In the Fall of last year, we bought some wonderful grass-fed beef from Mourning Dove Ranch. We have had several wonderful meals with steaks, roasts and ground beef for the past 9 months. We stopped by again yesterday to pick up some beef bone from which we will make bone broth. Since Scelestia Cook and her husband, Gary, were in town, Jeremy and I sat down ask them more about their operation.
Both Scelestia and Gary are animal lovers. They enjoy horses, cows and dogs. At times, they have also rehabilitated animals and enjoy the nurturing process.. The cows are raised in a natural herd environment on picturesque pastures. A pond, natural springs and giant oaks cover the area.
When the cows reach approximately, two years of age, they are humanely put down. The cows are never stressed by transport on a truck. They are not treated with antibiotics. They are not fattened. Gary has some previous experience with feed lots and feels that the stress on the cow is both inhumane and affects the quality of the product that eventually gets to the consumer. They are both committed to raise and treat the cows humanely from the beginning of their lives to the end.
Scelestia and Gary have an interesting and complimentary combination of experiences. Scelestia was originally trained as a culinary chef in San Francisco. Her and her mother purchased pasture lands in the Sierra Nevada Foothills and then leased it out. Gary grew up on a ranch in Mendocino where he learned how to raise cattle. When Scelestia and Gary met, they decided to combine their resources and started Mourning Dove Ranch. Today, they work together on the Ranch and provide wonderful beef.
They are planning to expand their efforts using similar principals to raise pigs, turkey and chicken. If you are interested in learning more about Mourning Dove Ranch and their products, contact Scelestia or Gary Cook at 209-962-7331.
