By Jed Buelow
Co-Editor, Sports, Nature Editor
Where’s the beef can best be summed up by traveling a few miles west of the city to Sunset Acres LLC, or better yet, making a trip to downtown Tomahawk on Tuesday afternoons this summer to pick up some of the tastiest locally-grown beef around.
Owners of Sunset Acres, Kevin and Connie Bandoch have been raising cattle and growing crops for the past 30 years. From ground beef and T-bones to some of the yummiest homemade jerky, the beef raised at Sunset Acres, also known locally as the Bandoch Farm, has been a main-stay on Highway 86 west of town for over the past two decades.
“Kevin was always interested in working the land and growing crops. Connie was interested in the cattle,” the Bandochs stated in adding the first farm they bought was a very small farm before life brought them back to Tomahawk where they currently farm 200 acres and raise around 50 steer and 20 pigs each year.
And fortunate for Tomahawk that life brought the Bandochs back to town, as the cattle they raise offers a quality and very tasty product that cannot be matched by what can be purchased in a grocery store. Along with providing locally-grown beef, the Bandochs sell kabob meats, fajita meat, Denver steaks and a flat iron steak that also helps make their products unique at the market.
Also fortunate for Tomahawk, the Bandochs call farming at Sunset Acres a family affair, as son Cody Bandoch grew up on the farm and went to Fox Valley Technical College for agriculture. He is currently in the process of becoming a partner in the farm, which should mean locally-grown beef will be available from the Bandoch Farm for many years to come.
“Along with a variety of steak cuts, roasts, ribs, brisket and ground chuck, we sell three different kinds of beef jerky,” the Bandochs stated and noted they also sell smoke dog bones, which their dog Otis has approved. “We sell beef at the (Tomahawk) farmers market. We also sell halves and quarters of beef all year around by order. Halves and whole pigs are available by order in the fall.”
The Bandochs said what they like most about selling at the farmers market is the fact they get to talk with the costumers face-to-face and hear how much they enjoy their beef, adding they are very appreciative of all the customers who have supported the farm over the years.
Those who would like to learn more about placing an order with Sunset Acres can contact the Bandochs at 715-453-1187. Or stop by the Downtown Tomahawk Farmers Market on a Tuesday this summer where, there’s the beef, can best be summed up.
Getting to Know Your Grower is part of a Tomahawk Main Street Inc. series for the Tuesday downtown farmers market. The market will run into October and takes place every Tuesday from 1-5:30 p.m. on Third Street in downtown Tomahawk.
For more information on the market, visit tomahawkmainstreet.org.