Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rolling Acres a sustainable farm? Absolutely. For almost 180 years this land has been in production, and thanks to modern agricultural practices, the land produces more food per acre with less water, less fertilizer, and less inputs then ever before.
Is your beef an all-natural product? The term “natural” has become a marketing buzzword and can be seen on everything from peanut butter to tofu. There is no actual or industry-wide definition of “natural.” But if you are asking “Does anything weird go into Rolling Acres Angus beef?” The answer is no. For more information, visit our Herd page.
Is Rolling Acres a corporate farm? When we get asked this, we think most people are really asking if same family that owns the farm actually runs and works the farm. While we do have additional staff, Rolling Acres Angus is absolutely a family operation.
Does Rolling Acres Angus beef have hormones? When this question arises, we believe what people are really asking is “Do you add hormones to your animals?” Although adding hormones is a safe and legitimate management practice, we do not add hormones to our animals.
Do you use antibiotics? When this question comes up, we think that what most people mean is “Do you preemptively administer antibiotics in large doses so animals can stay productive in an unhealthy environment?” The answer is no.
We do, however, treat sick animals with certain medications. Our cows are treated like family. We find it inhumane to allow an animal to suffer when a health issue is easily treatable. When an animal gets sick we often start treatment with vitamin B and probiotics (that’s right, just like people). If that does not solve the issue we use an appropriate medication. The medicines we use are FDA approved, biodegradable, and break down and exit the animal’s system within days.
We are proud to tell you that because of our management practices it is rare for animals to need any treatment. We keep detailed records, and should you prefer an animal that has never been treated with any medication, we can certainly oblige.
Can we visit Rolling Acres? Sadly, no. We are a commercial farm, and it keeps us busy. Tony, our Chief Cattle Manager (we also enjoy making up our own titles), is usually moving around in some kind of heavy equipment. William, our Grounds Maintenance Director, likes to talk and might get distracted from the more important job of mowing. Ben, our Executive Director, tends to put people to work whether they ask for it or not. And Jack, our CEO Emeritus, has been told he looks too grouchy for customer visits.
That being said, our Advisory Committee (that is, the friends that trade advice for beef) says to keep customers happy. So if you are ordering a whole beef we can try to convince Autumn, our 13-year-old Management Trainee, to give you a tour of the farm. She’s the best driver in middle school. Just give us a call or send us an email.