Craigmyle (Rural Roots Canada) – Just north of Craigmyle, Alberta, Flag Hill Ranch is redefining farm-to-table.

Owned by Justine Berry and her family, the ranch specializes in grass-finished beef, a decision driven by their commitment to sustainability and regenerative farming practices.

“We raise right from birth through until butcher,” says Berry. “We branched into the direct marketing of our beef and launched our grass-finished beef program about 10 years ago. We were looking at what is a sustainable model for our ranch and looking at doing more with fewer animals. Going grass-finished really fit with our regenerative holistic rotational grazing model.”

Connecting with consumers is important to the operation. Berry says social media plays a big role in reaching those customers, but it’s also an important learning tool.

“It’s just a huge tool for me from the marketing perspective and the brand strategy of how to connect with people that aren’t necessarily in my physical geographical area,” she explains. “But it’s also such an amazing tool for me to learn from other producers, other marketing people. I find it a huge place to connect, collaborate, and really learn from everybody in the environment.”

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Berry delivers many of the beef orders herself across Alberta, turning each drop-off into a chance to build relationships with customers.“I can just take a few minutes to connect with each customer, and that is a really important piece. Even as we’ve grown, it’s something I haven’t wanted to lose because that five minutes of conversation and really connecting, cultivating a community and a relationship with those customers is such a huge thing for us.”

You can learn more about Flag Hill Ranch by visiting their website.