Faith, Stewardship and Integrity: The Story of SK Prime Pastures
For Seth and Kirstin Whitmire of SK Prime Pastures, farming is about much more than raising beef, pork, chicken and lamb. It is about caring for the land God has entrusted to them, raising animals with intention, and providing families with food they can feel good about placing on their tables.
Located in Grapeland, SK Prime Pastures offers regeneratively raised, 100 percent grass fed and grass finished beef and lamb, as well as corn free, soy free pork and chicken. Their animals are raised without vaccines, antibiotics or added hormones, and their pastures are never sprayed with chemical herbicides.
Their story began long before SK Prime Pastures officially became a business.
Seth began his career as a cowboy working on a cattle ranch before becoming a horseback corrections officer. Kirstin is a Licensed Veterinary Technician and Certified Artificial Insemination Technician. In 2013, they began raising their own cattle, building upon their combined experience in ranching, livestock management and animal health.
Over time, their desire to raise clean food for their own family led them toward regenerative farming.
Their youngest son underwent major open heart surgery as a newborn, and Kirstin lives with Lyme disease. As they learned more about the connection between food, health and the way animals are raised, they knew they wanted to make a change.
Since they were already raising livestock, they began transitioning their farm toward regenerative practices. Their goal was to nourish their own family while also making that same quality of food available to other families in their community. Today, every decision on their farm begins with the health of the soil.
Their cattle, sheep, pork and chicken are rotationally grazed on fresh pasture, allowing each area of land time to rest and recover between grazing. This helps strengthen root systems, improve soil health, increase biodiversity and naturally return nutrients to the ground. Cattle and sheep also complement one another because they prefer different types of plants. This creates healthier and more balanced pastures without relying on chemical herbicides.
By caring for the soil first, Seth and Kirstin are able to raise healthy animals while continually working to leave their land in better condition for future generations. “We believe what our animals eat, how they are raised and how the land is cared for all matter. Ultimately, it affects the food we put on our families’ tables.”
Their farm is truly a family operation. Seth and Kirstin handle every part of the business together, from caring for the animals and managing the pastures to preparing orders and serving their customers. Their youngest son, who is a senior in high school, also helps whenever he can. For Kirstin, one of the greatest blessings of owning their business is getting to build something meaningful alongside her best friend. They are grateful God has entrusted them with the responsibility of caring for the land, raising healthy animals and serving families through food they genuinely believe in.
One product Kirstin especially wishes more people knew about is their Primal Ground Beef. Primal Ground Beef combines their grass fed and grass finished ground beef with nutrient rich organ meat. Organ meat provides important vitamins and minerals, but many families struggle with its flavor or texture. By blending it into ground beef, SK Prime Pastures has created a simple way for families to add more nutrition to familiar meals without changing the flavor of their favorite recipes. It can be used anywhere you would normally use ground beef, including tacos, spaghetti, meatloaf, casseroles and burgers.
Their traditional ground beef remains their bestselling product at The Barn & Basket Market, but Primal Ground Beef is quickly becoming a favorite among customers looking for an easy and practical way to serve their families more nutrient rich food.
One of the greatest challenges Seth and Kirstin face is helping people understand that not all meat is raised the same way. Most of us are accustomed to comparing food by price, and they understand that family budgets matter. However, raising animals entirely on pasture through regenerative practices is a very different process from conventional meat production. Their hope is that customers will begin looking beyond the package and asking where their food came from, how the animal was raised and how the land was treated in the process.
They want every customer to feel connected to their food again.
They also hope each meal honors the life of the animal through gratitude and respect, never taking the provision it offers for granted. Most of all, they hope their food gathers people around the table, nourishes their bodies and reminds them that food can be part of God’s good design when it is raised with care.
This year brought two special reminders that their work is moving in the right direction. They received Houston County’s first regenerative agriculture grant, and they spotted a bald eagle on their property.
For Seth and Kirstin, both were meaningful signs of the life and health returning to the land they have worked so faithfully to steward.
SK Prime Pastures recently added lamb to the farm and is continuing to expand its selection. Customers can currently find ground lamb, lamb roasts, leg of lamb and rack of lamb. Primal Ground Lamb, made with nutrient rich organ meat blended into the ground lamb, will also be available soon.
Customers planning holiday meals can special order beef roasts, briskets, lamb roasts and other cuts through The Barn & Basket Market. Families interested in filling their freezers may also order one eighth, one quarter, one half or a whole beef, as well as half or whole lamb. Orders can be delivered to The Barn & Basket Market for pickup or delivered directly to the customer’s home.
When they are not working on the farm, Seth and Kirstin enjoy spending time with their children, grandchildren, family and friends. They are also active in their church through the Knights of Columbus, the Ladies Auxiliary and Seth’s prison ministry. Kirstin enjoys canning and preserving food and anything that helps their family live more intentionally while making the most of God’s provision.
Their idea of a perfect East Texas day is a simple one...
They love grilling their own pasture raised meat, serving it alongside fresh local produce and gathering everyone they love around the table on their back porch.
Their dream is for the farm to eventually allow Seth to step away from his job away from the farm and devote all of his time to the work they are building together. They also hope to create a multigenerational family farm that will continue caring for the land long after they are gone. More than anything, they pray God uses SK Prime Pastures to care for His creation, serve more families with nourishing food and leave the land better than they found it.
Seth and Kirstin describe their business in three words:
Faith. Stewardship. Integrity.
Those words can be seen in every part of their farm, from the way they care for their animals and pastures to the gratitude they have for every family who chooses to purchase their products.
You can shop SK Prime Pastures beef and lamb at The Barn & Basket Market or place a special order through the store.
To learn more about their farm, visit www.skprimepastures.com or follow @skprimepastures on Facebook and Instagram.
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