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Natural and Organic Beef
Greetings from Montana. My name is Derek Kampfe. I am a 4th generation rancher from the Red Lodge, Montana area.
I’ve worked in the cattle and beef industry all of my life. From pounding posts and cleaning ditches in high school to now working with a group of ranchers and farmers to produce the best natural and organic beef that I know of.
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Derek F. Kampfe Owner Great Northern Cattle Company, LLC PO Box 2252 7 W. 11th Street Red Lodge, MT 59068 406-446-0358 415-532-1923 fax |
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I got started selling my superior beef directly to discriminating chefs, home-chefs, and gift-givers after a visit to my family’s 108-year-old ranch about 10 years ago by a hunter from New York City. We have a small elk and deer hunting business on the ranch. We raise and finish our own beef much as we’ve always done it: without growth hormones or antibiotics, finishing the cattle on locally-raised grains and then carefully aging the cuts. Hunters and their friends come to our ranch from all over the world in the fall to hunt, from places like Los Angeles and Hong Kong and London. By and large they come with an understanding of what makes great food. |
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During the week when the hunter was on the ranch, we served, as we always do, our beef for most dinners in what we call the ‘Cook House.’ Towards the end of the week, the hunter took me aside and said, “Derek, I eat all over New York – Luger’s, Ruth’s Chris, Spark’s – and this is the best beef I’ve ever eaten. I want you to do something for me. Figure out how to send some of your steaks from me this Holiday Season to a list of clients I’m going to send to you.”
Now I knew about producing great beef, but not about sending it via mail order. So I went to Walmart, bought some coolers and dry ice, and, working with my local butcher, sent out about 20 packages that Holiday Season. The steaks were a big hit as some of the 20 clients called me and asked me to send steaks to some of their friends. I thought a bit and decided that maybe I had something special and should work at bringing my beef directly to restaurants, grocery stores and consumers.
That was in 1999. Since then I’ve probably done over 200 cuttings with chefs and consumers around the country—almost without fail my beef gets incredible reviews.
To make sure I have a year-round supply, I have organized a small group of like-minded natural and organic beef ranchers who all follow the same production standards to make exceptionally good-eating beef.
If you are a wholesaler, retailer, home-chef, chef or just someone who loves great beef, contact me. I’ll set you up. My email is derek@greatnortherncattle.com; my office phone is (406) 446-0358.
Happy eating! |
