Ridgefield Farm
Ridgefield Farm is the local supplier of Brasstown Beef. The farm was established in 1954 by E.J. and Genevieve Whitmire. He was a high school Ag Teacher, and she was a high school biology teacher and guidance counselor. The State of North Carolina and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association have recognized the farm's sustainable farming and forestry practices.
In 2006, the Whitmire Family placed 867 acres of its 1023-acre farm into a conservation easement to ensure that the land would remain in agricultural use. Continuing the family tradition of farming and cattle ranching, which dates to the mid-1700s, Steve, with a degree in Ag Economics, continually strives to improve the quality of cattle and beef produced, more efficiently by using technology to evaluate and select genetically superior animals. Steve is a former President of the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF).
Extraordinary Care = Extraordinary Beef
Elements of Excellence
We don’t take shortcuts. Many reasons contribute to our meat being considered the best in the business by many chefs and diners, regardless of it being locally grown. The Whitmire's have been farming and raising cattle since the mid-1700s. We know what it takes to make good beef. The process begins with selecting the right breeds and the right genetics within those breeds. We use Black Angus and Braunvieh, a Swiss breed characterized by having sweet-tasting, fine-textured meat with uniform marbling, large ribeyes, and limited waste fat.
Grass Fed
Free Choice, Natural Grasses and Grains
Our cattle are always out on pasture. In addition to grass, we provide our cattle with a forage-based supplement made primarily from corn silage that we grow, chop, and harvest on-site. Here on the farm, we like to refer to our special fermented ration as “cow kimchi.”
We never give Brasstown Beef cattle antibiotics or added hormones. We also mix probiotics, including cinnamon and garlic into their rations for optimum animal health. They are never confined and are free to eat their “cow kimchi” as they please. We are often told that our beef is the absolute best in flavor, tenderness, and consistency.
We believe that the reason is our deep care for every step of our processes. From sustainable grasses and farm management to animal welfare and a free choice, pastured-centered, stress-free environment, we have a unique all-natural approach that ensures the absolute best every step of the way.
How We Use Technology to Make the Best Beef and Optimize Sustainability
We utilize ultrasound to evaluate our breeding stock to determine which animals have the optimum combination of ribeye size and marbling to make the perfect steak. We also utilize a Grow Safe Feed Intake System to measure the feed efficiency of our breeding stock. By selecting animals that require less grass, less hay, and less feed than other cattle, the land can be more sustainably used, and our cattle eat less, they produce less global warming methane & carbon dioxide than either purely grass-fed or conventionally fed cattle.
