MJ Ranch- Lawrence, KS by Dawn

As we drove from Kansas City to MJ Ranch, just outside of Lawrence, Kansas, we were happy we had left the bus behind... we traveled quite a few miles on a gravel road to get where we were going. We finally pulled up to this amazing scene- a house, a barn, one big beautiful tree with a tire swing and what looked like miles of uninhabited land- truly breath taking.

We were greeted by Mel (M) and Joyce (J) Williams and their old dog. They sat us down on a truck piled with hay, and told us a little about their ranch and the sustainable practices they adhere to. Joyce is very passionate about the ranch and her animals. She told us about the health benefits of 100% grass-fed cattle- lower in cholesterol and saturated fats, and higher in Omega-3 fatty acids. They do not use synthetic pesticides or herbicides on the land and they never confine their animals. Joyce pointed out the connection between the cows being on the land and how this helps to keep the land from eroding and helped with keeping the ground water from being contaminated. It's all connected- the animals, the land, the people... it's sustainable!

Joyce did most of the talking... but she told us that Mel usually had more to say. You could see the gleam in Mel's eyes though- he loves this land and way of life too. He drove us up to see his cows- they were huddled around a group of trees, it must have been a little cooler there in the shade on this hot day. As we drove up, they came over to check us out... they stared at us, as we stared back into their big eyes. They were really pretty- is that a strange word to describe a cow? They just looked soft and fuzzy and pretty. They seem so content- it's beautiful land (and lots of it) that they get to graze all day.

As we were leaving, Sara, who was with us from the Kansas City Food Circle, spoke with Joyce about getting her meat order in for the winter. Joyce takes orders online, and for a group order, will even drive into town and meet you for the exchange. I can't think of a better way to get meat- Joyce and Mel being there through the whole process... birth, life, harvest- to make sure that their animals are being treated the most humanely that they can be, and then driving to meet the customer so that that customer can say thank you in person!

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