Where’s the beef?

By Lettie Stratton

Cows at Trillium Hill Farm in Hinesburg live a good life. They’re born outside and raised by mother for the first year of life. With thirty acres to graze, their only corral is a single line of electric fence.

“When you buy from us, you’re buying the healthiest possible meat out there,” said Sara Donegan, who owns and operates the farm with her husband James. “Our animals are treated better than 99 percent of farm animals.”

They sell retail meat out of coolers at their farmstand and go through the same regulations as any huge operation, Donegan said. “I do wish business was better for the beef,” she said. “We have just started selling our ground beef at Lantman’s store, which will hopefully help.”

Traci Jensen of Hinesburg has been purchasing meat from Trillium Hill Farm for a few years now. “There are so many reasons why we have made the switch to local meat,” she said. “I think the biggest reason can be summarized as peace of mind. We know that local beef is safe, and was raised without any hormones or antibiotics.”

Trillium Hill Farm offers bulk pricing. Jensen can fill up her chest freezer for a reasonable cost. And she can special order any selection of cuts. “Last holiday season I made oxtail soup, which was delicious,” she said. “That’s something I have never seen at the grocery store.”

There are about 30 cows in the Trillium Hill herd, ten of which are bred every year. Donegan is in her third season with the animals. Most of them are Herefords. Cows are bred in August and September for a calving window of May and June.

Jensen said people might be apprehensive to buy local beef due to the extra cost. Paying a few extra dollars is well worth it, she said. “The meat is much more wholesome and delicious, and we are supporting a local farm.”

Allison Gergely of Starksboro said it was Maple Wind Farm owners Beth Whiting and Bruce Hennessy of Huntington who turned her on to local beef buying. Gergely was alarmed to learn about the cruel existence many animals on high-production-pressured, mega-farms endure. “They impressed me with their commitment to educating area residents about the values of grass-fed, outdoor-roaming livestock,” Gergely said.

Family Cow Farmstand in Hinesburg also sells local beef. Owner Kalyn Campbell raises young beef, meaning cows that are slaughtered at six months to a year old. “Young beef has lots of fat. Customers like how tender it is,” Campbell said.

For more information visit www.vtbeef.org.