Get 10% Off plus 1lb of Free Ground Beef
on every order when you use Subscribe and Save at Checkout!

Pasture-Raised, Grain-Finished: A Transparent Look at Our Feeding Philosophy

written by

Jordan Ems

posted on

July 17, 2025

Our growing corn


The corn is shoulder-high now, swaying in the July breeze across our Missouri pastures. From the farmhouse window, I can see green stalks reaching their tassels toward the summer sky. There's something magical about this time of year, watching the corn reach maturity. Home-grown crop for our home-grown cattle. 

But this isn't just about the growing crop—it's about something bigger. It's about the story that connects every step from seed to steak, and why we're so passionate about our "pasture-raised, grain-finished" approach to raising beef.

What Does "Pasture-Raised, Grain-Finished" Really Mean?

Let me be completely transparent with you. When you see "pasture-raised, grain-finished" on our beef, here's exactly what that means for our Black Angus herd:

Pasture-raised: Is exactly what it sounds like; our cattle spend their lives doing what cattle do best—grazing. They're out there on diverse pastures, rotationally grazing, eating grass, clover, and all Mother Nature provides. They have access to fresh air, sunshine, and the freedom to exhibit natural behaviors. This isn't a marketing term for us—it's literally how they live.

Our ladies doing what they do best!

Grain-finished: In the final months before processing, we supplement their grass diet with grain. Specifically, corn silage we harvest right here on the farm. This isn't about rushing them to market or cutting corners. It's about creating the marbling, tenderness, and flavor profile that makes our beef exceptional.

From Our Fields to Your Table: The Growing Story

That corn silage I keep mentioning? Is now shoulder-high stalks, heavy with moisture and promise. A month from now, these very pastures will be rumbling with tractors at dawn, the whole family (yes, even the kids) working together to get every stalk harvested before the weather turns. We're not just growing corn; we're growing the feed that will finish our cattle to perfection.

Come September, we'll harvest the entire corn plant (everything except the roots) and preserve it through fermentation. We pile it high, pack it tight to cut off oxygen, and let natural fermentation do its work. The result? A high-energy, nutrient-dense feed that our cattle absolutely love. (Click here for a more in-depth behind-the-scenes look at our family farm in action.) 

Fifth generation farmer tending his crops (little-red-wagon in tow)

Why This Approach Works (And Why We Believe In It)

Here's what I've learned from watching our cattle: they tell us what works. When we put out that mixture of hay and silage each morning, they come running. When we finish cattle on our grain, the quality speaks for itself. The taste? Well, that's something you'll have to experience!

But it's not just about the end product. This approach aligns with our regenerative farming philosophy in ways that make my heart sing:

The corn acts as a cover crop, naturally delivering nitrogen and building soil dense with roots to hold it all together and prevent erosion. (Remember the Dust Bowl?) 

Right now, those green stalks are working overtime, building soil health for our next crops. Once we harvest for silage in September, we'll immediately no-till-drill in our winter cover crops—no bare soil, no erosion, no waste.

We'll use every part of the plant. Nothing gets left behind. The entire corn plant will become food for our cattle, who turn it into fertilizer for our pastures through their natural grazing and manure.

It's a closed-loop system. We grow what we feed, we feed what we grow, and the cycle continues. No mystery ingredients, no wondering where our feed comes from. It's growing right here on the same land where our cattle graze. What a beautiful symbiotic relationship!

The Honesty Behind Our Choices

I could tell you that our cattle never see a grain of corn, but that wouldn't be honest. And honestly? It wouldn't produce the beef we're so proud to put our name on.

Pure grass-fed beef has its place, but we've found that grain-finishing creates the eating experience we and our customers love. The tenderness, the flavor, the overall quality—it's all enhanced by those final months of corn silage and grain supplementation.

We're not trying to be everything to everyone. We're trying to be the best version of ourselves: a fifth-generation family farm and ranch that raises cattle the way we believe produces the best beef, using practices that regenerate our land rather than deplete it.

The Difference You Will Taste

When you bite into a Parsons Creek steak, you'll be tasting the story of our summer growing season and our fall harvest. You'll be tasting the care that goes into every step, from the cover crops that built our soil to the corn that's growing in it right now.

That's what "pasture-raised, grain-finished" means to us. It's not a marketing term—it's a philosophy. It's our commitment to doing right by our land, our animals, and the families who trust us to provide their beef.

Building Trust Through Transparency

The agriculture industry has gotten complicated, and somewhere along the way, we lost sight of the simple truth: good food comes from good farming and ranching. We're not trying to complicate things here at Parsons Creek. We're trying to do them right. 

That means being honest about our process, even when it's not the trendy thing to say. It means explaining why we grain-finish our beef, not just stating that we do. It means showing you the connection between our growing season and the steak on your dinner table.

We believe that when you know how your food is raised and where it comes from, you can make better choices for your family. And when you choose Parsons Creek Steak, you're choosing an approach to farming that's as transparent as the northern Missouri sky.

❤️ Made with LOVE ❤️

Our diverse grass awaiting the arrival of anticipatory hooves


As I write this, looking out from our front porch, watching our crops grow, I'm already anticipating (and slightly dreading) the controlled chaos of September silage season. But that's the beauty of farming—there's always another season, another chance to do things better, another opportunity to connect what we grow with what we believe.

From our family to yours, thank you for trusting us with your beef! We don't take that responsibility lightly.

More from the blog

The Bread Basket: November Harvest and the Tables We Gather Around

The Bread Basket: November Harvest and the Tables We Gather Around

November is when this old farm shines like a new penny. The light slants low and golden across the pastures. The cattle's breath hangs in the cold morning air. And somewhere between the first hard frost and Thanksgiving, something shifts in the way we move through our days. We're not just working the land anymore—we're reaping what we've sown, literally and figuratively. My grandpa used to say, "You don't work the land. You work for the land, and if you do it right, the land provides." November is when you find out if you did it right. The Little Red Hen Had It Right (Sort Of) Remember that children's story? The Little Red Hen asks for help planting wheat, harvesting it, milling it, baking it—and everyone says "not I" until there's fresh bread on the table. Then suddenly everyone wants a piece. The story ends with the hen eating her bread alone. Which, frankly, seems a little harsh. Out here in our small, remote corner of northern Missouri, harvest season tells a different story. Sure, we each tend our own operations. Christian cares for our cattle every day, “come hell or high water,” as the saying goes. But come November? That's when farmers come together. It's an old tradition, older than our five-generation farm. It's the tradition of trading—not just goods, but time, muscle, knowledge, and care. Your neighbor helps you harvest your crops, and you help them sort their pairs. Someone loans you their trailer; you return it with a cooler of beef (the Parsons Creek way). The land provides, yes. But it's the people working for the land, together, who make harvest season what it is. And we want to share what we’ve reaped with you!  Check out our Holiday Specials  The Bread Basket: Traditional Beef Recipes Worth Celebrating  Here are a few recipes that show up on our tables every November, the kind that have been traded between farm families and written on stained index cards tucked into recipe boxesBrisket: The Crown Jewel of Slow Cooking. If there's one cut that embodies the "low and slow" philosophy of November cooking, it's brisket. Whether you're smoking it for hours until the bark gets dark and the meat pulls apart like butter, or braising it in the oven with onions and root vegetables, brisket rewards patience. (We've got our 4-5 lb. briskets on sale right now—perfect for a smaller gathering—and 10-12 lb. beauties if you're feeding the whole extended family (or want leftovers for days, which, let's be honest, is the real goal). Pan-seared Ribeye: Our thick-cut ribeye gets a deep, crackling crust in Nanny’s trusty cast-iron skillet, nothing but salt, pepper, and a swath of real butter sizzling in the pan. After that perfect sear locks in all the juices, the whole skillet slides right into a hot oven to finish cooking through, filling the house with that rich, meaty aroma that means something special is happening in the kitchen. It comes out tender as can be, with those beautiful caramelized edges and a rosy center that would make any Sunday supper or Thanksgiving dinner feel like the celebration it ought to be.  Our Filet mignon recipe isn't something we stumbled upon—it's been on our Thanksgiving table for as long as I can remember. Every year, we take the most beautiful cuts from our herd, the ones we've been saving for something special, and prepare them the way my grandmother taught us. Cast-iron screaming hot, nothing fancy—just good salt, pepper, and butter. Then, peppercorn sauce, rich and velvety, is a holiday classic. When this hits the table, it's not just supper—it's Thanksgiving, all our family gathered around, a reminder of every reason why we do what we do on this farm. It's recipes like these that inspired our holiday specials.  The Folklore of the Feast I believe that abundance creates abundance. That generosity returns to you; That feeding people well is an act of hope for the future. Every farm family I know has their feast traditions. Some serve the same meal every Thanksgiving—same recipes, same serving dishes, same placement for fifty years. Others make room for whatever came out of the garden or off the pasture that year. But they all have this in common: the table is full, and there's always room for one more. Working For the Land, Together Here's what five generations of farming have taught my family: the land provides, but only if we provide for it first. And we can't do that alone. This November, I'm grateful for: The land that supports our cattle and our familyThe farmers who trade time, goods, and knowledge with usThe beef that comes from our pasture to tables across the countryThe cold weather that makes us slow down, cook well, and gather closeThe tradition of breaking bread together, which is older than any of us and will outlast us all So if you're cooking beef this November—Whether it be Parsons Creek Steak,  your local farm, or wherever you source your food—take your time with it. Use a recipe that's been handed down. Invite people over. Set an extra place at the table. The Little Red Hen ate her bread alone, but that's not how this story ends for us. Out here in our small, remote corner of the earth, the harvest is something we celebrate together. From our farm to your table, we're honored to be part of your family traditions this November.

Read more
Cozy Crocks in Cozy socks

Cozy Crocks in Cozy socks

Cozy Crocks in Cozy Socks There's something about October that makes me want to pull on my thickest socks, light a fire, and let something delicious simmer away in the crock pot all day long. The air gets crisp, the leaves start their show, and suddenly all I'm craving is the kind of meal that fills the house with warmth before it ever hits the table. My brother, Christian, has been busy prepping the farm for winter—fixing fence, checking water sources, and making sure the herd has everything they need as the temperatures drop. Meanwhile, I've been thinking about comfort food. The kind that requires almost no effort but delivers maximum coziness. That's why we're running a special on our Crock Pot Bundle this month—30% off while supplies last. What's in the Bundle? This box is basically Fall, in a freezer package: One beautiful Brisket (perfect for when you want to impress yourself)Two Chuck Roasts (the MVPs of pot roast season)Two Arm Roasts (amazing for those "set it at 8am, eat at 6pm" kind of days)Two pounds of Stew Meat (because soup season is officially here) Every cut from our cattle is premium. Pastured-raised and pasture-grazed here on our Missouri farm, finished with care, and processed locally. Christian takes pride in raising beef that tastes like beef should. These slow-cooking cuts really let that flavor shine. The Simplest Chuck Roast You'll Ever Make If you're new to slow cooking (or just want a foolproof recipe), here's my go-to chuck roast method: Equipment: Crock pot or Dutch oven   What you need: 1 Parsons Creek chuck roast (3-4 lbs)1 whole onion1 garlic clove1 bag carrots4 peeled quartered potatoes Salt and pepper with your soul  What you do: Put the chuck roast in your crock potAdd Onion, garlic, carrots, potatoes, salt & pepper  Add 1-2 cups of water (more if you're planning to make gravy) Crockpot - Cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 4-5 hours) Dutch oven - Cover and cook at 250 for 8 hours (or 4-5 hours at 350)  That's it. No searing, no fancy technique. Just come home to beef so tender it falls apart with a fork, swimming in the most flavorful aju you've ever made without really trying. Serve it over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or with a crusty piece of bread to soak up all that goodness. The Best Part of Slow Cooking Season What I love most about crock pot cooking isn't just the ease—it's the way it makes the whole house smell like home. You start it in the morning, go about your day, and by evening, you've got a meal that tastes like you spent hours on it. It's the kind of cooking that feels laborious, even though it's incredibly simple (in the best way). With beef from our farm, you're getting meat that actually tastes like something. Pasture-raised, grain-finished, no shortcuts. Just the way our family has been doing it for five generations. Grab Your Bundle Our Crock Pot Bundle is 30% off all October, which means now's the time to stock your freezer for the cozy months ahead. Whether you're a crockpot veteran or just getting started, these cuts will make you look like a kitchen genius with minimal effort. Head over to our store to order yours while we still have them in stock. And hey—if you try that chuck roast recipe, let me know how it turns out. I'm always curious what everyone's making with our beef. Here's to sweater weather, slow cookers, and meals that taste like a hug. — The Parsons Creek Steak Family

Read more
Return To Top

Visit our Social Media to interact with us and see specials!

Our beef ships frozen and packed in dry ice. Please handle with caution when removing from shipping packages. Do NOT touch un-melted dry ice directly. Always use gloves if dry ice is still present in your shipment.

PCSC-BDRr.jpg
with customization by Taste Profit Marketing