A bison might seem like a strange wedding gift, but for Craig and Elizabeth Fischer it was perfect! 

The two were “bitten by the bison bug,” as Craig puts it, and, while mentoring with another bison growing family, grew to love the animals. 

Since bison are social animals, the Fischers soon purchased another. Since they started in 2013, they’ve grown their herd to 45 bison. Twenty of them are cows and part of the breeding stock. 

Their operation, Sleepy Bison Acres, has continued to grow. They raise pastured pork during the summer and have laying hens. The bison and pastured pork cuts (plus whole or half animals to stock your freezer) and eggs are available for purchase on their website: sleepybisonacres.grazecart.com. 

Craig is the fourth generation on the same place his great grandfather farmed. While some of the farmland was sold when he was eight, the farmsite remained in teh family. Now the couple lives and farms the remaining land with their young family. 

“We got started in farming because we thought about where our meat was coming from,” Craig said. “Growing up on the farm, we had exposure to the products that we would eat and, over time, we wanted to raise our meat and produce the way we thought it should be raised.” 

And he notes that everything they sell is the same product they eat as a family, as well. 

They believe strongly in Local Growers and locally grown. They work with a brewery in Sleepy Eye, receiving the mash used in the brewery process to feed to the bison. In turn, the bison meat comes back to a local coffee shop. 

“The idea is working with local people to minimize waste and maximize value,” Craig siad. 

Their main focus in raising pastured animals is the pasture. They strive to have quality forages for the stock. 

“It’s more of a holistic mindset to the stocking density,” he said of how he plans the number of animals in a pasture paddock. “We can influence what forages grow and the quality of them.” 

Both the bison and pork receive mineral supplements to ensure they have all the nutrients for good growth.

The hogs are raised around their farm’s woods. The wooded landscape and succulent grasses lend the meat to have a great texture and tasty meat. One customer, who admitted to not being a fan of pork sausage, said he likes the Sleepy Bison Acres’ sausage. 

And the chickens? The laying hens forage “as they please” around the yard and pasture and produce the most wonderfully vibrant orange yolked, or as the Fischer’s put it in their blog, “farm colored eggs.” 

The family farms near Sleepy Eye, MN.

But what should you know about Bison meat…..

-While bison are often grouped with buffalo, the two have anatomical differences. 

-Bison meat is sweeter in taste and lean. 

-The meat is an excellent source of protein, rich in B vitamins, and is high in iron, selenium and zinc. 

How to cook bison….

-Bison meat may appear to be a darker red than other meats. That’s because it’s lean. It has less fat content and less marbling than most beef. 

-Because it is lean, it can overcook easily. Cook it slow. 

-The National Bison Association recommends cooking ground meat to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, until juices run clear. 

-Roasts and steaks should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium rare and 160 degrees F for medium. The oven should be set at around 275 degrees F. 

I personally like my slow cooker for the roasts. 

For more recipes and to order online or connect with the Fischers...check out their site at sleepybisonacres.grazecart.com.