LEARN HOW OUR
CATTLE ARE RAISED
WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.
Homesteaded in 1911 by our great-grandfather, John, the rolling grasslands we call home are ideal cattle country. For over a century, our cows have grazed these beautiful hills and valleys between the Moccasin Mountains and the Missouri River Breaks.
But the Wickens family is more than just fourth-generation Montana cowboys, committed to tradition and hard work. We're also learners and innovators, re-imagining the future of ranching. We bring stewardship and sustainability into everything we do. Wickens Ranch is dedicated to creating a better tomorrow — for our family and yours, our fellow farmers and ranchers, for the cattle we raise, and for the landscape itself.
Wickens Ranch raises predominately Black Angus cattle through holistic and sustainable ranching practices. Our animals are humanely tended, grass-fed, and finished on local, food-grade peas on our fourth-generation, family-run ranch, before being processed and dry-aged here in Montana.
Local, sustainably raised beef you can feel great about cooking for friends and family.
DELIVERING THE BEST BEEF AVAILABLE.
Why Wickens Ranch Beef?
Sustainable land management practices.
Our family ranch is at the forefront of regenerative agriculture, grazing our cattle based on Allan Savory's principles. We are participating in a global movement, working to restore and strengthen the health of the world's grasslands through holistic management of our cattle and our landscapes.
Whole Animal Ground Beef
Most “hamburger” is made from whatever is left over after every whole muscle cut has been taken. We are offering whole animal ground beef. That is prime rib, chuck roast, and New York strip steak all ground into one delicious high-quality product with perfect consistency.
Dry-aged, vacuum-sealed, flash-frozen.
Our beef is butchered in independently-owned, USDA-inspected plants, here in Montana, where it dry-ages for 14 days. The aging process results in an intensified flavor and unbeatable tenderness. Then the meat is vacuum-sealed and flash-frozen to preserve its taste and juiciness, with the added benefits of safety, convenience, and less food waste. From there, it’s ready to ship directly to your freezer.
Grass-fed, pea-finished cattle.
Compared with typical corn-finished cows, our cattle mature at a slower, more natural pace and given a full additional summer of grazing free on healthy Montana grass. Yearlings are finished in Wickens Ranch feedlots with food-grade green and yellow peas, and garbanzo beans, grown and harvested by our neighbors. Finishing cattle on these local, human-grade legumes creates a more delicious beef product, without ever sacrificing the animal's health.
Delivered direct to your door every single month.
We own our cows from birth to delivery at your doorstep — no complicated supply chain, no “country of origin” labeling issues. Full confidence in the quality and integrity of the beef you feed your family. Our desire is to bring rural and urban back together over the dinner table, through beef you can trace, trust, and love to cook.
Generational ranchers who love and respect the land.
Humus and humanus — Latin for fertile ground and human — share their root word. Even in Hebrew, the name Adam translates to the man who was made from the ground. We believe the relationship between humans and the earth is ancient and vital — and remembering this relationship, protecting it through healthy agricultural practices, is necessary for humanity's shared wellbeing.
Healthy, delicious, convenient beef, directly from Montana ranchers you can trust.
Frequently asked questions
What type of ranch is Wickens Ranch?
What is the connection between grazing cattle and sustaining healthy landscapes?
How has regenerative agriculture impacted Wickens Ranch?
How are your cattle finished?
Why Peas?
Are the cattle harvested humanely?
This is important to us. We are ethically bound to treat the animals in our care with the highest standards of stewardship and care. We husband these animals throughout their life, and are adamant that the harvest of our beef be done with no stress and no pain. The animals are handled quietly and dispatched instantly.
Do you use antibiotics or use growth hormones?
Our cattle never receive growth implants, antibiotics, or insecticides. With less stress and greater overall wellbeing in their lives, we find our cattle don't need these unnatural treatments to maintain their full health.
How are your calves weaned?
How is your ground beef packaged?
Our ground beef is vacuum packaged individually into one-pound packages and frozen. The packaging is transparent for easy identification in your freezer. Meat packed in vacuum packs will never freezer burn, unless the vacuum pack is punctured or compromised. We caution our buyers to handle their vacuum pack meat carefully to avoid putting holes in the packaging..
Who processes Wickens Ranch Beef?
We are proud to have Montana plants partner with us to process our beef safely, humanely, and with the highest quality standards.
Is your beef inspected by the USDA?
Our Montana processor, is a USDA-inspected facility, with an inspector examining every animal individually.
Does freezing beef affect its quality?
As they say, “frozen is fresher!” Freezing beef is actually the best way to ensure its taste, tenderness, safety, and overall high quality is preserved — so it's in perfect condition when it arrives at your door.
