Dade City rancher uses passion to supply Tampa area restaurants with grass-fed beef
DADE CITY, Fla. - Dade City rancher Joe Planz got his start on dairy farms in Pennsylvania.
"I started working at 13, and by the time 18 came around I was thinking there’s got to be a better life than this," he laughs.
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After years in the corporate world, Joe says his path led back to the farm.
"The older I got, that life I ran away from at 18 sure seemed a lot better than it did when I was 18."
Since 2009, his Providence Cattle Company has been providing some of Tampa Bay's top chefs with local, grass-fed beef. Restaurants like Steelbach, Koya, Rooster and the Till, and Restaurant BT all rely on it.
"I feel like corn-fed beef seems to be a little more muted, a little bit more same. Where grass-fed beef seems to have more character, more uniqueness in it," describes Martin DeJesus, executive chef at Michelin-recognized Rooster and the Till.
He says proper vetting of his purveyors is crucial.
"Really need to see the blood, sweat, and tears they put into their product because that also helps the mindset when you’re in the kitchen, and you’re dealing with these products," DeJesus said. "You don’t want to be wasteful; you don’t want to damage things because at the end of the day, that is someone’s hard work. You’ve shook their hand, and their time is valued."
Back on the ranch, Joe says he loves being part of the local community. A big part of that, he says, is giving back. Over the last year, Providence Cattle has donated 20,000 pounds of beef to Feeding Tampa Bay.
"God wants us to give back to our community. You don’t see major chains doing that or distributors doing that," says Joe.
He's proud of the quality of the beef coming from these fields.
"Grain is not a natural food product for a bovine, a cow or bull. Grass is. So, if you can finish them on a more natural product, the animal is healthier, which means it’s healthier for the individual that’s eating it," describes Joe.
Joe says he loves the rancher lifestyle, but it isn't easy. He says the price of diesel, harvesting costs, and warehouse storage costs have all doubled in three years.
The price of hay is up 20% too.
"And I can’t go to my customers and say 'Gee, my warehousing went up 100%, and I need to charge you double now for a pound of ground beef'," says Joe.
Those pressures have many ranchers across Florida choosing to sell to developers with deep pockets. Joe says that thought hasn't crossed his mind.
"No sir, I’ve worked too hard for this. This is my happy place. I’m not going anywhere."
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Go to their website (https://providencecattle.com/) to order beef online or find out what local restaurants and markets serve it
