Good farming, good food: the story of Claystone Meats

When Claystone Meats sets up at the Market each Saturday, you’re not just meeting butchers. You’re meeting farmers who’ve walked every step of the paddock-to-plate journey themselves, and who happen to be in very good company. We sat down with Stacey and Mish for a proper chat about how it all began, why buying direct matters, and how to cook a really good steak.

Tell us a little about Claystone Meats. Where did it all begin?

Claystone Meats really started long before there was a butcher shop or a market stall.

We’re farmers first, and our love of great production on the farm, breeding and raising Hereford and Angus cattle came first with a huge focus on quality, animal care and doing things properly. What started as a passion for producing really good livestock eventually had us asking a pretty simple question: why couldn’t we take what we were producing on the farm and bring it directly to the people eating it?

And that’s where Claystone Meats really came to life.

Instead of our story ending when our livestock left the farm, we wanted to be part of the whole journey from the paddock right through to the butcher’s counter and, ultimately, your dinner table.

Today, Claystone has grown into much more than we probably imagined in those early days. We now have our own butchery in Dickson, attend farmers markets, work with other Australian producers and continue to stay closely connected to where our food comes from.

At heart though, we’re still farmers who get ridiculously excited about good meat.

What do you love most about farming?

There’s something pretty special about being able to look at a product on someone’s dinner table and know where it started.

Farming gives you a real appreciation for food. You see the work, the seasons, the early mornings, the late nights and all the little decisions that go into producing something well.

We also love that no two days are quite the same. Sometimes that’s a blessing, and occasionally it’s the exact opposite.

But seeing healthy livestock in the paddock, watching the next generation come through and then having customers genuinely enjoy what we’ve produced, makes all the hard work worthwhile.

What do you find most challenging?

Farming has a wonderful habit of reminding you that you’re not actually in charge.

Weather, seasons, livestock, input costs, there are plenty of things you simply can’t control. You learn very quickly to adapt, solve problems and keep moving.

One of the biggest challenges is balancing the cost of producing food properly whilst still keeping it accessible for customers. We never want to compromise on quality, so we’re constantly looking at ways to become more efficient whilst staying true to what Claystone is about.

Why did you decide to sell directly to customers?

For us, this was a big one.

We didn’t want to spend years producing great livestock only to send it into a supply chain where the story of where it came from disappeared.

Selling direct means we get to complete the circle.

We farm it. We butcher it. We sell it. And we get to meet the people who cook it.

That connection is incredibly valuable to us.

It also means customers can ask us questions. Where did this come from? What cut should I use? How should I cook it? What’s something different I can try this weekend?

You don’t get quite the same conversation standing in front of a supermarket fridge.

What’s the benefit of buying from a farmer who also butchers?

You’re getting a much closer connection to the source of your food.

We understand the animal before it ever reaches the butcher shop, and then our butchers understand how to get the absolute best out of every cut.

It also gives us the opportunity to introduce customers to cuts they might not normally consider. Some of the best eating isn’t necessarily the most expensive cut, sometimes you just need to know what to do with it.

And if you don’t know, ask us. Talking about meat and how to cook it is pretty much our favourite subject.

What do you love about attending the Market?

The people.

Farmers markets have a completely different feel to normal shopping. People want to know about their food. They ask questions, try new things and genuinely care about supporting producers.

We love seeing familiar faces each week, hearing what customers cooked with their last purchase and helping them decide what’s going on the menu next.

There’s also a brilliant community of producers at the Market. You’re surrounded by people who care deeply about what they grow, make and produce and that energy is pretty infectious.

Plus, farmers are always happy to talk farming with other farmers, so there’s that.

What’s your favourite meal to cook?

It’s very hard to nominate just one.

But you really can’t beat a beautifully cooked steak with crispy potatoes, a fresh salad and good company.

Our biggest tip? Don’t overcomplicate good meat.

Bring your steak up towards room temperature before cooking, season it well, get your pan or BBQ nice and hot and, most importantly, let it rest before slicing.

And if you’re feeding a crowd, a slow-cooked piece of beef or lamb is hard to beat. Put it on early, let time do the work and enjoy the fact that everyone thinks you’ve spent all day in the kitchen.

Anything else you’d like people to know?

Probably the biggest thing is that when you buy from a farmer, your purchase means more than you might realise.

You’re supporting the people who raise the livestock, the butchers who practise their craft, the staff behind the counter and the regional communities connected to Australian agriculture.

We’re incredibly proud of what Claystone has grown into, but we never want to lose the connection to where it all started.

Good farming. Good food. And knowing exactly where your dinner came from.

So next time you see us at the Market, come and say hello. Tell us what you’re cooking, ask us what we’d recommend or challenge us to find you a new favourite cut.

Just be warned, once you get us talking about cooking, you might be there for a while.