Raising the Steaks Farm Family Connects With Local Customers to Bridge the Gap Between Pasture and Plate k Know your farmer, know your food. With most people being four generations removed from the family farm, knowing someone who spends their day raising food is difficult. Michael and Lauren Lee, who market beef directly to the consumer, are allowing people the first-hand experience of knowing the farmer and the farm where their food was raised. The Lees have been selling freezer beef since 2014 and this year they had a higher demand than in any previous years. They owe their success to producing the best possible product and being transparent with consumers. To Michael, it all starts with the quality of the cattle. He has been working on his family’s farm since he was 15 and has learned a lot over the years. He took over the operation as manager in 2012 and decided to change the focus of Flying C Ranch. “I can have over 300 mamas [female cows] and them not be worth too much, or I can have 160 really good mamas. That’s the campaign we went on, quality versus quantity, and it has really paid off,” said Michael. The quality has continued getting better over the last year after Michael decided to begin genetically testing his animals. This helps determine which steers are the best fit for his freezer beef program. He is looking for ribeye area, marbling and weight gain - all things he can’t see from the outside. Flying C Ranch now processes two or three steers a month. Before processing, Michael wants them on feed for 120-150 days. In his opinion, the quality of the meat is better after being on feed for that amount of time. It helps produce the marbling, flavor, fat and tenderness that his customers love and have come to expect. The typical steaks (sirloin, ribeye, New York Strip, T-bones, and filets) are their most popular cuts. Skirt and flank steaks, along with hamburger meat and brisket, are also popular. The Lees are willing to provide whatever cuts their customers want. They’ve sold chuck roast, sirloin roast, round steaks and even unique products like bone, heart, bone marrow and kidneys. “Whatever they’re asking for, we will experiment and find a way. There’s not too much we throw away,” said Michael. Flying C Ranch beef is sold via social media, their website, farmer’s markets and word of mouth advertising. The Lees price their meat on a year to year basis. In January they will visit every store they can, local and big distributors, to see where they should fit in price-wise. “I am a firm believer in not undercutting anybody to get business. If you produce a good product and stand by it, it will sell itself,” said Michael. The Lees are selling more than just beef. They also provide customers with tips and recipes for new or sometimes difficult cuts. They utilize a lot of family recipes either from Michael’s mother or Lauren’s grandmother to help consumers make the most of their product. The farm also provides a free insulated grocery bag if customers purchase ARKANSAS GROWN 65
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