The Peterson family strives to produce quality products with integrity and tradition
MOUNTAIN GROVE, MO. – “The Same Beef We Feed Our Family” is the slogan of 7P Farms, a family-owned and -operated farm just outside of Mountain Grove, Mo.
Although the owners, Jacob and Emily Peterson, raise livestock of all kinds, their primary focus is high-quality, farm-raised beef.
Jacob and Emily come from different backgrounds. Jacob grew up raising Charolais while Emily was accustomed to Limousin. Now that the couple owns an operation where beef production is the primary goal, they raise registered Herefords.
“We landed on Herefords for a few different reasons,” Emily said. “First, we wanted a breed known for their docility.”
The “7” in the farm comes from adding the couple’s five children. Emily explained she and Jacob wanted to invest in a breed their five youngsters could easily handle.
The Petersons are people of tradition; work ethic grows in abundance on the family tree. Farming is a way of life within the family that teaches responsibility like nothing else. Their children have gained experience doing all types of farm chores: feeding, watering, and checking herd health, just to name a few.
“Our kids have had to be there for the good, the bad, the mud, and the beauty.”
Emily said her children take on more responsibilities as they grow older. In recent years, they have had the opportunity to step into “behind the scenes” tasks, such as evaluating bulls to select the next herd sire and balancing feed and hay rotations. The Petersons also emphasize to their children the importance of a balanced budget.
Emily added that her grandparents, Curt and Fern Campbell, raised Hereford cattle when they began their family decades ago.
“There was a time when we were fortunate enough to farm the same land my parents, Dowe and Janna, and their parents before them, owned. There’s something special about the idea of carrying on a tradition. We still have some of those genetics walking our pastures today.”
In the last year, the Petersons had the opportunity to expand their operation and moved to a new farm, but the legacy of their ancestors lives on.
7P Farms currently boasts 30 head of registered polled Hereford cattle on 160 acres of mixed native and fescue pastures.
Artificial insemination is the breeding practice used at 7P Farms. According to Emily, this ensures the most genotypically and phenotypically superior offspring.
Cattle are grass-fed and finished on grain, all the while foraging on quality pasture or hay every day. The cattle receive balanced rations of protein, fat, roughage, vitamins, and minerals — all the nutrition they need to grow efficiently and perform well. The use of a TMR with pasture also aids in the development of marbling and flavor profiles.
“When we first started, our goal was to sell a few quality bulls and a group or two of heifers each year,” Emily said. “As time progressed, we felt led to diversify and expand our program.”
That diversification lead to a direct-to-customer beef program.
“We sell retail cuts, bundles and bulk in quarters, halves and wholes,” Emily explained. “When we first started, we sold mostly individual retail cuts, but as time progressed, we saw an increase in bulk purchasing. As the economy has changed over the last year, we do many bundles and have monthly or quarterly repeat customers with these.
“Our first year, we sold about a dozen animals for beef, and last year, we were able to do a little more than double that and plan to expand that number in 2024 as our herd increases.”
Peterson’s average steer finishes as 1,300 to 1,350 pounds, which is ideal for their frame size.“Occasionally we will have them finish closer to the 1,200-pound mark and others over 1,400,” Emily added. “Every steer is different due to genetics. We like to see a nice fat cover, full brisket, along with some other finishing characteristics to know when each individual animal is actually where they need to be. The 1,300-to-1,350-pound weight range allows us to have a consistent idea of what the end product pounds will be, look like, and what to expect for our customers.”
The Petersons continue raising a few bulls for private treaty sale each year, as well as their replacement heifers, but only the best animals are retained.
“Ultimately, it depends on what is born each year and what is available,” Emily said. “We are very selective on what is put back into our herd and what is sold as breeding stock to others. We believe in the idea of leaving our livestock better when we leave than when we found it, so if it doesn’t move the breed as a whole forward in a positive way, they go to the feeding pen.”
Healthy cattle are the key to the Peterson operation. Emily explained that the family deworms their cattle twice yearly to reduce potential parasitic infestations.
“Another big factor in the reduction of parasites is pasture rotation,” she stated. “Our herd is a closed herd, so disease and sickness is relatively minimal.”
7P Farms provides beef to both the Manes and Mountain Grove school districts.
“We spent seven months working with school officials to come up with a way to introduce locally grown beef into the lunch program,” Emily said. “There were many hoops to jump through on both of our ends with several programs and grants to research. The Mountain Grove administration and school board should be praised for the willingness to provide the best quality they can for their students and to support local… We appreciate those two districts for stepping up and being willing to feed and support local.”
The farm also offers jerky products in various feed stores and coffee shops throughout the Ozarks.
High-quality beef is 7P Farms’ primary concern, but Emily said the goal is to ensure no portion of the animal goes to waste.
“We’ve taught our kids to be thankful for the animals that give their lives to feed us, and with that in mind, we started a tallow-based skincare line.”
When dry, cracked skin became an issue in the family, Emily used her high school science teacher background to brainstorm a cure and launched The Blessed Herd. She discovered the myriad benefits of tallow, a rendered form of beef suet composed primarily of triglycerides. Tallow, anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants, provides moisture, soothes irritation, and reduces redness.
“Tallow is very similar to the oil on our skin, so we readily absorb it,” Emily explained. “It’s rich in vitamins A, D, E and K, all of which promote cell turnover, which is necessary for healthy skin.”
All tallow items produced by 7P Farms are handcrafted and packaged in small batches. The skincare line includes whipped exfoliating face and body butter, lip balm, body soap, shampoo and dish soap bars, and all-natural sunscreen.
From beef production to skincare products, the operation has come a long way over the years.
“Word of mouth, local references, social media platforms, our webpage, multi-level livestock shows, and select vendor events in the area have been especially helpful in marketing our products,” she added.
7P Farms is a slightly diversified operation. Last year, the family added registered Hereford hogs to their farm; they plan to offer show pigs for 4-H and FFA students and farm-raised pork to existing customers. The farm expects to add Rhode Island Red chickens in the spring for egg production.
“We also get lambs in the spring, and the younger kids get to show them throughout the summer and make wonderful memories,” Emily said. “Eventually, I might even get Jacob to agree to a milk cow for fresh milk and cream.”
Last – but certainly not least – are the family’s canine sidekicks, Australian Shepherds Duke and Hallie. The Petersons raise registered, working-bred Australian Shepherds that go to homes all across the United States.
“The objective with all of our animals and livestock is to produce quality products with integrity and tradition in mind. On our webpage, there’s a quote I ran across a while back about passion and callings,” Emily said. “We are passionate about farming – it’s our calling.”
