Battle River Bison
Richard and Cheryl Allan
15593 Hwy 7, RR6 Perth, ON
613 326 0573
Website: www.battleriverbison.ca
Farm profile on Lanark Local Flavour Website
What They Have: Bison meat. Naturally raised, hormone-free, grass fed
Where To Find It: Carp Market: Saturdays 8am-1pm until end Oct. and a special Carp Christmas market: afternoon and evening of Fri. Dec. 4, and all day on Sat. Dec. 5. Also at Foodsmith’s in Perth, at the farm-gate by the piece, or custom order.
When I think of bison, the first thing that comes to mind is great herds of dark, mammoth-headed animals grazing on the plains. Not that I have witnessed this, nor has any other living person for that matter, because the great herds of my imagination were systematically decimated by European settlers in the 1800’s – for meat, ‘sport’ and to free up the land for cultivation. It is difficult to believe that a population of up to 75 million of these animals was reduced to fewer than 300 animals by 1900! It seems somehow strange then, to be talking about bison meat here, as, uh, shouldn’t we be preserving the animals? However, the bison population has made a comeback in the last 100 years due to both preservation efforts and also, ironically, due to the increasing interest in raising bison for meat – an enterprise that started in the 1970’s.
There are now over 200,000 bison in Canada, most of which are being raised on ranches and farms across the country. One such farm is located just east of Perth on Hwy 7. Battle River Bison is owned by Cheryl and Richard Allan, a couple who moved with their young children from Alberta to Lanark County several years ago. Richard, who grew up on a farm out west, became familiar with bison through his neighbour who was raising some. After moving here, Richard and Cheryl settled on raising bison after researching a variety of ‘specialty’ farming options. Presently, they have 18 animals including two bulls. Richard hopes to increase the size of his herd to about 80 animals in another 5 years or so.
Bison are appealing animals to keep for a number of reasons. As indigenous animals, bison adapted over the centuries to drought and prairie fires that limited food availability by developing a slower digestive system than cattle, a characteristic that allows them to graze through most of what the Canadian climate can throw at them. They are very efficient foragers and can convert lower-protein forages into energy more efficiently than cattle. An acre of land, it follows, can support more bison/acre than cows. In winter, they are fed hay. Bison deal well with our extreme temperatures with little or no shelter. And being outside keeps the animals healthier. Interestingly, Richard told me that at -20 C the metabolic rate of cattle changes demanding more food to not shed weight. For the hardier bison, that shift happens at -30 C. While some bison operations ‘finish’ their animals with grain, Richard only feeds grain when trying to entice them into the barn/holding areas. His animals are raised entirely on chemical-free pasture and hay.
The down-side to raising these animals, if one is to be found, is the size of the animals and the fact that they still retain their wild instincts. I was happy to read however (from the Canadian Bison website www.canadianbison.ca) that efforts are made, by Canadian bison breeders, to not breed out their ‘wild’ instincts. However, it does pose a bit of a challenge to those handling the animals (on the rare occasions that they need to be handled - for tagging, shipping, sorting). I imagine it can be a bit intimidating to be faced with a 2000 lb bull pawing the ground and charging your tractor – something that Richard says he is getting used to! Some specialized equipment is also needed for these animals, and it doesn’t come cheaply. The good news though is that bison producers don’t need other expensive machinery like combines and air seeders since the animals really do well on just grass.
For the meat eaters out there, bison is one of the healthier meats available. This is becoming more widely recognized resulting in a swell in consumer demand for the meat despite the premium price it commands. It is very high in protein and very low in fat (almost as lean as chicken). It is rich in vitamin B12, iron, selenium, zinc and phosphorus. It is also high in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Due to its low fat content, it needs to be cooked a bit differently than beef so it does not dry out (generally lower temperature for less time). Great recipes can be found at www.canadianbison.ca. When properly cooked, by all accounts bison is tender and flavorful. In fact, Richard claims that even the low-end bison cuts are more tender than beef!
Curious? You can find Battle River Bison at the Carp Farmers Market until the end of October, and at their special Christmas Market (see dates above), at Foodsmith’s in Perth or by stopping in at the farm.
Bison Fact: Did you know that the ‘hump’ is muscle that helps to support the bison’s massive head. That massive head acts as a kind of snow plough in winter when they move it from side to side, clearing the snow, in order to forage.
Recipe:
Bison Red Wine Roast
(Sirloin Tip, Cross Rib, Inside Round)
3 ½ lb. bison roast
2-4 Tbsp oil
1 c. diced onion
1c. diced carrot
1/2 c. diced celery
1 large tomato
2 ½ c. beef broth
2 c. red wine
2-3 Tbsp flour
1/ 2 c. table cream
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Season roast with salt and pepper. In heavy casserole, quickly sear meat on all sides in hot oil. Remove from pot. Dice onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and brown lightly. Add beef broth and red wine. Return toast to pot, cover, place on middle oven rack and cook at 275 F for 3-3 ½ hrs or until bison is tender.
Turn the roast every hour and remove cover for last ½ hour of cooking. Remove roast from pot. Puree vegetables in broth. Mix flour with table cream and slowly add to vegetable broth, stirring constantly. Bring to boil and cook until thickened. If desired. season with salt and pepper to taste.