Where to Find Local Beef in Virginia
I’m a hometown girl raising beef in the same Virginia county where I grew up, and I can’t think of a better place to do it.
There’s something pretty special about raising cattle in a place I’ve always called home. I know the roads, the farms, the people and the community. I grew up here, and now I have the privilege of raising beef here, too. That’s the heart behind Brown Cow Beef.
Brown Cow Beef is my retail beef brand, where I get to share the beef I raise with friends, neighbors and customers who want to know where their food comes from.
There’s a story behind the name, too. My farm is named after my Border Collie, Charlie Brown Cow, a red rescue Border Collie who became a pretty special part of my life. But I’ll save that story for another day. For now, let’s talk beef.
If you’ve ever wondered where to buy local beef in Virginia, there are farmers all across the Commonwealth who sell directly to consumers. The Virginia Beef Council’s Virginia Beef Directory is a great place to start. Here, you can find Virginia beef producers you can contact and learn more about buying beef locally. I’m also proud to be a Virginia Verified Beef producer. Virginia Verified Beef gives consumers another way to learn about participating Virginia beef producers and what the Virginia Verified designation means. For me, that connection matters. I believe in truth in labeling. If I tell you something is Virginia beef, I want you to understand what that means and have confidence in knowing where it came from. That’s one of the reasons programs like Virginia Verified Beef are important to me.
When you buy beef directly from a local farmer, you have an opportunity to know the person who raised it. You can ask questions, learn about the farm, and put a face and a place behind the food on your plate. I believe that makes us stronger together. When I sell beef to a local customer, it doesn’t stop with me. Farmers, processors, veterinarians, feed suppliers, truckers, equipment businesses and many others all play a part in keeping agriculture moving. Supporting local farmers helps support that whole network.
And there’s something else I care deeply about: our land. We only have so much farmland.
Once working farmland is gone, we don’t get more of it. Keeping farmers on the land gives us the opportunity to keep that land working, producing food and remaining part of the rural communities that make Virginia special.
Farming is tough. Farming is a business, a way of life and a whole lot of hard work.
There are rising costs and plenty of challenges that come with keeping a farm going, so I believe we should do all we can to support both - the farmers who work the land and the land that makes farming possible. That’s part of what buying local means to me.
What About Dinner? Well, that’s the fun part. Beef is incredibly versatile. It can be a burger on a busy weeknight, a slow-cooked roast, or something a little different like a Denver steak on the grill. And don’t overlook the less familiar cuts. Some of my favorite meals can start with a cut you might walk right past at the grocery store. Think stir-fry. Tacos. Slow-cooked beef. A good roast. There are so many ways to enjoy beef beyond the cuts we traditionally think of first. I’ll be sharing more of those ideas here as we go, but if you’re looking for recipes right now, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner is a great place to explore recipes, cooking tips and information about different cuts of beef.
This is just the beginning for Brown Cow Beef. I’ll be sharing more about buying local beef, understanding different cuts, what happens when you take your beef to the processor, filling your freezer, cooking those cuts you may not be familiar with, and a little more about the woman behind the Brown Cow.
Since 2026 is the International Year of the Woman Farmer, it seems like a pretty fitting year for me to tell a few of those stories.
I’m proud to be a Virginia farmer.
I’m proud to raise beef in my hometown.
And I’m proud to share it with you.
Eat beef, y’all.
And if you want to buy it from me, please reach out!
Alesia Hovatter, Owner
Virginia is for Beef Lovers
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