These ranches are spacious and mostly wild places. We give cows room to be cows – and let them lead largely natural lives. We carefully manage grazing – moving cattle throughout the ranches on a seasonal basis to ensure they have ample nutrition while not depleting native vegetation. Like many other beef cattle producers, we have demonstrated that well-managed grazing enhances the biotic condition of our native grasslands, oak woodlands, and coastal prairies.

The grass at our ranches is seasonal, reaching its apex of nutritive quality in the late spring and summer. Accordingly, the vast majority of our Hearst Ranch Beef cattle are finished within the late spring and summer months. We have partnered with Whole Foods Market to offer fresh locally produced Hearst Ranch Beef seasonally in up to forty-one Southern California Whole Foods Market locations, and the San Luis Obispo Whole Foods Market location on a year-round basis.