The Sampsons raise beef from their Wagyu-influenced herd for direct sales to customers
GROVE, OKLA. – A piece of “perfect” property in Delaware County, Okla., adjacent to the Missouri border was the key to lure Jack and Krista Sampson from the busy Tulsa lifestyle.
“Jack’s grandfather was a dairy farmer and his father raised beef cattle,” Krista said. “He had a desire to rerun to the cattle business and raise our boys – Mack, Coy and Cy – on a ranch.”
The decision to move from Tulsa was about 12 years ago. Jack has a passion for nutrition and Krista has a background as a registered nurse. Jack also has had an interest in water and land conservation and is now part of the Lake O’ the Cherokees sub-water shed association.
Raising three boys, Jack and Krista soon realized the value of quality nutrition.
“Quality of the beef and the docile nature of the animal are top priorities for us,” Krista said. “We are a fourth-generation ranching family and we know what good beef is supposed to taste like.”
After a brief stint of operating Forage, a health food store offering locally-grown products and chef prepared food, the family switched from a physical location to an online sales and delivery of farm-raised beef, local chicken, milk and other offerings.
They offer eights, quarters, halves and whole beef packages. The one-eighth ends up being approximately 50 pounds of packaged beef, Krista explained.
The family farm has 50 cows that are used for breeding stock and then approximately 50 calves of various ages, she said.
“The steers we keep to feed out, the heifers we either retain to replace aging cows or we sell them,” said Krista. “Our goal is to raise the best, healthiest beef possible. We have strong beliefs about how the best way to raise beef is, and it is often counter to common practices.”
The Sampson’s don’t put their animals in feedlots.
“We believe the best beef comes from a mixture of grass and grain,” Krista said. “Our animals are always on open pasture and have access to feed the last 120 days.”
The family has been fine tuning the herd’s genetics for 12 years and definitely consider it a work in progress.
“We have been working on our genetics for years; cross breeding Angus, Hereford and now we have a Wagyu influence as well,” said Krista. “The result has been hearty animals with good growth and calm temperaments.”
The cattle operation has used a little AI over the years but have for the most part stuck with letting the bulls do their job.
“We have found it to be less stress on the animals and more efficient,” said Krista.
The bulls are pulled off the herd in order early so has not to have calves in the dead of winter.
“Other than that we let them cycle naturally,” said Krista.
The Sampson don’t use animals hormones or antibiotics.
“This is something we would not feed our own kids so we have chosen to raise our entire herd free from them,” said Krista.
Other practices the Sampson’s use include rotational grazing and mowing instead of spraying pastures.
“Doing away with herbicides has allowed natural grasses and clover to thrive on our land,” said Krista. “The animals have responded well to this and we are continuing to educate ourselves on improving pastures and being good stewards of the land.”
The cattle are wormed and vaccinate routinely, she said.
“Having a closed herd- where we don’t introduce new animals- has made a big difference in limiting illness on the ranch,” Krista said.
