In Search of Grass-fed Beef - Retail

When I started looking around for grass-fed beef a couple of months ago, it was nowhere to be found. I finally checked out my local Vitamin Cottage and found a frozen brick of grass-fed ground beef from The Lasater Ranch. I brought it home and made a dandy little meatloaf. The flavor was good; the texture was fine, and I could feel my body tingling from all those healthy Omega 3s and CLAs.

Suddenly, I'm seeing grass-fed beef everywhere! Safeway has started carrying grass-fed beef from Maverick Ranch, and now -- believe it or not -- even Target carries it!

This week, we picked up a couple of grass-fed sirloin steaks, and if the weather holds, they're going on the grill tonight.

As promised, here's a starter list of retail grocers where you can buy grass-fed beef. This is a compilation of best available information from the following sources:

• The Colorado Food and Agricultural Directory
• Eat Well Guide
• Eat Wild Colorado
• Green People: Food Co-ops, Health Food Stores, Natural Food Stores
• Grass-fed beef producer web sites and other personal research

It's not comprehensive, by any means, so if you know of other sources, please add them to the comments section. In addition, I can't vouch for the veracity of any of the listings; nor am I recommending any vendors. Finally, keep in mind that you still need to read labels (or talk to your grocer) to find up what's really up with packaged beef. (Check out my previous post on Beef Labels 101.) A lot of the grass-fed beef offered in chain grocers and big box stores is imported from who-knows-where, and just because a cow is grass-fed doesn't mean it's free of hormones, steroids and/or antibiotics -- or wasn't confined in a factory farm feedlot. Your best bet is to look for grass-fed, pasture-raised, non-confined, no antibiotics, no added hormones beef.

Better yet, once you've tried a couple of cuts, you may want to order grass-fed beef (or other meats) directly from a Colorado rancher. I'll share everything I've learned about that process in my next post. In the meantime, here's a list to get you started....

Alpine Natural Foods, Frisco
310 W Main Street
970-668-5535
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, pasture-raised

Back to the Basics, Colorado Springs
2332 Vickers Dr.
719-590-9143 Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, cage free, no added hormones, no antibiotic use
Bison: Grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use

Bamboo Markets Health Foods, Steamboat Springs

1110 Yampa Street, Ste. 100
970-879-9992

B&F Mountain Market, Nederland
60 Lakeview Drive
303-258-9470

Black Canyon Organics, Olathe

5476 5700 Road
970-323-5733
“We carry an assortment of natural and organic grocery items. We offer home delivery to Crested Butte, Gunnison, Telluride, Delta, Montrose and Olathe. We will be producers of some specific items in the next year. Here's what we carry that meets your request:
* Organic Lamb - grass fed, Colorado raised
* Organic Beef - grass fed, Colorado raised
* Natural Yak (a member of the bovine family) - grass fed, Colorado raised
* Natural Elk - grass fed, Colorado raised

Black Forest Bison, Colorado Springs

1234 E. Woodmen Rd.
719-488-3898
“We offer 100% grass fed, pasture raised, no antibiotics, hormones, steroids Bison. They never go to a fed lot and are never fed grain, so they are from start and finish on grass. We offer frozen cuts of our bison, in our store in Colorado Spring or by mail order. We have all the cuts you would expect to find, from steaks to roasts to ribs and or ground. We also make, in our shop award winning all natural bison jerky, sausage and bratwurst. All our meat comes from our own ranch, located on highway 83 just north of Colorado Springs. We are open 7 days a week, M-Sat 9 - 6, Sun 11 - 4.”

Clark’s Norwood Market, Norwood
1435 East Grand Ave.
970-327-4211

Clark’s Market, Aspen
300 N. Mill Street
970-925-8047
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, pasture-raised
Bison: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed/grain supplemented, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, pasture-raised

Clarks Market, Telluride
700 W. Colorado Ave.
970-728-3124

The Colorado Cupboard, Longmont
2001 N. Main St.
303-485-0605

Durango Natural Foods, Durango
Eighth Ave. & College Drive
970-247-8129
“We carry the following:
* Beef - grass-fed, grass-finished, many cuts available (in store we have ground, stew, sirloin steak, and chuck roast), from James Ranch in Durango * Buffalo - grass-fed, grass-finished, many cuts available (in store we have ground, kabobs or stew, and steaks, currently sirloin, tenderloin, and New York, from Scenic Mesa Buffalo in Hotchkiss. We also carry Italian sausage, which contains some grass-fed pork, origin unknown.
* Lamb - grass-fed, grass-finished, certified organic, many cuts available (in store we have ground, kabobs or stew, usually loin chops, usually boneless legs) from Foxfire Farms in Durango
* Elk - grass-fed, grass-finished, many cuts available (in store we carry ground and stew), from Colorado Elk & Game in Montrose.

Fort Collins Food Co-op, Fort Collins
205 E. Mountain Ave.
970-484-7448

Good Health Natural Grocers, Glenwood Springs
722 Cooper Ave.
970-945-0235
Bison: Grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use

Gunnison Vitamin and Health Food, Gunnison
722 N. Main Street
970-641-5928
Carries local, grass-fed beef from Lasater Ranch

Hardin’s Natural Foods, Hotchkiss
31424 HWY 92
970-872-3019
Beef: grass fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non confined, pasture raised
Bison: pasture raised, non confined, no antibiotic use, no added hormones, grass fed, 100 percent vegetarian feed

Healthy Solutions Community Market & Deli, Steamboat Springs
335 Lincoln Ave.
970-879-4747
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed/grain supplemented, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, pasture-raised Bison: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, organic, pasture-raised

Highland Health Foods, Montrose
16367 S. Townsend
970-249-5207
Bison: grass fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non confined, pasture raised
Great selection of locally raised meats, including certified organic Yak

Joy’s Natural Foods, Pagosa Springs
117 Navaho Trail Dr., Suite T
970-731-1500
Beef: Grass-fed, No Added Hormones, No Antibiotic Use
Bison: Grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use

Love-R-Health Foods, LaJunta
220 W 3rd Street
719-384-2332
Bison: Grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use

Lucky’s Market, Boulder
3960 Broadway
303-444-0215
Beef and Bison: 100 percent vegetarian feed, free range/roaming, grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, pasture raised (beef is also organic).

Manitou Natural, Manitou Springs
56 Park Avenue
719-685-5434
Carries local, grass-fed beef from Lasater Ranch

Manna Natural Foods, Cedaredge
195 W. Main St.
970-856-7372
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non confined, pasture raised
Bison: pasture raised, non confined, no antibiotic use, no added hormones, grass fed, 100 percent vegetarian feed

Marczyk Fine Foods, Denver

1770 East 17th Avenue, 303-894-9499
Bison: Grass-fed

Michelle’s Ambrosia Market, Pueblo
112 Colorado Ave.
719-545-2958
Beef: No added hormones, no antibiotic use, organic, pasture-raised
Bison: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed/grain supplemented, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, pasture-raised

Mountain Earth Natural Goods, Crested Butte
405 4th Street
970-349-5132
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, pasture raised Bison: pasture raised, no antibiotic use, no added hormones, grass fed and grain supplement, 100 percent vegetarian feed.

Mountain Harmony Natural Foods, Walsenburg
110 6th St.
719-738-2436
Bison: pasture raised, no antibiotic use, no added hormones, grass fed and grain supplement, 100 percent vegetarian feed.

Mountain Mama Natural Foods, Colorado Springs, CO
1625-A W. Uintah Street
Carries local, grass-fed beef from Lasater Ranch

Mountain Naturals, Aspen
316 Aspen Airport Business center, Suite B
970-925-5502
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed/grain supplemented, no added hormones, no antibiotic use
Bison: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, pasture-raised

Mountain People’s Co-op, Nederland
30 East First Street
(303) 258-7500
Bison: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass fed/grain supplemented, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, pasture-raised.

Mother Nature’s Health Foods, Canon City
915 Main St.
719-275-9367
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed/grain supplemented, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, organic
Bison: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, pasture-raised

Mountain Earth Natural Goods, Crested Butte
405 4th Street
970-349-5132
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, pasture-raised
Bison: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed/grain supplemented, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, pasture-raised

The Natural Market, Montrose
1541 Oxbow Drive #1450
970-252-9090

Nature’s Oasis, Durango
1123 Camino del Rio
970-247-1988
Carries James Ranch grass-finished beef

Naturally Yours, Pagosa Springs
162 N. Pagosa Blvd.
970-264-2053

Nature’s Pantry, Buena Vista
545 N. Hwy 24
719-395-2649
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, pasture-raised
Bison: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, pasture-raised

Neighborhood Natural Goods, Salida
320 W. 7th St.
719-539-7409
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, organic, pasture-raised
Bison: no added hormones, no antibiotic use

Old River Trading Post, Paonia
15495 Black Bridge Road
970-527-4740
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non confined, organic, pasture raised
Bison: organic, non confined, 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass fed, pasture raised, no antibiotic use, no added hormones

Rainbow Co-op, Ridgeway
970-626-9720
(Buying club with no storefront)

Rocky Mountain Natural Store, Colorado Springs
1502 W. Colorado Ave.
719-329-0180

Rocky Plains, Erie/Dacono
4022 WCR 11
303-833-3791
Grass-finished bison

Rocky Plains, Loveland
207 S. Washington Ave.
970-667-3112
Grass-finished bison

Sammy’s Organics, Colorado Springs
1801 S. 8th Street
719-471-3348

Season’s Harvest, Ridgeway Natural Foods, Ridgeway
521 Clinton Street
970-626-9719

Simple Foods Market, Salida
1548 G Street #4
719-539-7144
We offer grass-fed and finished beef from Landmark Harvest Meats of Buena Vista and grass-fed and finished lamb from GrassRoots Meats of Pagosa Springs. All of these meats are sold frozen. Most cuts are available, though not always in stock due to space limitations.

Sunnyside Farms Market, Durango
1135 S. Camino Del Rio
970-375-6400
Carries grass finished beef from James Ranch

Sunshine Markets Natural Foods, Salida
233 F Street
719-539-7735
Beef: 100 percent vegetarian feed, grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, pasture-raised

The Market at Mountain Village, Mountain Village
455 Mountain Village Blvd.
970-728-6500

TR’s Country Store, Rye
6154 Boulder Ave.
719-489-3003
Beef: Free-range/roaming, grass-fed, no added hormones, no antibiotic use, non-confined, organic, pasture-raised

Vitamin Cottage, Multiple Locations Offers local grass-fed beef from the Lasater Ranch (frozen ground beef). May vary from store to store; call first to check.

Wild Oats/Whole Foods Markets, Multiple Locations
According to Whole Foods’ Rocky Mountain Meat Coordinator, grass-fed beef can be purchased at any Rocky Mountain store (fresh, all cuts available). Local grass-fed beef from the Lasater Ranch can be purchased from the Colorado Springs store (fresh, all cuts available).

Winter Park Organic Market, Winter Park
78336 U.S. Hwy 40
970-726-4704
"Due to the size of my small health food store, I can only carry frozen beef products. I carry the following:
* Greener Pastures Ranch Beef products- Grass-raised from Steamboat Springs. Finished frozen, ground beef, sirloin and beef strip. My inventory changes according to what they have to harvest from.
* Gosar Ranch- Ground beef from Monte Vista, CO. Finished frozen, fed either grass or alfalfa.
The Buffalo Guys- ground buffalo from Elk Mountain, WY. Finished frozen. The label doesn’t specify what the animals are fed.

Yauk Specialty Meats, Windsor
220 Main Street
970-686-9080

Zuma Natural Foods, Mancos
560 Menefee
Carries James Ranch beef