About Us

Back Forty Beef, LLC is proudly owned and operated by Clint and Kelly Brandlee, who also farm alongside Clint's parents, Mark and Deb Brandlee, at Brandlee Farms. Our family's farming roots run deep — after immigrating from Norway in 1886, Clint's ancestors homesteaded in northeastern South Dakota. Clint and Kelly are fifth-generation farmers, and our daughters, Jaycee and Kylie, represent the sixth generation of Brandlees on the farm.

Brandlee Farms is located on the western edge of the Coteau Hills near Pierpont, SD, an area of gentle rolling hills rich with wildlife, crop ground, and native pastures. Our diversified operation includes raising Simmental/Angus cross cattle and growing corn, soybeans, alfalfa, small grains, and cover crops.

The pandemic of 2020 brought many challenges, including meat shortages and extreme price fluctuations. It was during this time that Back Forty Beef, LLC was formed as a way to bring customers fresh home-grown beef at a fair price with a delicious flavor you won't find in the supermarket. We want to provide customers with the same beef we have enjoyed for years while giving customers an inside view of how our animals are raised, from pasture to plate.

Building on the success of Back Forty Beef, we expanded our brand to include Back Forty Candles. These hand-poured candles use beef tallow from our homegrown beef blended with American-grown soy wax, creating a fun and healthy option for burning candles in your home. We later added tallow body and lip balms to the line-up, making use of co-products from our beef.

In the fall of 2023, we opened the Back Forty Beef Adventure Farm and Corn Maze. Visitors can meet farm animals, play family-friendly games, jump in the corn box, crawl through the hay tunnel, capture unique photo opportunities, and enjoy meals from local food trucks. Our 12-acre corn maze features checkpoints and opportunities for visitors to discover special offers from area businesses.

At Back Forty Beef, we're passionate about sharing our love of farming, family, and community with every visitor, every product, and every meal.

Family at Heart

The Bradlee Family

Farm Life

Three Generations of Farming

About the Herd

Our herd combines two of the most popular and desired breeds in America: Angus and Simmental. These Sim/Angus cross cows typically weigh between 1,250 and 1,400 lbs and produce calves that are efficient and economical in converting feed into growth, which allows us to use fewer resources.

Calves spend the summers and fall grazing South Dakota pasture with the herd. Calves are then weaned and moved to a pen on the farm where they are finished on a high-quality corn silage and grain diet, giving our beef the marbling, tenderness, and flavor you expect from a gourmet steak.

Herd Genetics

Great genetics play an important role in producing high-quality beef. Over the years, Clint and Mark have carefully selected sires for the herd, prioritizing the 50/50 Simmental/Angus cross, high weaning and yearling weights, polled genes, docility, stayability, and ribeye area and marbling traits — combined into a single API score. Years of top breeding, a great nutrition program, and attentive animal care create a high-quality, evenly marbled product and an enjoyable dining experience.

Antibiotic Use

Antibiotic stewardship is something we take very seriously. Our practices allow us to rarely rely on antibiotics. When cattle do fall ill, we work closely with our local veterinarian to determine if and when antibiotics are needed. All meat is antibiotic-free: any animals treated for illness or injury do not enter the food chain until they have gone through the mandatory USDA withdrawal period.

Cattle Care

We believe in the best care for our herd to deliver delicious and nutritious South Dakota beef for your family and ours. Our farm has completed the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program — a nationally coordinated, state-implemented program that provides beef farmers training on common-sense animal husbandry techniques such as low-stress handling.

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