The Market at TRM BY JESSIE SHOOK Photo Credit: Phil Pyle, PyleStyle Photography
Randa Starnes, owner and manager of the Tennessee River Music Cattle Ranch, has always dreamed of bringing families homegrown, healthy beef. As a second-generation cattle rancher, this is the same beef her family has been enjoying for years. TRM is a purebred seedstock operation with the goal of producing sound, functional cattle that can perform in the Southeast and all over the country. After selling steers in the past for people to use as freezer beef and with interest in individual retail cuts, Randa and her husband John decided to take the next step and be able to sell retail cuts right from the farm. In May 2019, they opened a market on their farm called The Market at TRM. “The Market at TRM was created as a way to share our locally sourced beef with the community,” Starnes said. “I love the idea of The Market being actually right on the farm. People love driving up and seeing cattle grazing all around.” Starnes said that The Market truly has a unique and authentic feel that is something consumers cannot find at the grocery store. “We sell various cuts of beef, along with locally grown pork, canned jams, jellies and The Market souvenirs,” Starnes said. As a faithful customer of their local Co-op, Starnes 38
Cooperative Farming News
is also selling ground beef and other cuts at Dekalb Farmers Cooperative in Rainsville, Alabama. “I am really excited to have TRM’s beef in our Coop,” said Andrea Crain, store manager of Dekalb Farmers Cooperative. “It’s awesome to know that the products we supply are helping feed these animals.”
Randa Starnes, husband John Starnes, daughter Harper Rose (6) and son John Owen (3). The Market at TRM was voted one of the best of Dekalb 2020. (Photo Credit: Tricia Dunn, The Times Journal, Fort Payne)
