​When I think of our farm, the word Sustainable is the first to come to mind.
sus·tain·a·ble
/səˈstānəb(ə)l/
adjective
1.able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.
2.able to be upheld or defended.

There are three pillars to sustainability - Economics, Environment, and Social.
Economics: We farm to provide our family with food, shelter, and a high quality of life. We work to be able to support other local businesses, local and global charities and our church community. By supporting us, you help us to keep more money in our communities.
Environment: We farm to provide consumers with honest answers about where their food comes and how it impacts the environment. We farm to heal and support the land and plants that our cows graze. In turn, these plants absorb carbon that is not wanted in the environment. By supporting us, you are helping us take care of the Earth!
Social: We work toward a future where our children and their children can be involved in the family farm. We work to keep our land healthy and productive so that it can provide nutrients to our herd, our family, and our customers year after year. By supporting us you are making sustainable agriculture possible for generations to come!
Our sustainable, grass-finished beef products can be shopped here and are delivered by Courtney to your home on Tuesdays! I look forward to connecting with you!

​I may be wrong but I am fairly certain that Eric married me because I know how to cook steak. If you are looking to win the love of your life over with a yummy meal this Valentine’s Day EC Williams Livestock has got you!
First, you are going to want to start with the best of the best, Tenderloin Steak, also known as Filet Mignon. EC Williams Livestock Tenderloin Steaks are from cows that have been raised using regenerative agriculture practices and are grass fed and finished. So, it has a beefy, natural flavour. It comes from a muscle that runs along the back of the cow and gets little exercise – the reason it is so tender. The lack of fat in the tenderloin steaks means a lack of flavour, but the lack of flavour is made up by the buttery tenderness. And a great recipe!
 
TENDERLOIN STEAKS IN GARLIC BUTTER
Ensure that your steak is defrosted and has been brought to room temperature. Set it on the counter 30-60 minutes before cooking.  
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Season each side of the steaks with salt and pepper.
Combine 1 tsp each of garlic, rosemary, and thyme with 3 tbsp of butter. Heat garlic butter in a cast iron or another oven safe frying pan. Careful not to burn your butter! Once it has melted add your steaks to the pan. The butter should be hot enough that the steaks sizzle when they hit the pan. Sear each side for 2-3 minutes while spooning the melted butter over the top of the steaks. Then place the whole pan into your hot oven. Cook for 10 minutes. Then let the steaks rest in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing.
 
To go alongside your steaks I recommend some yummy sides – perhaps a stuffed potato and a vegetable. To save time I use Jenny’s Delectables Gourmet Stuffed Potatoes and I like to grab a bag of fresh veggies from Shirley’s Greenhouse. Of course, a delicious meal could not be complete without dessert. When I don’t have time to bake, I stop at Traditional Sweet Shop in Carstairs for a treat.
To make this romantic Valentine’s Day even easier we partnered with Jenny’s Delectables, The Traditional Sweet Shop, and Sweet Williams Co. to create the Falling For You Bundle.  This Bundle includes 2 EC Williams Livestock Tenderloin Steaks, 2 Traditional Gourmet Stuffed Potatoes from Jenny’s Delectables, 2 of Traditional Sweet Shop’s Mini Chocolate Heart Cakes, and a small rose bouquet from the lovely Sweet Williams Co. Pre-order online for delivery to Crossfield, Airdrie, and Calgary on February 13th and Carstairs, Didsbury, and Olds on February 14th, 2022 then create a romantic at-home date night for you and your love on Valentine’s Day! 

You can find a condensed version of our story here, but this month I am using this space to share a bit more about our agriculture passions and values. By doing this I hope that you feel confident in choosing EC Williams Livestock beef to nourish your family.
EC Williams Livestock is owned and operated by Eric and Courtney Williams. We bought the farm from his parents in 2014 and are the third generation to farm and raise our family on this land. As we grew our herd we began to learn about regenerative agriculture practices and introduce them into our farm.
These practices include rotational grazing. Rotational grazing controls the grazing and regrowth of forage grasses allowing the plants’ root systems to establish themselves.  This promotes micronutrients and carbon sequestration and reduces soil erosion and water run-off. It provides cattle with a wide variety of nutrient dense feed. The benefits to the soil negate the need for pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. So while we are not certified organic, we are proud to say that the pastures that our cattle graze are chemical-free. We have also seen a decrease in health issues as the quality of the feed increases. If for some reason an animal falls ill it is removed from our butcher program, given antibiotics if needed, and kept as breeding stock, or sold at an auction. None of the animals used to produce beef for EC Williams Livestock are given antibiotics.
God’s timing is always perfect. For while we introduced these practices we had a few people approach us to ask if we would sell grass-finished beef. In 2018, we started with a handful of quarters and halves and the next year we did another round of quarters and halves and began to sell individual cuts and bundles. We will soon have cuts in 5 local artisan markets in Olds, Didsbury, Carstairs, and Calgary. 2021 was our first Farmer’s Market season and we will be back at Homestead Market, just outside of Airdrie for the spring and summer of 2022.
Eric often says that he raises the beef while Courtney sells it. Through God’s guidance we have learned what sustainability looks like for our farm, our business, and our family. We are so thankful to be in a place of steady growth. EC Williams Livestock has allowed us to pursue both of our dreams of farming, running a business, and pursuing careers. 

Learn more about us and follow our journey on Facebook and Instagram

At EC Williams Livestock Ltd. we believe that happy, healthy cattle produce high-quality, tender, healthy, grass-fed and grass-finished beef. When cows get the best feed, they produce the best food. During the summer, our cows enjoy fresh green grass and forage from our beautiful coulee pastures before supplying local families with this nutrient-dense beef in the form of quarters and halves in the Fall. 

Convenient!
When you purchase a quarter or half of beef, you order once, pick up once and then shop for beef in your own freezer all winter long. 

Saves Money!
When you choose to buy a quarter or half of beef instead of buying each cut individually you save between $200 and $300. 

Guaranteed Beef Price
The 2021 Summer drought has impacted the agriculture industry and will put a strain on the food supply. This means beef prices will increase soon. By choosing to buy beef in bulk, you pay once and avoid increases in beef prices.

Place your custom order by filling out this form. Include your contact information to ensure we can get a hold of you and let us know what community we will be meeting you in to get you your order. Then choose your cuts, exactly how you want them - size of roasts, how many steaks per package, and any extras you might like. If there is something that you do not want included in your order, leave it off your order form and it will be ground for ground beef. 

1-3 business days after you have completed your order form you will receive an invoice via email for your deposit. This deposit guarantees your order, covers butcher costs, and goes toward your final total. It is also non-refundable. You can pay using debit/credit with the link in the email or by sending an e-transfer.

When your order is ready you will be contacted with your final total, and the time and location that we will be meeting in your community. (If this time does not work for you please let us know and we will do our best to make other arrangements.) 

Like most Albertans, here at EC Williams Livestock, North of Calgary, we barbecue all year long. But it is way more enjoyable once Spring hits. Spring has sprung so let's get grilling some grass-finished steak. 

There are three simple steps to grilling the perfect grass-finished steak. 
1.) Ensure your steak is fully defrosted and bring to room temperature. 
Defrost your steak in the fridge overnight. (If you forget, you can speed up the defrost time by placing your packaged steak in room temperature water for about an hour.) Remove from the fridge about half an hour before you want to start grilling. 
2.) Rub steak with a mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic. YUM! 
Mix together the seasoning, then pat dry both sides of steak with a paper towel. Rub the seasoning mix over both sides of your steaks. 
3.) Sear on a HOT grill for 2-3 minutes per side. Then bake for 10-20 minutes. 
Once the grill is hot, turn off all the flames, except one. Sear the steak over the flame for 2-3 minutes per side. Move the steak to the side of the grill that is not lit. Let the steak sit for 10 minutes without flipping or opening the lid. After 10 minutes the steaks internal temperature should be between 120-135F. If it is not, let the steak sit for a few more minutes. After it has come to the right temperature, remove steak from grill and allow to rest for 5-15 minutes before slicing. 

BONUS: I am a HUGE lover of butter. If you are too, baste your steak with melted garlic butter between searing each side, and before letting it bake.