Sometime around 2009, Joe and I became inspired to buy our meat locally. This decision came from several reasons - our own health, the environment and supporting local farmers. Stay tuned for our personal story about why this is so important to us, and why we have continued to purchase our meat locally for over 11 years now.
If you’re interesting in trying Jim’s Wagyu beef after reading this post, I have some steaks, roasts, ground beef and more available locally in Alexandria! Contact me for pricing and more details.

We’ve been purchasing meat from Jim Yates at River Jordan farm for just about 5 years now. We were frequent customers of an abattoir (meat processing facility) in Front Royal, Virginia, and the owners told us that we absolutely had to try his meat. Taking their word for it, we ordered our first 1/4 cow from River Jordan farm.

We first met Jim when he arrived to our house the summer of 2016 to deliver our meat. Jim personally delivers his meat to every customer. Not only does this show his pride in his product, but getting to meet your farmer face-to-face was special to us. It gave us faith in him, his farm’s story, and most importantly the meat that we were feeding our family.

Once we had Jim’s beef, we knew there was no turning back! The flavor and quality was exceptional. In meeting Jim, we learned that he “retired” from Alexandria, where he owned his own company, to Flint Hill, Virginia, where he grew up. His father was a cattle farmer, so he grew up with experience on a farm and in the agriculture business. He invested in starting his own herd and bought 300+ acres of farmland.

After some research and personal taste testing, Jim began to breed Wagyu steers. If you google Wagyu beef, you’ll see that this is a coveted breed of cattle from Japan. They actually do not export these animals anymore as it’s considered to be a specialty product of Japan. Wagyu beef is known for it’s flavor and extensive marbling. It is an expensive product that you’ll find at top steakhouses and high-end butchers. When you come across an A5 Wagyu steak, expect to drop some serious dough!

Jim began to breed Wagyu into his herd of Angus beef (the most popular breed for beef in the US). Over the past several years, he has worked to breed more and more Wagyu into his herd - I won’t get into the process of that now, but it’s super interesting!

Jim’s pasture has been organic since the 1970’s (meaning no chemicals on the land). The cattle are born, raised and grazed their entire lives on grass pasture. Jim offers both 100% grass-fed and grass-fed, grain-finished beef. On Jim’s farm, a grass-fed, grain-finished steer continues to live its life on pasture (it’s not a feedlot as in conventional factory farming). They just get access to grain as a supplement to grazing. In the winter, the herd is given hay in supplement to the pasture.

Jim’s land is divided into sections, and the cattle rotate pastures. This is a common regenerative farming practice that allows the cattle to have access to fresh pasture, and allows the land to self-restore. Cattle are herd animals, and by nature, they are designed to move across large areas of land for food. By rotating pasture, this allows the farm to work as nature intended.

It takes roughly 3 years for a steer (the meat we eat) to be ready. Upon learning this, I gained even more appreciation and perspective for what it takes to raise an animal, ethically and sustainably, for consumption. Prices for locally-raised meat are not inexpensive, and I think at first glance one might wonder why not just purchase from the grocery store. But our perspective is that it’s 100% worth it. The animals live healthy lives on pasture. Healthy animals = healthy meat. I’ll dive into those details another day.

Like most small farms, Jim only sells his meat by the 1/4, 1/2 or whole cow. This is an investment of a few thousand dollars, and requires a lot of freezer space. Purchasing bulk has worked well for our family and we’ve become accustomed to always having meat available to thaw for dinner, instead of purchasing weekly at the store.

For the farmer, the process to sell meat by the cut is time-intensive and not necessarily financially beneficial, so aside from our local farmer’s market and butchers, its hard to get locally-sourced, fresh meat by the cut. It’s kind of a catch 22. The farmer’s rely on their customers who are able to purchase in bulk. But it’s a challenge to gain the interest of potential new customers, when customers are unable to try out their product.

Knowing this, I asked Jim if he’d let me try to help him sell his meat by the cut. I recognize the investment of purchasing beef in bulk, and being unable to taste test adds a layer of uncertainty. So, this month (December), I have a selection of steaks, roasts, ground beef and even soup and marrow bones available for purchase by individual item.

If you’re interesting in trying Jim’s Wagyu beef, the time is now! Contact me for pricing and more details. I am happy to recommend a sample within a budget, and can offer advice on how to cook different cuts and roasts. I am by no means a chef, but I do have some favorite recipes! Also -if you are looking for something for a special holiday meal, we’ve got some really nice steaks and roasts too!

Eat Local - River Jordan Farm Wagyu Beef