Click on SHOP tab for current options
Cooper Creek Ranch
Helmville, MT
Cooper Creek Ranch
Helmville, MT
Click on SHOP tab for current options
Helmville, MT
Helmville, MT
1/9
My cows are raised entirely on mountain and meadow grass, hay and alfalfa. The calves are born on our ranch in April and May. Throughout their lives the cattle have access to clean water, grass, hay, wide open spaces, and shelter. I have a small herd of Red Angus, Black Angus, and Irish Black cows. You are welcome to come visit us if you desire and view our operation for yourself. I don't rush to finish my beef to butchering size so I can't make any promises as to when exactly each beef will be ready but I aim for right around two years of age. Patience is rewarded because the meat is fabulous.
Because my cows live in a low stress, clean environment sickness is very rare. However, I will not withhold antibiotics from an animal that needs them, I never give sub therapeutic or otherwise unnecessary antibiotics. I work closely with my veterinarian to determine the proper treatment plan when needed. I pride myself on good management that produces low stress, happy cows. I strongly believe in taking the best care possible of the animals and the land I have been blessed with.
The ranch is just outside of the small town of Helmville, nestled along Nevada Creek, a tributary to the Blackfoot river. We are happy to call Montana our home. My husband, John's family moved here in the late 70's and raised cattle and sheep. They were often known for having the best alfalfa around. We strive to be good stewards to the land just as John's family has been before us. The ranch is also home to deer, elk, black bears, grizzly bears, mountain lions, wild turkeys, and a variety of birds and other small creatures. Nevada Creek is primarily a trout stream. We have the most beautiful sunsets here that remind us just how blessed we are to be living on this land,
under the beautiful Big Sky!
I have been raising cows most of my life. I grew up on a traditional cow calf operation where the calves were born in the spring and when it was time to wean in the fall the calves were all loaded on semis and sold to feedlots. Then I went to college and worked in the medical field for a few years. I enjoyed working with people but really longed to be back ranching again. In 2008, my husband, John and I moved to his family's ranch in the Helmville Valley. John's parents graciously let me start building up my own herd. Over the years I decided that traditional ranching wasn't going to be profitable for me because of the small size of the ranch so rather than sending the yearlings off to be finished in a feedlot, I started keeping all my yearlings and finishing them on grass before selling them locally by the half or quarter. In 2017 we had the opportunity to buy the ranch from John's parents. John runs his own business off the ranch and that leaves me to do most of the ranch and cattle work during the week. Then on the weekends John works on the ranch fixing my break downs and doing the heavy lifting. We are thrilled to raise our two young boys here and teach them the value of hard work. We hope to pass on the way of life we love. The boys will often be found helping me move cows, playing in irrigation dams, building snow forts while I feed, or having Nerf wars in the pastures. I hope you enjoy my beef as much as I enjoy raising it for you! ~Jamie
Check our online store regularly for updates on specials and available cuts!
Please subscribe to our newsletter for updates on meat pickup dates in Helena.
Our beef is dry aged for 18-21 days. Wholesale beef is available on a limited scale. The butcher will cut to the purchasers specifications on half or whole beef. 1/2 beef is left or right side. Animals are sold by hanging weight (the weight of the animal after it has been dressed). There are bones that add weight. These bones can be used for bone broth and will be included with your order if it is stated in the cutting instructions. A hanging beef can weigh anywhere between 700-950 pounds. Price includes beef, slaughter, cut and wrap. Before any animal is slaughtered a $400 per whole beef non-refundable deposit will need to be collected.
Whole Beef $4.50/hanging pound (buyer customizes cutting instructions)
1/2 Beef $5.00/hanging pound (buyer customizes cutting instructions)
1/4 Beef $5.25/hanging pound (cutting instructions will be my standard instructions since I have to sell the other 1/4 retail)
If buying in bulk is not a good option for you, we are licensed to sell retail beef. If you happen to be in the neighborhood please phone ahead and you can stop by the ranch to pick up your order.
We also sell meat shares seasonally.
Roasts
· Tri Tip – Cooks and eats like steak, or slice thin for sandwich meat.
· Sirloin Tip Roast – For best eating quality, cook only to medium rare (145°F) doneness and carve into thin slices.
· Arm Roast – Traditional Sunday pot roast, large and meaty with nutritious marrow bone.
· Bottom Round Roast – Best flavor when cooked as a pot roast.
· Chuck Roast – Large and meaty, traditional pot roast.
· Eye of Round - For best eating quality, cook only to medium rare (145°F) doneness and carve into thin slices. Makes great sandwich meat.
· London Broil - Also known as top round, a boneless cut from the rear of the steer with big, juicy flavors. Because it is lean, it must be tenderized with a marinade before cooking and thinly sliced before serving.
Steaks (1 ¼ thick unless noted different) (each package weighs roughly 2-3 lbs)
· Sirloin – Most versatile steak, lean, well-flavored, juicy and tender.
· T-Bone – Consists of two lean tender steaks, the top loin Strip and Tenderloin steaks connected by a trademark T-shaped bone.
· Bone In Rib Steak – Highly marbled, excellent flavor and very tender.
· Tenderloin – The most tender cut of steak.
· Flank – Lean, boneless and flavorful, marinate to tenderize, then slice thin across the grain.
· New York – A steakhouse favorite, consists of a muscle that does little work, which keeps the strip relatively tender, but not as much as a rib eye.
· Bavette – Also called Flap meat, benefits from marinating and being cooked on high, dry heat, whether grilled, broiled, pan-fried or stir-fried. Cut the meat very thinly across the grain, and it is at its best not too much past medium-rare.
· Skirting – Extremely flavorful, this steak benefits from a tenderizing marinade, excellent for fajitas.
· Flat Iron – Second most tender steak, cut thin across the grain.
Hamburger 80/20
· 1 lb packages
Other
· Stew Meat – Well-trimmed small cubes of meat, cook slowly in soups and stews.
· Brisket – Perfect slow cooked in the oven or smoker.
· Short Ribs – A cut of beef taken from the brisket, chuck, plate, or rib areas. They consist of a short portion of the rib bone, which is overlain by meat. Best slow cooked or smoked.
· Oxtail – A bony, gelatin-rich meat, which is usually slow-cooked as a stew or braised. It is a traditional stock base for soup.
· Soup Bones – Thick and meaty bones for soup making.
· Marrow Bones – Very nutritious and perfect for bone broth.
· Knuckle Bones – Nutritious soup stock and bone broth.
Dogs love them too!
· Liver
· Heart
· Tongue
Great for specialty dishes. Each country has a different way to prepare tongue.
DUE TO CURRENT INDUSTRY REALITIES, OUR PRICING IS UNDERGOING SOME CHANGES. CONTACT US DIRECTLY WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRICE OF SPECIFIC CUTS.
All cattle are grass fed at some point in their lives, with the calves spending the first 8-10 months of their lives with their mother on grass and hay. Traditionally most calves are then shipped to feedlots to be finished on hay and a combination of grains.
I have decided to keep my calves after weaning and let them finish the more natural way on grass and forage from our own pastures. My cattle are fed a variety of forages and legumes. Native grasses, alfalfa, cover crops, and at certain times of the year when fresh forage isn't available I feed pea pellets for added protein, which is an important part of the cattle's diet. Peas are a legume and not a grain - my cattle are never fed grain. Cover crops are inter-seeded into alfalfa or grass fields to benefit the soil by enhancing nutrients and soil microbiology. Cover crops can include oats, peas, barley, triticale, kale, radishes, collards, and a variety of others. Cover crops are harvested or grazed before they make grain, which could be compared to the healthy wheatgrass smoothies that a human consumes! I try to grow everything I can but sometimes I do buy hay from trusted neighbors and the pea pellets come from a reputable feed mill a few hours away. It may be a slower process, but the animals are healthier eating a natural diet and the delicious beef reflects the value of this method.
“Hi Jamie! I just wanted to let you know that we LOVE the pork! Thank you for providing such a top-quality product that we can feel good about eating :)” Andy S. Helena
“We have always bought our beef in the grocery store and never thought anything about it UNTIL we bought Jamie’s beef. When I cooked it for the first time, we couldn’t believe the taste, it was so tender and so flavorful that I wish we knew about it years ago! We would recommend it and have to several of our friends. I plan on buying all my beef from her from now on.” Karen S.
"My wife and I have recently had some beef from Jamie Stitt. It was delicious. Days later we kept eating from the roast even when it was cold from the refrigerator. We recommend this beef." Dick and Carol C. Helena
"My family purchases shares of Jamie Stitt‘s beef and every cut has been delicious. The cattle are meticulously cared for and Jamie’s friendly customer service only adds to the pleasure of purchasing her beef. We are not surprised that Jamie’s beef is excellent in both taste and texture, her grass fed, happy cattle make a great combination for delivering an outstanding product." Judy J.
Copyright © 2017 Cooper Creek Ranch - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy