Woollysteer Ranch

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Premium grass-fed and finished beef and heirloom Mangalitsa Pork from our ranch to your table!

ranching methods

Inspired by nature itself, we strive to raise our livestock in a way that replicates the behaviours of wild herds and is as natural as possible. Our animals are Grazed in the Wild – spending their entire lives foraging pastures and roaming forests. Through implementing rotational grazing methods and mimicking the biodiversity found in nature, it is our vision to improve the overall health of our land and our planet, while providing nourishing meat for you and your family.

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Meat Boxes

Nothing makes us more proud than sharing our nutrient rich 100% grass-fed and finished highland beef and pasture-raised Mangalitsa pork with you. These slow-growing, highly marbled meats are known to be superior in flavour and tenderness with additional health benefits, including higher levels of various vitamins and antioxidants. Our all-natural beef and pork is free from antibiotics, added hormones and chemicals.

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Our Animals

The decision to raise Highland cattle and Mangalitsa Hogs was based around their compatibility with our vision for our land and this Ranch. Both Highlands and Mangalitsas alike are resilient to the harsh winters of Northern Ontario and are exceptionally hardy, being well adapted to forages of their surroundings and less susceptible to pests and diseases. They are also efficient grazers and foragers eating what other livestock of their kind pass by, and are known to improve pastures and clear woodlots.

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hey there!

Welcome to our ranch

We’re Jason and Rachel and we are the working hands behind Woollysteer Ranch. Nestled in the wild woods of Nolalu, ON, we live in a small 500sq ft. cabin with our daughters, Georwyn and Keitta. Our deep seeded love for simple, frontier living and passion for a sustainable, healthy lifestyle have been the driving force behind our heritage style of ranching that is rooted in traditional ecological knowledge. We are first generation farmers dedicated to sharing our journey with you and selling our meat directly to YOU, so you can know exactly where your food came from and can trust that it is one of the cleanest and healthiest meat that you can get. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being here!

How We Raise Our Animals

Through a mutually symbiotic relationship since the beginning of time, the health of our land and the health of ruminate animals are deeply interconnected. We believe that when properly managed, animal impact has the ability to create a net positive return on the planet by sequestering carbon from the atmosphere while improving soil health and producing nourishing food. We are determined to implement regenerative agricultural methods and, therefore, avoid using chemical pesticides, implement livestock rotation, incorporate agroforestry into our pasture planning and promote biodiversity.

How we raise our animals: Highlands

Our Highlands are 100% grass-fed and finished. The cattle freely roam the pastures and woodlands of the ranch where they consume a diverse mix of native grasses and hay as well as succulent shoots and foliage off various trees and shrubs. Due to their natural resistance to diseases, our Highlands are not given routine antibiotics and our meat steers are never given antibiotics, growth hormones or ionoophores. We walk through the cattle on a regular basis which allows us to pick up on any changes in behaviour that may indicate a concern and decreases stress when we do have to work with them. Our cows calve out on pasture, allowing the cattle more choice where they give birth and their calves are naturally weaned, again decreasing overall stress inputs.

How we raise our animals: Mangalitsas

Mangalitsa hogs have been raised for centuries due to their highly flavorful meat and resilient strength. Our hogs are forest-raised and roam freely in the woodlands of the ranch. The animals forage on roots and native grasses and are supplemented with by-products from Slate River Dairy, quality grain feed and barley. On the ranch, we promote the natural instinct of our hogs to root into the soil and constructively manage them to help us turn soil and clear land from undesirable shrubs. Mangalitsas are naturally resistant to diseases and, therefore, are not given routine antibiotics. You can be sure our pork is free of antibiotics, synthetic compounds (such a ractopamine) and chemicals.

WOOLLYSTEER RANCH

Highland cattle

Scottish Highland Cattle are the oldest registered cattle breed in the world and are docile in nature. Their double layer of woolly hair is a tremendous asset in adverse weather and contributes to their lower fat content and cholesterol in their beef. The horns on highland cattle not only give them their majestic looks, but are helpful with predator control, thermoregulation and cooling as well as to help them with foraging – allowing them to reach higher areas of brush. Their meat is nutrient dense, known to have approximately 50% more omega-3 fatty acids (good fats), 7% more protein, 17% more iron and higher levels of other vitamins and antioxidants (including vitamin A, E, B12, B6, B3, phosphorus, selenium and zinc). It is also known for having less cholesterol compared to the average commercial beef cattle and more conjugated linoleum acid (a strong nutrient for fighting cancer).

WOOLLYSTEER RANCH

Mangalitsa Hogs

All rules are broken when you enter the world of Forest-Raised Mangalitsa Pork. With an incredibly concentrated flavour and deep red, marbleised meat, this pork is rich and creamy with a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. The Mangalitsa hog is a WOOLLY, old-world breed with genetics that date back hundreds of years. It is often referred to as the ‘Kobe beef of pork’ and is known to have lower levels of saturated fat with higher levels of unsaturated fat (beneficial fats). According to studies of the University of Debrecan in Hungary, the levels of Omega 3 in Mangalitsa are 2 to 3 times higher than in many varieties in fish. Other studies have also shown Mangalitsa pork to have higher levels of vitamin D and antioxidants (including zinc and iron).