come out and celebrate, educate and network with others about sustainable living.

The weather on this spring day was not what you would call typical for southeast Missouri.The storms that had rumbled all night persisted into the morning with angry clouds and rain. The weather couldn’t decide if it wanted to just sprinkle or pour with a frigid breeze chilling us to the bone.

I said, “Nobody in their right mind will come out in this unless they have to.” I thought the event would be lucky to draw a couple of hundred. I promised our group from the farm that if it didn’t improve we would hang it up and go home.

Phyllis the ranch secretary, Carrie our college intern and my daughter Katie Grace were sharing the day with me. After setting up, we made a quick run to the store to get rain jackets.

To our surprise, thousands of folks braved the nasty weather to come out. Earth Day is a celebration of Earth in all its beauty and sustainability . . . rain or shine. The dreary weather did nothing to daunt the spirits of those who had decided to come to the park.

The high enthusiasm spoke to me of the level of commitment towards sustainable living these folks shared with us. As people came by our booth, we gave them samples of our beef.  I was impressed with the level of knowledge they had about the grass fed message.

We enjoyed meeting the many supportive folks.  It was not hard to convince this knowledgeable group that grass fed is a better for the animals, the health of the beef and the health of the land. Grass fed grazing is a part of sustainable living.

Many responded that grass fed was the only type of beef they ate. It was rewarding to discover that a good many were eating our American Grass Fed Beef raised on Rain Crow Ranch, our family farm already.  Several purchased our beef locally in Whole Foods Market and at Schnucks Markets.

The weather showed us there are so many people truly committed to sustainable living. We cannot wait to see everyone again on Earth Day in 2011.

This past summer, AWA supporter Chef Bill Telepan issued a challenge to Mark and Dr. Patricia Whisnant of American Grass Fed Beef—bring him some grassfed beef that he deemed worthy of using in his famous burger and he would make the switch from the beef his customers had come to love. And so, on a muggy New York City afternoon, a small crowd gathered to see the gloves come off as 100% grassfed took on heavyweight conventional grain-fed. In a stunning upset

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So,imagine my surprise when about 10 years ago he goes out and buys a plane, make sense? It didn’t to me. He bought a Cessna 182 with the idea of taking lessons. He has now logged many hours and enjoys flying a great deal as a pilot. I tell him it is a spiritual problem; meaning, he is only comfortable when he is in charge! Today, he pilots a Cessna 206.

We have been given the opportunity to have some of our beef in Whole Foods Market and have been supplying the Midwest region for close to a year. We have recently been accepted to place some beef into the North Atlantic and Northeast regions.

We are very grateful for a company like Whole Foods to partner with farmers such as ourselves to source products directly from the farm. It has the potential to breathe new life into many family farms. Yet, the sourcing of beef directly from farms has unique challenges both to the farmer, the processor and the buyers.

We are hopeful that through communication, transparency and patience it is a program that will work for us the farmer, for Whole Foods the retailer, and for the consumer –WIN–WIN–WIN.

How does flying and selling beef to Whole Foods connect? We left today in our Cessna 206 for a promotional trip to Boston/Cambridge area. We will stay for about 10 days to tell the grass fed story and provide consumers a chance to taste grass fed beef in 8 different Whole Foods Markets.

My husband describes it as,Be careful what you ask for! Yes, we are farmers and our favorite place is on the farm but this week we will be wearing our marketing and cooking hats as we talk the grass fed story in Boston.

Producers who take the plunge to market their products direct must often assume the role of the jobs that are usually in the middle between the farm and table.

Some consumers like the idea of supporting American family farms.  Another huge segment chooses the grass fed model of production because on the environmental concerns associated with factory farming.

Mintel, a marketing research group, recently published results of consumer surveys that reflect this idea. As more and more Americans are moving toward greener purchases the production of green products have increased over 200% in the last 5 years.  Mintel noted a trend in consumers’ growing interest in products that are not just organic or natural but address their environmental concerns.  More than ever shoppers want to purchase goods that help protect and preserve the world around us.

In this vein the green lifestyle has welcome arms around the solar based, environmentally friendly grass fed model of production.