Our Farm Standards

From a Traditional Cattle Farm to Direct-to-Family Farming

Like many cattle producers, we originally raised calves for the conventional livestock market.

Over time, we began asking ourselves whether there was a better way to connect the care we put into raising our livestock with the food families were bringing to their tables.

We wanted greater control over how our animals were raised, what they ate, and how they were handled throughout their lives. Just as importantly, we wanted our customers to be able to know the farm and the people behind their food.

We started small, selling processed beef directly to families looking for naturally raised, high-quality meat. What began as a small part of our farm gradually became the heart of our operation.

In 2015, Sampson Family Farm became the first farm in Florida to earn Certified Grassfed by A Greener World for beef, followed by the same certification for our sheep in 2017.

Today, we raise Angus cattle and Katahdin sheep using a pasture-based, grass-fed and grass-finished production system.

Farming With the Land

We believe healthy livestock begins with healthy soil and healthy pastures.

Our cattle and sheep are managed through rotational grazing, moving between pastures throughout the year rather than remaining continuously in one area.

During the warmer months, they graze native grasses, improved pastures, wooded forage areas, and other naturally available vegetation. During the cooler months, we plant seasonal forage and cover crops and supplement grazing with hay produced on our own farm when needed.

Rotational grazing allows pastures time to rest and recover while helping distribute manure naturally, improve soil health, protect plant growth, and make better use of the land.

It also gives us greater control over what our livestock consume throughout the year.

Our goal has never been to produce the greatest number of animals possible. Our goal is to raise healthy livestock responsibly while continually improving the land that supports them.

Raising Food for Other Families

Today, we harvest approximately 80–90 grass-fed and grass-finished steers and about 30 lambs each year.

We intentionally remain a relatively small operation because personal livestock management is important to us. We want to know our animals, understand our pastures, and maintain the standards we have established over decades of farming.

Our beef and lamb are sold directly to customers through:

• Bulk freezer shares
• Individual USDA-inspected cuts
• Farm pickup
• Farmers markets
• Florida Meat Up locations

For more than a decade, we have had the privilege of meeting many of the families who purchase food from our farm. Those relationships are an important part of why direct-to-consumer farming means so much to us.

Customers aren’t simply purchasing beef or lamb.

They have the opportunity to know where their food was raised, how the animals were managed, and who raised it.

Our Commitment to the Land and Livestock

We plan to continue improving our rotational grazing system, soil health, livestock handling facilities, and pasture management while maintaining the personal care that has always been part of our farm.

We believe responsible farming requires constant observation, learning, and improvement.

Every pasture is different. Every growing season is different. Weather, livestock needs, and environmental conditions change from year to year. Our responsibility is to adjust while continuing to protect the health of our animals and the land entrusted to us.

Our Promise

Trends in agriculture will change. Markets will change. Technology will change.

The principles behind Sampson Family Farm will not.

We will continue to focus on:

• Family ownership and hands-on management
• Grass-fed and grass-finished livestock
• Responsible animal care
• Pasture-based and rotational grazing
• Healthy soil and long-term land stewardship
• Transparency about how our animals are raised
• Direct relationships with the families who purchase our food
• Building a farm that can continue into the next generation

After more than 30 years of raising cattle, we are still learning, adapting, and improving.

We invite you to learn more about our family, our farming practices, and how we raise the beef and lamb that goes from our pastures to your family’s table.

— The Sampson Family