Experience quality in every bite.

Living in bustling Miami for years, the Beck family dreamed of owning land where they could grow their own food. Kenny Rogers’ former estate, Beaver Dam Farms, turned out to be a perfect fit.

Shortly after purchasing the property in Smithonia, COVID-19 hit, and the family hunkered down on the estate. That’s when Wendy Beck said the uncertainty the pandemic brought cemented her desire for self sufficiency. 

“We put the organic garden in, and from there, my kids and I started buying animals,” she said. “The next thing you know, we’ve got pastures full everywhere with animals. It was a fun time.”

What started as a retirement passion project has since turned into a full-fledged, highly-specialized premium beef operation. The farm is now home to around 300 head of registered Black Angus and six registered wagyu cattle in its extensive pastures, which the Becks selectively breed for the highest quality herds. 

In March, Beaver Dam Farms started selling its first cuts of beef to locals and guests at the Iron Horse Golf Club in Milton, Georgia, to rave reviews, Wendy said. One friend, who cooks her steak to medium well, reported her meat was so tender she could cut through it with just a fork. 

“The flavor’s excellent,” Wendy said. “It’s a very dark, red meat. It’s got beautiful marbling. It’s definitely like what you would get at a high-end steakhouse.”

The Becks obsess over their cattle’s genetics, and even employ UGA doctoral student Lucas Melo, who’s studying animal agriculture. 

Melo is the reproduction specialist for Beaver Dam Farms and creates embryos in the lab, which he then transfers into surrogate mother cows to grow the herd faster, using genetics known for better growth, efficiency and beef quality. 

Essentially, Melo and the Becks are breeding designer cows.

“About 2% of cow operations use this technology in the country,” he said. “It’s something that is definitely usable, but very few farmers do it. There is a cost associated with it.”

After a successful career as a corporate executive for top U.S. brands like Norwegian Cruise Line and Domino’s Pizza, Wendy and her husband Basil Beck decided to move to Oglethorpe County because they had fallen in love with the property and the community. 

Though Wendy is officially retired from her executive days, she’s busier than ever farming and serving on numerous boards of directors.

Now, she’s excited to share her products with others. Beaver Dam Farms beef is organic, and raised free from fertilizers, pesticides and hormones.

“We believe we’re right on the cusp of a growing market, and it’s been extremely well received.” Wendy said. “The consumers that are purchasing from us love the fact that we know everything about the animal. We’ve raised that animal in a very loving, calm environment, and every aspect of getting that beef to the consumer has had the best care.”

Ultimately, in addition to taking care of their animals, taking care of their community is what makes this new venture so rewarding for the Becks, Wendy said. 

Since moving to Beaver Dam Farms, she said the community has welcomed her family with open arms.

“We know all of our neighbors surrounding us, and they’re very caring,” she said. “We love that.”
 

Beaver Dam Farms

Alex Perri is a master’s student in journalism at the University of Georgia. She previously worked at the Transylvania Times in Brevard, North Carolina.