Owners: Darin and Judy Harper
Location: Green Forest, Ark.
History: In December 2016, Darin and Judy Harper purchased Das Butcher Haus, which is German for butcher house, in Green Forest, Ark., from Eldon Shrock.
A butcher by trade, Darin has nearly 50 years of experience.
“I started when I was 8 years old, standing on a wire milk basket at a mom-and-pop store in the 1970s, and I have been with companies like Whole Foods, and I was a consultant and a meat manager for the Southwest Region. Then I was with Tom Thumb in Texas for many years.”
Darin and Judy were passing through town when they stopped at Das Butcher Haus “just to look around.”
Products and Services: Harpo’s Das Butcher Haus processed beef, pork, lamb, goat and buffalo. They process about 100 beef and about 50 hogs a month. Sheep and goat processing varies, and they might process two or three buffalo a year.
“We do have retail where we bring in USDA-inspected, all-natural meats, and we process that for retail,” Darin said. “We still do the Amish cheeses and make all of our bacon and sausage right here at the shop; it’s made by ham with all-natural seasonings. Our all-natural bacon has a natural maple sugar cure, then we also have flavored bacons.
“Our specialties kind of run into our sausages. We make all sorts of link sausages in different flavors, like cherry chipolata, chorizo, hot links, cheese-stuff sausages, brats, etc. Once you come in, you keep coming back.”
Harpo’s Das Butcher Haus also offers ground buffalo and ground lamb, chicken, whole hams, Boston bacon, and much more.
Future plans: “We have doubled in size, and our retail business grew almost overnight,” Darin said. “We draw a lot of people who are interested in their health and are really interested in our all-natural products. We have an array of products each year and always try new flavors. Our general manager is always excited about new flavors and recipes that align with our natural products.”
Darin also said he plans to stick around for his community.
“This has probably been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. We have a community that supports each other,” Darin said. “It’s a pleasure to be here and to live in this community.”
