Cameron, TX -- (SBWire) -- 09/18/2012 --Each morning, when Bob McClaren looks out over 44 Farms near Cameron, Texas, he sees his great-grandparents’ place differently than they ever did. The land is the same, but the life on it has changed. Where tidy rows of corn, cotton, and sorghum once grew, McClaren looks out over herds of Black Angus grazing in lush pastures. Over by the barn, mounted riders stir a light dust, and cattle lowing in the distance have replaced the hum of harvesters and combines. The past and the present greet Bob McClaren every day.
44 Farms was founded in the Milam County’s Little River bottom in 1909 by McClaren’s great grandparents Sherwood and Josie McClaren. For nearly a century, 44 Farms produced crops and raised a few head of cattle. In 2005 Bob McClaren, former president of the Houston Astros organization, took the reins of his great-grandparents’ place. He brought together a few of his friends (cattlemen and range and production managers), converted some of the farm fields to pastures, and sought out the country’s best Black Angus bloodlines. Their objective: produce Texas’s finest Black Angus stock—and steaks. Today, 44 Farms is recognized as one of the premier Black Angus producers in the country. Their precisely bred cattle are renowned for their efficiency in the pasture and their well marbled USDA Prime and Choice steaks -available exclusively at 44Steaks.com,. (Twenty four percent of the beef from 44 Farms is graded USDA Prime; for comparison, the industry average is about 2% Prime.)
Though 44 Farms raises thousands of cattle, McClaren has a decidedly down-home approach to his business. “People do business with people, not big companies,’ he says. “44 Farms is a place customers can call home; where you really can know your rancher. Our gate is always open. We want folks to know us—who we are and what drives us. We love the land, and treasure our traditions and our community, but we’re always looking forward—with an eye on the long view, the big picture. We work hard to provide the very best steaks available anywhere.”
44 Farms is a working ranch, not a factory. The ranchers know and evaluate every animal they raise—the maternal qualities of the cows, their temperament and their genetics—and they know the land and its capabilities. 44 Farms manages for sustainability. By emphasizing livestock health and responsible pasture management, 44 Farms improves both: cattle help maintain the pastures’ natural balance; in turn, the diverse grasses combine to provide top-notch forage for grazing cattle.
44 Farms carefully complements the animals’ feed with homegrown grains as needed, but never adds hormones or antibiotics to the feed. Disciplined breeding and a proper high roughage ration diet produce superior Black Angus cattle and delicately marbled meat with a deep, rich beefy flavor and tender texture.
44 Farms began selling premium steaks—USDA Prime and Choice New York strip steaks, top sirloin steaks, rib eyes, and filets mignons, each of which is thick cut and beautifully marbled—to a select group of customers. Now, as the Christmas nears, 44 Farms is proud to offer custom selections and gift packages exclusively through the online store at http://www.44Steaks.com.
“Our mission is to provide a delicious and enjoyable dining experience each and every time. Quality is bred into everything we do,” says McClaren. “If you are you planning gifts, preparing a special Christmas meal or a casual weekend barbeque, we believe our Angus steaks are the finest USDA Prime and Choice meats available. Give us a call. We’d like to get to know you, too. Whatever degree of success we may have achieved over the years is attributed to the loyalty and support of our customers.”
About Sherwood W McClaren
Sherwood W McClaren acquired his first acreage of Central Texas farmland in 1909. Since then we have tried to honor the vision, faith and back breaking work of Sherwood, his wife Josie, and those that followed. They all believed that there will always be a place in the world for those who love the land that God created, embrace hard work, and share the vision and cause to help feed a hungry world.
Although the world moves faster than it did 103 years ago, we want you to know that no matter where you may be - the celebration you are planning or the Tuesday dinner you are preparing – we are guarding our great traditions and honoring our history with the promise to bring you a delicious, wholesome and enjoyable eating experience every time. With that promise, we approach the future with the hope that 44 Farms will always be ahead of its time, but timeless in our values and service.
