For the Shortt family, their farm is a dream come true

Living the Dream

By Taylor Short The Shortt family jumps at the opportunity to own their own farm in Douglas County, Mo.

When more people began searching for beef, the Shortt family began offering split quarters, quarters, halves and wholes to customers from their Pansy Creek Cattle Company. Pictured, from left, are Noah, Farron, Nacole and Yahira Shortt.

Photos Courtesy of Shortt family

Nestled along the winding back ily purchased the farm in 2018. decided since they had beef, why not start roads of Douglas County, Mo., lies a Pansy Creek Cattle Company is a 100-year- selling beef directly to those consumers. local farm-to-fork operation known old farm sitting on 80 acres of Ozarks hill “We had steers that couldn’t go to the as Pansy Creek Cattle Company. country and continues to be a work in prog- sale barns due to everything going on, so

Nacole and Farron Shortt, and their chil- ress. They run mostly Limousin-cross females, why not sell direct to the public?” recalled dren Noah (14) and Yahira (15) run the which are bred by a Red Angus bull. Nacole. day-to-day aspects of this local family- ran “Farron has been the one putting in the Pansy Creek Cattle Company strives to operation. work to make the land and herd as healthy make the farm-to-fork experience easy. Not

With both kids involved in the local FFA and productive as it can be,” Nacole said. only do customers purchase beef at a compachapter at Ava High School, Nacole and Nacole took a grazing class through the Uni- rable price, but they also have the knowledge Farron hope their children will continue versity of Missouri Extension. Her enthusiasm of knowing where their beef comes from and to be involved in agriculture for the rest for newer practices combined with Farron’s what the cattle are fed. All cattle are pasture of their lives. Nacole hopes one day Noah grandfather Ebb Shortt’s old-school ways, the raised, with the Shotts offering a mineral and Yahira will have an inter- farm is shaping up. mix, and range cubes in the winter months. est in showing cattle. “Slow and steady is our plan,” Na- Steers remain on pasture until their process-

“It was always Farron’s cole said. ing dates and are offered a custom finishing dream to have a cattle farm When the COVID-19 pan- mix from H&S Feeds in Ava, Mo. here in Goodhope (Mo.), where demic hit, consumers seemed to Pansy Creek Cattle has plans to market he grew up. When we got word become concerned with their their meat to the public virtually and will of a farm coming up for sale, we Goodhope, Mo. food supply, especially meat. continue to rely on word-of-mouth sales. knew we had to jump on the op- With limited supplies of beef portunity,” Nacole said. The fam- in stores, Nacole and Farron — Continued on Next Page

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Living the Dream

Continued from Previous Page

They offer options to sell on-hoof, split half (quarter), half and whole to help meet every family’s needs.

“Once the steer is reserved, we arrange a butcher and offer delivery when your freezer meat is ready. The whole process of raising our calves takes about 18 months, so it feels super slow,” Nacole said.

Currently, according to Nacole, Pansy Creek Cattle has sold what they had available for 2021.

“Spring 2022 has five steers with butcher dates already scheduled. Currently, we are taking deposits on calves, but they will not be ready until spring 2022,” she said.

One thing Pansy Creek Cattle will be doing differently next year is processing cost will not be included in the liveweight price. They do their best to price beef at

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a competitive rate to meet the consumers’ needs while covering their operating costs. Calves are sold on-foot at market price.

“All the talk of retail cuts are still in the discussion phase,” according to Nacole.

There have been a few obstacles the family had to overcome on their path to becoming a farm-to-plate producer.

“With a butcher being almost impossible to schedule, that is something we keep in mind and will continue to be an obstacle in the future. Another consideration is the fluctuating beef market,” Nacole said. “We have faith in God and believe if we stay true to ourselves and the integrity of our product and our farm we will be just fine. Nothing worth doing is easy; and change is inevitable especially in ranch life. We continue to educate ourselves and focus on the quality of our herd and overall product when it is on your family dinner table. This is our dream, and we invite you to follow along.”

Pansy Creek Cattle Company and the Shortt family may have had a few bumps along the way, but life on the farm has a way of making the end result worth the bumps.

“Never in a million years did I think this would be my life,” Nacole said. “It has not always been easy, and we sure do not get rich. It is something you must love to do. You are solely responsible for this little cattle community, the momma’s and babies, their food, their health and overall wellbeing. I have grown to love the whole process. It is a feeling it is hard to describe honestly. I am learning more all the time.”