At Northstar, we believe how an animal lives, and how its life ends, matters.

That belief is one of the reasons we use field harvesting.

As more consumers seek transparency around where their food comes from, conversations around animal welfare, meat quality, and sustainable agriculture continue to grow. Field harvesting plays an important role in all three. 

To understand what field harvesting actually looks like, let’s break down the process a bit further. 

What is Field Harvesting?

Field harvesting is a method of harvesting animals in a natural, familiar, low-disruption environment rather than pushing them into a conventional harvest setting.This process helps reduce unnecessary disruption in the final stage of the animal’s life. 

Rather than moving animals through long alleys and unfamiliar facilities, field harvesting allows animals to remain in the environment they know best; out on pasture, where they’ve spent their lives naturally.

Research in livestock handling and meat science has shown that stress immediately before harvest can impact meat quality. South Dakota State University Extension notes that:

“When cattle endure high stress immediately before harvest, it tends to negatively affect the meat color, texture, and taste.”

That connection between stress and meat quality is something ranchers and livestock professionals have understood for years.  

Conventional Processing vs. Field Harvesting

Why More Consumers Are Paying Attention to How Meat Is Raised, And Harvested

Many of our customers come to Northstar looking for clean, nutrient-dense meat raised differently than what they find in conventional grocery stores. Some are focused on regenerative agriculture, some are searching for minimally processed foods, and others simply want to know where their food comes from, how it was raised, but ultimately, how it was harvested. 

If you’re trying to better understand where your meat comes from, these are some of the first questions that tend to come up:

• Where was the animal raised?

• What was it fed?

• Was it grass fed?

• How was it handled at harvest?

• Was the meat minimally processed?

Why Northstar Bison Prioritizes Field Harvesting 

Calm animals tend to produce better outcomes, both from an animal welfare standpoint and a meat quality standpoint.

Our field harvest approach is designed to reduce many of the common stressors associated with conventional large-animal handling systems. By allowing animals to remain in a calm, familiar setting, we believe we can better honor both the animal and the food it provides.

For us, field harvesting is about more than quality alone. It’s part of a bigger commitment to raising food with intention, respecting the animals in our care, and staying connected to the land.

Field harvesting is one part of that bigger picture. It requires more planning, more coordination, and more care, but we believe it’s worth it.

Because better food starts long before it reaches your plate. Shop our full collection of Bison, Elk, and Beef  products for thoughtfully raised, nutrient-dense meats. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q: What is the connection between cortisol and meat quality?

A: Cortisol is a natural stress hormone released in response to stress. Elevated cortisol levels prior to harvest can influence muscle function and may impact meat quality factors such as tenderness and texture.

Q: What do you feed your animals?

A: At Northstar Bison, we believe that food should be as nature intended. Each species in our care is thoughtfully and intentionally fed according to its natural diet. 

Q: Are your animals fed grain?

A: No, our ruminants (bison, beef, lamb, etc) are not raised on grain-based diets. They are raised on pasture and graze according to their natural, species-appropriate diet. Monograstic animals, such as pigs, chickens, turkeys, quail, etc, are designed to consume bugs, seeds (grains), grasses, forbs, and legumes.