Limousinboerderij De Meierij

Limousinboerderij De Meierij is an organic beef farm outside Loenersloot, between Amsterdam and Utrecht, where one family has kept a herd of about 80 purebred Limousin cattle since 1998 and sells the meat directly from the farm.

The herd of about 35 suckler cows and 45 young animals lives as a family group: the cows calve on their own and the calves stay with their mothers and the bull. From spring to autumn the cattle are out day and night, and in winter they move loose in roomy barns. They eat only herb-rich grass, and silage and hay from the farm's own land and their website says they need no vaccinations or antibiotics. No synthetic fertiliser or pesticides are used. The farm is certified organic (SKAL); we found it in the register under Maatschap H. en A. Kreuger. The beef comes from adult cows and is aged after slaughter, and the burgers, sausages and rolled joints contain only unrefined sea salt, herbs and spices.

The farm shop is open on Saturday from 10:00 to 13:00 and otherwise by appointment. Fresh meat is sold after each slaughter: you order by phone, email or the webshop and collect from the farm, and lamb from their own sheep is sometimes in the freezer.

Every pack is labelled with the ear-tag number of the cow it came from.