About
The Ryckman Farm
Owners: Dennis and Carolyn Ryckman
In 1999, we purchased 80 acres just north of Pierre. We began with simple plans to start a tree farm. This soon grew into additional farming ventures including raising cattle.
We started out in 2012 with raising some bottle calves to give the kids a taste of the farming experience that we had growing up. This quickly evolved into finishing them out for ourselves and some friends. A neighbor got us started with the operation basics and the feed sourcing such as the corn/pea ration.
The word soon got out and our reputation for growing excellent quality beef spread. We have been going strong ever since.
Frequently Asked Questions
Calves are born & raised in the pasture with their moms for 6 months, or bottle fed if we pick up orphans.They are then fed a ration of ground corn and peas twice a day, hay and alfalfa along with open range and fresh water. This ensures a high quality feed program for optimum growth and finishing.
The inclusion of peas in the daily grain ration is proven in research studies to provide a superior flavor and improved juiciness and tenderness.
We do not administer growth hormones (implants).
Plan on approximately 5 cubic feet of freezer space for every quarter of beef. As a first time buyer, we we walk you through the cut instructions (order form). If you buy a half of beef, you get to decide how the beef is cut and packaged, according to your preferences. If you buy a quarter of beef, you still get to fill out cut instructions, but the cuts are subject to matching up with another customer with similar cuts and packaging instructions. If you are new to the process, it might sound overwhelming at first, but we will walk you through the process.
If you have additional questions, please contact us at 1-605-222-7713.