Good Stewards of Cattle and Land Since 1906
The Maple Valley Ranch Difference
Back to the Basics
Our cattle are rotated daily onto fresh clean pastures, grazing a diverse sward of nutrient rich forages. There’s a lot of buzz around terms like “grass-fed”, “natural”, or “pasture-raised”… But even with such claims, by far most beef cattle are finished on a grain diet. The typical beef animal changes farms/ranches multiple times, and is raised under varying management styles that rely routinely on pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and carcinogenic agents. We believe there is a better way to produce beef.
Regenerative Ranching is Natural
Our management relies on intensive rotational grazing practices, sound animal husbandry, calving in sync with nature, and natural genetic selection to build a herd that thrives without pharmaceutical “solutions” such as antibiotics, steroids, and growth hormones. While very rare, if an animal does require medical doctoring, we and our veterinarian will administer necessary medication and assistance to save that animal. Once that animal is healed up and recovered, it is sold to the commodity market (we won’t sell that animal direct as finished beef).
Local Beef and the Lowest Possible Carbon Footprint
We believe in supporting local small-scale regenerative agriculture, and emphasize
”buy local / eat local”. By focusing on a smaller service area and a low-input regenerative agriculture model, even as a small ranch, we keep costs low (compare prices for grass-finished hamburger or steak at Whole Foods!), while also operating at the lowest possible impact on the environment. Giving you nourishing and delicious beef that is good for your wallet and the planet we all call home.
A Ranch Made for Happy Cattle
Located 45 minutes from downtown Nashville, Tennessee, Maple Valley Ranch was founded in 1906 by the Deloach and Denton families. For well over a century (and spanning several generations), they raised row crops, tobacco, and black angus cattle.
In January of 2020, Maple Valley Ranch was acquired by J. Allen Harris II. Our 181 acres of gently rolling pastures and timber, 7 ponds, and 2 year-round creeks, combined with mild winters and good average annual rainfall, makes the perfect setting for our grass-based cattle operation. Raised on the values of hard work, joy for living, and gratitude for the land, Allen began developing a grass-genetic cattle herd in this bucolic countryside.
Our herd genetics are made up of a balance of locally adapted Red Angus and Hereford females, mated with a registered pure-bred South Poll sire. The South Poll breed is moderately framed, developed in the 1980’s by Teddy Gentry of the band Alabama, and bred specifically to thrive and finish on a grass-only diet in the hot humid south on native pastures. The composite breed is a 4-way cross between Red Angus and Hereford (for ease of fleshing, and maternal ability) combined with Barzona and Senepol (for heat tolerance, and adaptability).
Maple Valley Ranch now serves the surrounding community as a regenerative cattle ranch, marketing both grass-finished beef and seed-stock direct to consumers and producers.
