Summer Update: Ground Beef, November Reservations, and Ranch Life

Originally emailed June 24, 2026. This is an archive of a past newsletter. Prices and reservation dates below reflected the date it was sent; check our current products for today's options.

Ground beef and beef shares

Our ground beef was back in stock at $9 per pound in approximately 1.5 pound packages. Summer and early fall beef shares had sold out, and November reservations were open. Planning ahead lets us manage pasture, feed, and processing appointments for the cattle we raise for our customers.

Water for cattle and wildlife

We had just installed two large rainwater catchment systems, bringing the ranch total to seven. Partnerships with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Grazing Improvement Program, and the Wild Sheep Foundation made the projects possible.

Rain from large catchment aprons flows into storage tanks and then troughs for cattle and local wildlife, including bighorn sheep, deer, and birds. One inch of rain on a 200 by 200 foot catchment can produce nearly 25,000 gallons of water. In the desert Southwest, putting that moisture to good use helps our grazing program and the wildlife sharing the range.

Recipe corner: Smash burger tacos

Our family makes these with ground beef, small flour tortillas, sliced cheese, lettuce, pickles, avocado, burger sauce, and favorite toppings. We use a little beef tallow on the grill.

  1. Roll the beef into roughly 2.5 ounce balls without overworking it.
  2. Place the beef on a hot flat top, set a tortilla on each ball, and smash the meat thin through the tortilla.
  3. Cook for a minute, press once more, then cook another two to three minutes until the beef is crisp.
  4. Flip tortilla side down, add cheese, and cook another two to three minutes. Finish with sauce and toppings.

From our family

Lincoln had just begun his missionary service, preparing to serve in Thailand, while our three oldest boys were all serving missions. Leslie had also retired from Hydeberry Cove Preschool after nine years to spend more time working with Jeremy on the ranch. We were grateful for a new season of building something together and learning as we went.

The Larson Family