At Blessings Ranch, we provide our customers and neighbors with farm-fresh grass-fed beef, and educate both on the value of making the switch from grain-fed to grass-fed.
But did you know not all grass-fed beef is the same?
For example, the grass-fed beef sold at your local grocery store is quite different thant he grass-fed beef you can buy from our farm in Tomball, TX.
Where does your beef come from?
If you buy grass-fed beef from a grocery store, you’ll never know. Grocery store grass-fed beef lacks the fundamental quality of transparency.
It usually comes from large-scale operations. Sometimes, it comes in from overseas.
When it does, you lose the guarantee that “grass-fed” is more than a marketing label. Overseas producers might not be following the same standards that a local farm like Blessings Ranch is held to when making that claim. Even a domestic farm may only be adhering to basic USDA standards, whereas a farm like Blessings Ranch offers a more hands-on, verifiable guarantee of the cattle’s diet and living conditions.
By contrast, you can trace our beef just fine. You can come by our farm and see it walking around, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. We keep our animals happy and let them roam until it’s time to bring them to market, quickly and painlessly. You can come and see it for yourself if you want to. We welcome you to do so.
Does store-bought grass fed beef really taste different than farm-fresh grass-fed beef?
You will definitely notice real differences in flavor, texture, and freshness.
Because store-bought grass-fed beef has been shipped more miles and over a longer period of time, it’s not as fresh as the farm-to-table alternative. It won’t be as tender and it will lose some flavor along the way. The texture will start to change as the beef ages.
By contrast, farm-fresh beef is processed far closer to the sales date. If it’s Blessings Ranch meat, it will never travel much farther than 50 miles from our farm, whether you pick it up or we deliver it. And the difference shows up in the flavor profile: robust, tender, and juicy.
Why is store-bought grass-fed beef more expensive than farm-fresh grass-fed beef?
The difference in pricing come down to economies of scale.
Big corporations can afford to sell their beef for less. Sometimes they’re cutting corners we can’t cut. And they can’t sell their beef for as much to begin with, because it’s simply not as fresh by the time it hits the meat aisle at your local big box grocery store.
The higher price-per-pound you pay for farm-fresh beef comes with added value you’ll never see at the Kroger or the HEB: larger cuts, bulk buying options, fresher, better-tasting beef, and of course the ability to support the local economy by supporting a local producer.
If your budget is too tight, we understand. Everyone’s watching every dime right now. But if you’ve got a little wriggle room for quality, we invite you to taste and experience the difference for yourself.
Store-bought or farm-fresh: which is right for me?
The best choice will come down to your priorities. If you prioritize quality, traceability, and a direct farm-to-table connection, there’s only one choice.
Shop online or visit our farm from 10-3 Thursday to Sunday. We look forward to seeing you!