The Start of a New Beginning

2023

Before anything can start, there must be an end. Every year, it feels like there is a turning of the page, a freshness, and an opportunity for something new. This year has many endings for me. I'm about to finish reading the Bible in a year for the first time and a Bible study with four guys is concluding (as we are parting ways so we can spread the good news). I'm approaching the one year mark in steady weight lifting (going to see a lot of new workouts for year two). My exponential progress in mountain biking has led to a new shiny mountain bike for the 2024 season. Also, I will see my parents in Pennsylvania during Christmas for the first time in nine years! That event will be an amazing close for 2023. I know I just pushed a bunch of personal information on you, almost stuff that might seem unrelated to you. However, the point is that a lot rides on the change that comes year after year. For you, it will be no different. Before I dive into this new change, we should reflect a little. Come along with me on a trip down memory.

In 2023, the Harrell Ranch experienced a lot of new things. Faith, our lead hand, and my sister-in-law launched into a new marriage with her husband, Aaron. The two have started the task of working the ranch as a team. They feed the cattle and tend to the many upkeeps on the ranch. I can assure you that the cattle could not be in better hands. These two are animal lovers. They even went so far as to try and save a baby hog abandoned by its mom. You want people like this who are patient and kind to be working with black angus cattle. Patience and kindness reduce the stressors put on the cattle. We want the cattle to have that "I'm living at a day spa" feeling, as this leads to happier cattle. From a financial standpoint, fewer stressors lead to prime cattle and better beef for you, our customers. 

Mary and Sam, who are the ranch's matriarchy and patriarchy, have experienced the "kids" stepping in to take more and more responsibility. It'll continue to be quite the change for them in 2024. I honestly think that it might be a little hard on them. Sam has done so much of the work for so long. Delegating has always been a challenge for him, but handing the reins down is never easy. 

One thing that I have learned about ranchers is that there is a deep, intimate relationship between them and their land. Most ranchers don't hate trespassers; they hate the destruction of their land that can occur from hunters, reckless off-roaders, teenagers being, well, teenagers, and other shenanigans. They become quite protective of their land that they have poured their blood, sweat, and tears into for their entire lives, and rightfully so. They have difficulty letting that livelihood go, which is no different for Sam and Mary. That being said, their love for their family is more substantial than most. They really do trust us, in particular Aaron and I, more and more as time goes on. Even though Sam can't find his tools anymore, he still restrains himself from firing us… That's a joke. Come on, Sam (most definitely reading this at some point), laugh with me!

Then there is my wife, Helen. The person that I can relate to the most. My closest friend and coworker. She has been building an impressive power businesswoman persona. She is going deep into the world of wholesale beef. One thing I've learned from her experiences is that she is often treated like an inexperienced young woman in a world dominated by male boomers. She has learned to quickly and professionally show these men otherwise, with a little "don't tread on me" attitude that trumps even the men in our family. She will do well in 2024.

2024

There is a lot to discuss about with the changes happening in 2024 for TriTails. The first change will be with our newsletter. Starting in 2024, the format for the newsletter will be different. It will be quite a bit smaller and will consist of columns with specific themes. That will not mean that there will be less content. In fact, it will be the opposite as we will go from one newsletter a month to one a week! The columns with specific themes should make the newsletter more skimmable, making it enjoyable to find your favorite content. For instance, you can skip the other sections and find that recipe column. However, this doesn't mean the cowboy stories and ranch updates are going nowhere. Those points of interest will be their own columns; they will be shorter and not so long-winded. We recognize and want to push the fact that we are so much more than just a beef distributor. We are a wild west ranch filled with cowboys, stories to tell, and experiences to share.

With all this being said, you might ask the ultimate question: How does this apply to me in 2024? With this new change in the newsletter, we ask that you turn the page with us into the new year. What that looks like is up to you, but we think you can "beef it up." Some of our new columns may be of assistance. For example, maybe this is the year where you learn how to cook a steak properly, and not just a steak, but that particular cut on that particular cooking surface. Learn with me as I interview Texas ranchers, cowboys, & chefs. Although we ask that you first listen to a doctor, as we are not your doctor, maybe you will take a journey with us on health and fitness. As I said, I've been doing a lot of weight training, and beef has been a great source of protein for me. There will be a column on health and beef with linked articles. How about switching up those old week-to-week beef dishes to new beefy recipes. Go on that journey with me, as I will try a whole new slew of tasty dishes. All of this and so much more will be in our brand-new newsletters!

Another change for 2024 will be our free shipping policy. We will still keep our free shipping, but we will be raising it from $199 to $299 in 2024. As you may or may not have noticed, we have not raised our beef prices since 2020 (except on filets and ribs). We are looking for ways to work with the rising cost of transportation in 2024. Instead of raising our beef prices, we are raising our free shipping to balance logistics. The benefit for you is beef prices will stay the same!

To conclude, the TriTails team wants to reach out with a big Thank You for the year 2023! It has been an absolute joy to serve you. We have some of the best customers of any business out there! We hardly ever receive any complaints and quite often get shout-outs and praise on the quality of our beef. We love you, our customers, and can't wait to see you in 2024! Please don't hesitate to write a review or email us at connor@tritailsbeef.com to tell us about your experience.