A Middle School Dream Come True – Basinger Land & Cattle

Today, Chad and his wife, Cassondra, own and operate Basinger Land & Cattle in Pretty Prairie, Kansas, about 50 miles west of Wichita. Here on scenic and windswept prairie land, the Basingers’ herd of about 300 Angus and Red Angus crossbred cattle graze on cover crops and grasses, quietly restoring the land with each step.

“I started out as a first-generation farmer,” said Chad. “I was able to rent a couple of 80s (80 acres) from a neighbor, and we’ve grown the operation since then. We have a cow-calf operation and a backgrounding operation. And then we also started Basinger’s LLC, a direct-to-market beef business here about five years ago.”

Basinger Land & Cattle is truly a family operation. Chad and Cassondra have four children who are all eager to help out on the farm, checking on cattle or riding in the tractor with Mom or Dad. Cassondra manages the accounting and financial side of the operation, while also driving the tractor and semitrailer truck.

For the last five years, the Basingers have sold their beef products — from ground beef and traditional cuts to charcuterie boxes — directly to customers. It’s a business model that can be more profitable for the farmer while also giving the consumer a higher degree of certainty about what they are eating, how the beef was raised and processed, and who their dollars support.

“What makes Basinger’s beef unique is that we know our cattle,” said Cassondra. “Our tagline is pure, local beef. The cattle are born and raised on our farm, and they’re in our care for their entire lives. We know exactly what they’re fed and how they’re handled.”

Selling beef directly to consumers has become a prevalent model for producers in Kansas and across the U.S., with the increase in health conscious eaters and the COVID-19 pandemic only accelerating this trend.

A 2023 survey found that nearly half of all Kansas beef producers were selling 100% of their beef directly to consumers, while nearly all (97.3%) said that they would like to increase their direct-to consumer sales.

Raising beef and regenerating soil

Chad and Cassondra Basinger are proponents of regenerative agriculture, a farming practice that reduces the need for fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides through cover cropping and no-till farming. The farm makes good use of cover crops to promote healthy topsoil and provides a source of nutritional feed for their cattle.

“[The cattle] are born and raised on cover crops or on grass,” said Cassondra. “They grow up in that area, and then we bring them home. Once they’re ready to be fattened up, we’ll finish them on milo that’s raised on our farm. So, they are truly born and raised on our farm.”

The Sunflower State has long been known for its rich topsoil and prime farming conditions. Over time, human activity has degraded the topsoil in some parts of Kansas, leading to lower crop yields and eroding nutrients. Regenerative farming practices are designed to replenish this valuable resource by helping keep more nutrients in the ground.

From regenerative and no-till farming to transparency in how their cattle are raised, Basinger Land & Cattle is working to create a sustainable farming model while reaching consumers who may pay a little extra for high-quality beef.

“We want to tailor what the customer wants to how we handle our cattle,” said Cassondra. “No hormones, no additives. They just want beef. And that’s what we want to give them. We want to give them beef that’s great tasting, has great flavor, and kind of represents us in our family and how we do things.”

Growing a family business in agriculture

Chad Basinger took his early plan to raise a beef cow herd and steadily made it into a reality over the next couple of decades. He and Cassondra work hard each day to build the business — all while raising a family and passing on valuable life lessons to their children.

“It’s a great place to raise a family and teach the kids a good work ethic,” said Chad. “My favorite part is that each day is not the same. I like that there’s change, from fixing fence to harvesting to bringing cattle home to taking cattle out.”

As the family’s cattle operation has grown, Chad said working with American AgCredit, a leading Farm Credit lender, has helped support land purchases and set a solid foundation for the future.

“We kind of started with nothing and have been growing along the way,” said Chad. “They were willing to take a chance on us with some land purchases, and they’ve helped us grow our operation to where it is today.”

Looking ahead, Chad and Cassondra said the feedback they hear from satisfied customers keeps them motivated to keep raising beef that is a cut above the rest.

“A lot of the comments we’ve had say, ‘Man, this takes me back to my childhood. [This beef] reminds me of the roast Grandma used to cook for me,’ or, ‘This reminds me of steaks we used to have at my grandparents’ house.’” said Chad. “There are connections, I guess, between the taste buds, senses, and memories.”