Our Beef

We proudly feature three lines of Atlantic beef at Osprey’s Roost : Getaway Farm beef and Certified Island Beef.

Our parent company is Getaway Farm – a family farm owned and operated just outside of Canning, Nova Scotia atop the North Mountain. Getaway Farm raises all their cattle on a foraged grass diet. Raising cattle on grass is beneficial for three key reasons.

Firstly, grass is the cow’s most natural diet. Cow have evolved as ruminants, meaning that their digestive systems are naturally attuned to digest grass and foraged plants. Grass-fed cattle are often slightly leaner than grain-fed cattle, and may have more Vitamins A & E.

Secondly, grass-fed cattle can be environmentally responsible. Getaway Farm practises carbon accountability when raising their cattle, meaning that as the cattle graze, they ensure grass growth in the fields. The carbon sequestered by the grass offsets the carbon produced by the cattle. By carefully monitoring the impact of individual parts to the whole system, Getaway is able to ensure that their regenerative farming practice positively impact the environment.

You can read more about it here.

Most importantly, grass-fed beef tastes great. By foraging from their immediate environment, the cows pick up foods and flavours that are specific to their environment, resulting in a rich and unique terroir.

Getaway Farm beef is also dry-aged. Dry-aging is the practise of letting the beef hang in a humidity- and temperature-controlled environment in order to ensure flavour development and tenderization. Briefly, dry-aging allows for moisture to evaporate, resulting in a more concentrated product. This means that you don’t pay for water, but as much beef as possible. An enzymatic breakdown occurs within the beef simultaneously, making it more tender. For more information, click here.

Certified Island Beef comes from our friends at Atlantic Beef Products Inc. (ABPI). ABPI purchase cattle from a selection of small-scale, family farms across Prince Edward Island. Their Certified Island Beef (CIB) line features their highest grade grass-fed, potato and forage finished cattle. All CIB cuts are wet-aged, which results in a flavour that is less intense than Getaway Farm beef, while just as rich.

Wet-aging vs. Dry-aging

All beef needs to be aged before eaten, otherwise it is tough and bland. When aging, a natural enzymatic process occurs, breaking down some connective tissue and developing richer flavours.

Wet-aging involves vacuum sealing primals (large sections of the beef), sealing in all moisture for minimum waste and thus contributing to the lower price.

In Dry-aging, whole bodies or large primals and left exposed to the air in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, allowing water to evaporate, leaving the resulting cuts with a more concentrated beefy flavour. Because of that water evaporation, dry-aged beef has more actual beef per pound of beef and more flavour per bite. The microbial process that occurs in dry aging is also a little different and it contributes to a pleasant nutty flavour. Any exposed meat not protected by fat or bone dries out and needs to be trimmed away – with less saleable beef from that trimming and water evaporation, the price has to be a bit higher to make up for loss.