Slick Rock Cattle Co., Fort Scott, has recently started delivering beef products in a strategy to market their product from farm to table.

“In the last three months, we have started delivering to Fort Scott,  Overland Park, Girard, and Chanute at designated sites for pick up,” said John Erie, who is co-owner with Kevin Stark, of the cattle company.

Erie has been in the cattle business since childhood, working outside jobs, he said. Stark had a farming operation. They both attend the same church and one day started a conversation that ended in a cattle company partnership that has lasted 11 years.

“We had sold one-quarter beef, one-half or whole, and still do. Some people were wanting to buy certain cuts. Enough people asked, so we are going down that road,” Erie said. “Seems like people are wanting to help local farmers that produce hormone-free, grass-fed, grain-finished on-the-farm beef.”

“We reduced the number of cattle to specialize in a farm-to-table operation.”

They sell 12-month subscriptions, with the option of $125 per month over the years time. “Different cuts each month with ground beef. People can make their own bundle and it’s for people with not a lot of freezer space and not a lot of money at one time.”

“We can do 1/4, 1/2, or whole or all rib eye or all ground beef… a custom order,” he said.

The cattle are raised locally in northeast Bourbon County, and butchered and packaged locally at the Bronson Locker, in western Bourbon County,  a U.S. Dept. of Agriculture-certified business.

This reduces the environmental impact (lower fuel cost) because of the lower mileage needed to reach the customer.

The business employs Erie, Stark, and Erie’s granddaughter Mia Bryant along with some high school employees at times.

The cattle company has an office at the Hammond Elevator, northeast of Fort Scott, and can be reached at 620.224.8033 or slickrockcattlecollc.com