In a day where people are beginning to ask more and more questions about the origins of their food, one Hayward man and his nephew in Texas have partnered to provide a guaranteed, safe and healthier pork and beef product to the community.

With 35 years of production experience in the commercial livestock industry, Dan Matz of Hayward and Brian High of Krum, Texas, decided they weren’t liking what they were seeing as the standard practices involved with raising an animal to slaughter. These practices included using growth hormones, antibiotics and confined livestock housing.

So they began raising their own livestock for their personal use without using all of those other practices, and after a short while, they started selling meat to their family and friends. Now it has expanded that they are selling it to the public locally under the name of Northstar Ranch at the Albert Lea Farmers Market.

Matz said Northstar Ranch does not add growth hormones or antibiotics to its animal feed; instead, beef cattle are raised on grass pastures and are fed hay during the off months.

Hogs are raised in partial confinement with the outdoors available for them to get the exercise they want. They eat a corn-soybean meal diet that is supplemented with vitamins and minerals.

Because the animal is less stressed, content and happier, there is the end result of a better tasting product.

“There’s a lot of demand for that,” Matz said. “More people are becoming more aware of what they’re eating.

Currently, most of the all-natural, grass-fed beef are grown at a ranch deep in the heart of Texas. A few head are grown near Hayward.

The hogs are all raised on the Northstar Ranch near Hayward.

Some of the products the business sells are rib-eye steak, sirloin steak, ground beef steak, beef roasts, pork chops, spare ribs, ham slices and brats, to name a few.

New for 2008 are two kinds of breakfast sausage: cowboy breakfast sausage, a mild sausage with just enough spice, and razorback breakfast sausage, a sausage with some kick. Both go well in chili, soups and hot dishes.

Also new this year are jalapeño brats.

Northstar Ranch offers individual cuts for sale, with no minimum amount for purchase. It also offers made-to-order packages and other popular packages that are put together as well. Packages can be pork, beef or a combination.

Matz said in the summer one of the business’s most popular items is steaks, while in the winter it is roasts.

“I just can’t seem to get enough of any beef in stock,” he said.

With quality as their goal, all prices are right in line with those at a supermarket, Matz said.

Free delivery is available in the Albert Lea area. There is a slight delivery charge for the out of home area.

Northstar Ranch

Address: 81920 235th St., Hayward

Phone: 507-383-7694

E-mail: northstarr@frontiernet.net

Northstar Ranch has all-natural, grass-fed beef and naturally raised pork.