There’s no doubt that the Greville family know their beef. Cattle farmers Maxine and Chris Greville have passed on their passion for naturally raised, grass fed, grass finished beef to their five children, who’ve taken their family heritage to the next level by marketing their own beef label, Gingin Beef.
Frustrated at being a price taker, and concerned about the future of the cattle industry, the family registered the trademark for Gingin beef back in 2000, with the aim of cutting out the middle man, and selling their meat direct to the consumer.
“We were growing a product that was totally grass fed, and going the extra mile to create a clean and healthy product but the quality difference wasn’t recognised” says Maxine. “We needed to diversify to stay in the game”
The business is a family affair, with Maxine, Chris and daughter Penny running the substantial mob of Angus, Murray Grey and first cross Wagyu cattle, and daughter Julia leading the marketing.
Together Julia and Penny oversee the processing, which includes 21 days of dry ageing for optimal flavour development, and package the meat themselves. The final product is sold exclusively at the Mt Claremont and Subiaco markets where the whole family pitches in behind the counters.
As part of the Dewar clan, Maxine’s roots run deep in the Gingin area, where her family were some of the original settlers back in 1850. As a young child, she remembers helping her father clear the land where her cattle roam today.
“We’re fortunate to have lands on the brook which enables us to grass feed right through” says Maxine. The lush mineral rich soils of the wetlands means the cattle can reach their final carcass weight without grain feeding all year round. They also believe that their beef earns it’s unique flavour from the soil and grass it grazes on, similar to regional variety seen in wine.
Penny explains the unique health benefits of grass fed animals, “With grain, cattle don’t need to chew, they just swallow, with grass they chew their cud which creates the proper bacteria in the stomach. This enables the vitamins and minerals to be absorbed naturally into the body, and therefore in the meat.”
Studies have shown that meat from grass fed animals has twice the amount of Beta-Carotene (a precursor of Vitamin A) and 2.5 times the amount of Vitamin E, a natural antioxidant which can help mop up free radicals.
It has more omega-3 fatty acids (which reduce inflammation, and help prevent heart disease and arthritis) and increased levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), an important polyunsaturated fatty acid which is involved in reducing heart disease, cancer, diabetes and the accumulation of our own body fat.
With the current trend towards natural eating it seems they’ve tapped into a niche market, and Julia says they have a strong following in the Western suburbs, not only because the meat is gluten and preservative free, but because of the benefits of grass feeding. “Naturopaths are recommending purely grass fed meat for children with ADHD, and cancer patients are being recommended the product because it’s high in cancer-fighting antioxidants.”
In keeping with their philosophy to run their cattle naturally, the Grevilles use natural alternatives like sulfur and apple cider vinegar to keep their cattle healthy. All cattle sold through their label are born and bred on their property so they can keep a close eye of the genetics, and also maintain a stress free life for the animals.
With the intent to produce a restaurant quality meat for customers to enjoy at home, Julia and Penny have experimented with the dry ageing process, settling on 21 days as the optimum period for the meat to mature and tenderise while keeping the cost manageable.
Whilst dry ageing adds considerable time and expense to the processing of beef the meat has a wonderful texture and quality. For the Greville family, it it the final step in a carefully managed process that begins with soil and genetics and draws on natural farming methods to culminate in an end product with an authenticity they are proud to share with their customers.
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