Practices
We are throwing common misconceptions of grassfed beef out the window.
We are throwing common misconceptions of grassfed beef out the window.We embrace flavor, texture, and fat. Through our genetic work, we have bred a line of cattle that finishes well, has intramuscular fat, a fat cap that will allow our carcasses to properly dry age, and provides an eating experience that you will remember. Our Aberdeen Angus are bred to thrive on Virginia’s perennial forages and we incorporate additional forage species into our pastures through strategic overseeding. Soil type, forage, moisture, topography, sunlight all influence flavor and, like wine, our beef has its own distinctive terroir which we are excited to share with you.
We plan our grazing patterns with paper and pencil, knowing all too well that we continuously modify our plans throughout the season. The driving force in our land management is to put our animals in the right place at the right time for the right reasons. We strategically graze and size our paddocks based on weather conditions and the nutritional needs of the particular herd. Animals are selected for harvest based on key structural factors, some of which are visible, and some that are not. Our animals are regularly weighed for us to monitor their weight gain trajectory, knowing that an animal gaining at a high rate (over 3 pounds of gain per day for a sustained 90 days) will provide exceptional marbling. Although this rate of gain is difficult to achieve in a perennial pasture system, it remains our goal. We also look for specific fat deposits on the animal as indicators of overall carcass quality.
Regenerative Agriculture:
Regenerative is a term that is becoming more commonplace in the market today, but what does it mean? Regenerative means that we are continuously improving the entirety of not just our landbase, but ecological and human well-being. It encompasses our entire moral compass. We farm to promote biodiversity in all facets of our farm. We regenerate our landscape not because it’s trendy, but it’s just flat out the right way to do it. When our forage species are diverse and ever changing and our soil’s organic matter and water retention increases, we are able to keep green cover on our acreage all the time so that plants are continuously allowed to go through the photosynthetic process. This photosynthetic process is also what allows carbon to be pulled from the atmosphere and stored underground. It’s a cyclical process often referred to as the biogenic carbon cycle where carbon and methane work together.
Nature is amazing and we utilize patience and observation as two primary methods of management here at Kinloch. There’s so much more to grassfed beef than just grass and cows!
We Adhere to a 6-3-4 Philosophy
6 Principles of soil health
- Know Your Context
- Do Not Disturb
- Cover and build surface armor
- Mix it up
- Keep living roots in the soil
- Grow healthy animals and soil together
4 Ecosystem Processes
- Energy Flow
- Water Cycle
- Mineral Cycle
- Diversity
3 Rules of Adaptive Stewardship
- Compounding
- Disruption
- Diversity
A regenerative farm design focuses on the health of our landbase generations from now, not just over the next ten years. We cycle energy, nutrients, and water throughout our entire ecosystem.
We have begun our Ecological Outcome Verification process with the Robinia Institute, a Savory Hub, located in Wingina, VA. Annually, they will monitor the outcomes of our management including forage species diversity, biological soil health, carbon respiration, water infiltration, and overall ecological health. Every year we’ll also be provided recommendations to capitalize on our ecological potential.
“A living, evolving and naturally functioning environment where abundance and resilience are recurring outcomes of its underlying health.”
Certifications
Certified Naturally Grown:
Our farm and cattle operation are in the Certified Naturally Grown Program. We follow many similar standards as Certified Organic but utilize a producer verified audit system. This process links producers in the region together and helps form a community of like-minded producers. Read more about the program here.
The beef entering our sales stream has never been administered antibiotics or growth hormones of any kind and we do not use chemical herbicides or fertilizers on any of our production acreage. In the event that we need to responsibly treat an animal with an illness, they are removed from our direct marketing sales outlets. If you have more questions about our practices, please contact us.
American Grassfed Association
Our American Grassfed Association certification is third-party verified and maintains an annual audit on our practices related to animal diet, animal welfare, and farming practices. When consumers buy grassfed beef with the AGA logo, they are assured it was born, raised, and processed in the USA, that the animals were treated humanely, and that they were raised using practices that give back to the planet, rather than extract from it. The certification confirms that we are using management practices that are improving soils, water quality, biodiversity, and American farming communities. Producers are required to adhere to a strict 100% grass and hay diet, with no loopholes. A message we are proud to support and stand by. Learn more about the American Grassfed Association here.
Find our 100% Grassfed & Finished Aberdeen Angus Beef at these shops and restaurants!