Skagit River Ranch
"I am no cowboy. I don’t own a cowboy hat. We don’t use spurs or cattle prods at the ranch. I am a grass farmer who grows cattle. I have horses only because my wife and my daughter want to ride them. When I want to move my cattle, I just call them. They come because I treat them good and they know they get to the fresh grass on a daily basis.
Before taking up farming 18 years ago, I was a fisherman for 30 years. I tell everyone I was fishing in the Bering Sea while the kids on “The Deadliest Catch” TV show were still in their diapers. But I got sick of the sea, and I wanted to spend time with my wife and watch our little girl grow up. So I took on farming. When I got sick due to chemicals in my body, I went organic. I started sustainable farming to make sure I took care of our land in case my daughter wanted to farm in the future. Then I switched to grass-fed when I discovered that grass-fed beef is so much better for animals and the environment, packed with nutrients. Neighboring farmers used to make fun of me because I put up "no spray" signs so Round Up wouldn't get on my fields. I self-taught myself soil science to make sure our soil was healthy and vibrant to grow healthy animals on grass only. We added “Wagyu” (Kobe beef) breeding to our herd of Angus breed four years ago to ensure extra tenderness in our beef. Don’t get me wrong, we already love the flavor we have in our beef. It’s that sweet grass we grow in the rich Skagit River Basin that finishes our beef so wonderfully. But now it’s also extra tender.
We also grow organic chickens, turkeys and eggs. All of our animals are humanely raised in our pastures with no chemicals, pesticides or hormones. They are clean, wholesome, nutrient rich food. I am grateful that many people really care about how we grow our animals and are willing to pay for them. Thank you for supporting our family business; it’s a privilege to be your farmer."
Sincerely, Farmer George
(Skagit River Ranch Website)