By Jacob David

A grass roots movement has begun in the beef industry thanks to Mr. Bill Kurtis, acclaimed multimedia producer in the television industry and broadcast journalist. He is the founder of the Tall Grass Beef Company. The grass roots movement has to do with the beef on your dinner plate (read the next article also).

Mr. Bill Kurtis has directly involved himself in this project that has been his passion for a long time. It is a return to tradition, a time where cows eat its natural food - fresh grass.

There is plenty of fresh tall prairie grass in Mr. Kurtis’ 10,000 acre ranch he calls Red Buffalo, right on the eastern edge of the Flint Hills in Sedan, Kansas.

 In his view, “there is less to get in the way of you and the heavens out on the Priaries of Kansas.” Kurtis’ view reflects Emersonian’s love for nature. I am sure the cows would agree too. The cows couldn’t be happier. It is a return to the way life was lived, when cowboys roamed the land taking care of their cattle.

Open skies, bright sunlight, the tall grass swaying in the gentle breeze, the cows strolling lazily, or lying down resting all afternoon chewing the cud, is paradise at Tall Grass. It is a return to nature – the way God intended it to be. It brings us back to the time when the early settlers who arrived in the Mayflower brought pure bred English heifers to America and fed them on untainted green pasture, giving them enough air, sunshine and pristine water. Mr. Kurtis, a true conservationist has managed to do the exact same thing. He has made the whole experience more humane and endurable.

The lack of hurry in commercializing the whole process of getting the cow harvested and reduced to a steak on your plate is what Mr. Kurtis is more passionate about than anything else.  And for good reason too. It makes perfect business sense. Other farmers and ranchers like Mr. Bill Kurtis agree that the unhurried way combined with fresh fodder produces the best tasting beef. The proof is in the tasting of the pudding, and they have already sampled varieties of farm grown, grass-fed beef. And they are unanimous in their decision when they raise their hands in unison to change their ways of harvesting mature cows.

To prove this point, a bunch of small farm owners have joined Mr. Bill Kurtis in his grass roots movement. They are eager to learn how this will benefit them. Many small ranch owners already practice this – feeding sun fed tall prairie grass to their cows. What then did Mr. Kurtis bring to the table? Genetics. He involved scientists to make the right gene modifications to produce better cows, better grass. The end result is better-tasting steak.

Dr. Allen Williams and his partner Dr. Matt Cravey, two geneticists made it their mission to find the right sequence of genes that will help develop the perfect grass-fed cow. It ensured a cow with lean and better texture meat with lesser fat.

Environmental Benefits:

Mr. Bill Kurtis’ vision does not end with a better tasting steak on your dinner plate. The bigger picture is much better. Viewed through his eyes, he is restoring the prairie land. Growing tall prairie grass prevents soil erosion. The natural waste of cows adds much needed nutrients to the soil. The cows feed on the prime grass and keep healthy all the way. This results in a better product that is more beneficial and safe for consumption by humans.

Human Health Benefits:

The sun fed tall prairie grass is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids usually found in salmon, herring, sardines and anchovies. It is also found in lesser amount in Tuna.  Flax oil (extracted from flax seed) plants with blue flowers and slender fibrous stems are the other botanical variety that is rich in one of the healthy fatty acids – Alpha Linolenic acid (ALA). The other two acids are formed in the body when consumed. – Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docasahexaenoic acid (DHA). Scientists have found that meat from grass fed animals, have higher concentration of Omega 3’s than the grain and corn fed variety. The tall Priarie grass is also high in levels of antioxidants, Vitamin E and Vitamin D.

The free-range cows on Mr. Kurtis’ farm eat natural grass. This adds twice the amounts of good fatty acids – Omega 3’s to your diet, that reduce the risk of high cholesterol and related high blood pressure, the harbingers of chronic stroke and heart disease.

Mr.Kurtis’ revolutionary thinking has got him working with the best of the best. He has teamed up with knowledgeable ranchers with years of farming and calving experience, and able geneticists to take the end product – beef on the dinner plate to a whole new level. He is involved in constant education on improving farming and cultivation techniques to keep the cows happy, feeding them on the best tall Priarie grass there is.

Consumers who are now starting to shift to organic vegetables are more concerned about the meat on their table. Ranging from the turkey, chicken and beef, including farm-raised fish, the consumers are enraged at the shortcuts being taken to slap package the meats and fish from the farm to the dinner table.

That is where Mr. Kurtis’ ways are different.  He makes no tall claims, just enlightens everybody about the facts. And when the truth is there to be seen, um, tasted, everyone agrees hands down that Tall Grass Beef is the best tasting beef there ever is.

Sources:

www.Tallgrassbeef.com

Fda.gov/oc

Kidshealth.org

Thelantern.com

Vpscenter.com

Commtechlab.msu.edu

Diacenter.org

Tamu.edu

Cfsan.fda.gov