From 300 sprawling farm acres to your dinner plate, Rob and Amy Hess are focused on excellence. “We want to provide the highest quality eating experience,” Rob says. The two own and operate PA Preferred® Bow Creek Farm & Cattle Co. in Dauphin County, where they raise Red Angus cattle for premium beef products. We spoke with Rob Hess about the ins-and-outs of the business, how he’s tapped into the local tourism industry, and the value of being a PA Preferred member.
Amy and Rob Hess
As Hess explained, Bow Creek Farm’s business goes to two main markets. About half of the sales are with regional food services. The other half is in the retail beef market, reaching the everyday consumer. The Hershey brand draws roughly 10 million tourists to the region annually, and Bow Creek Farm provides beef to the likes of The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge and Hershey Country Club in addition to Tröegs Independent Brewing. These food service venues order primal cuts like an entire strip loin or rib roast, and in-house butchers take it from there.
A Tröegs meatloaf sandwich made with Bow Creek Farm beef
For retail markets and grocers, Bow Creek Farm offers cuts like New York strip, Delmonico, tenderloin, cowboy and porterhouse in addition to ground beef, burger patties, snack sticks and more. Hess says that informing consumers has become a major part of the job, and one that he and Amy both enjoy. “We do this because we like animals and we like agriculture,” he says. “But in recent years, we’ve loved informing the public and chefs about what we do, as producers, to feed the community.”
Many people ask if the Hess’ cattle is grass-fed, which it is, though it’s finished on grain. “Most people like marbling, they like tenderness and they like good flavor,” Hess explains. “People can get more predictable tenderness and flavor with a grain finished product. I think the demand for beef has grown approximately 10% over the last 10 years for beef per consumer in the country because of that predictable, quality eating experience.”
Hess says the demand differs from person to person, with some customers preferring leaner, less marbled cuts like New York strips and filets, and others seeking high-fat cuts like ribeye. Not long ago, Rob and Amy discovered the bavette steak, a cut from the sirloin primal that’s quickly become their favorite. “We talked to our butcher and they were able to cut it. So we started getting it packaged, and now we sell out of it every week,” Hess says.
As for a cooking method, Hess sings the praises of the charcoal grill. “We feel that the radiant heat from charcoal is far more forgiving and easy to work with than propane,” he says. “We cook with charcoal a lot and think it’s underutilized for giving people the most desirable eating experience.”
Hess serves on the board of the Red Angus Association, representing the Northeast area at the national level. Its next annual convention will be held right in Hershey, which Hess thinks will bring national attention to Pennsylvania’s beef industry. He also believes PA Preferred has bolstered the state’s agricultural network tremendously through its presence at Farm Show and its clear, supportive messaging. “It helps communicate that food doesn’t come from a mystical place,” he says. “It ties consumers who might be generations removed from agriculture back to the individuals growing and making food, and helps describe our work and how it serves the community.”
Hess with chefs at Farm Show
To enjoy the beef products of Bow Creek Farm & Cattle Co., shop in its online store with options for pick-up or shipping. Follow it on Facebook and Instagram for news and updates! 817 E. Canal Rd., Hershey; (717) 885-9700.
This series was created in collaboration with PA Preferred.
PA Preferred® is Pennsylvania’s statewide branding program that promotes locally grown and processed food and other agricultural products.
- Feature photo: Bow Creek Farm & Cattle Co.
- Meatloaf sandwich photo: Tröegs Independent Brewing
- Other photos: Bow Creek Farm & Cattle Co.
