About Riverbend Ranch
Riverbend Ranch sits on the shores of the Withlacoochee River, just outside historic Floral City, Florida. The ranch is on the site of a Pioneer Farm designated by the State of Florida and farmed for more than 100 years by a single family. After the Civil War, the land was awarded to two brothers who fought as Confederate soldiers. They went on to farm the land, which continued through the generations, all the way until it was sold in 2015. The historic farm’s legacy then went to live on in the hands of the current ranchers, Billy and Megan Bevers.
A Florida native, Megan’s background was in the horse industry. The use of horses in ranching allowed her to meet some of the amazing folks in Florida’s beef industry, and to see all the care and hard work they put into raising their cattle. Knowing that she wanted a career with values she could take pride in, Megan purchased a herd of cows in 2015 and began raising beef to sell in the local Tampa Bay area.
In January of 2021, Megan and her now husband, Billy, met after they were both chosen to be in the 2021 Florida Cattlemen’s Leadership Academy. They got married in November 2021 and together have carried on what Megan had set such a strong foundation for. They continue to pour their hearts into providing a wonderful, wholesome, and safe beef source to their customers.
Florida’s ranches typically operate at a cow/calf level, meaning their cows have a calf each year and raise it until weaning, at which point it is shipped to a state that can produce feed for the animal to continue growing on. Instead of selling calves at weaning, we raise our cows here in Citrus County and sell the beef directly to local customers. This allows us to connect with our consumers directly, helping to bridge that gap from farm to fork, and educate consumers about Florida’s beef industry and its rich heritage.
While raising beef is extremely complex, one of the biggest keys to our management is minimizing stress to the animals— in everything from environment, to animal handling, all the way through processing. In addition, all Riverbend beef is dry-aged, resulting in extremely tender, flavorful cuts of beef.
Our mission is to carry on the rich Cracker Florida history by offering and supporting local families and their recipes, handed down for generations.
About Our Meats—
Our momma cows are a combination of Brangus, Braford, or Red Angus genetics. They are bred to Red Angus bulls. Their calves are what make up our beef program. This crossbreed is able to thrive in Florida’s harsh environment, while still providing exceptional marbling for top-quality cuts of healthy and flavorful beef. The Brahman influence makes it possible for the cows and their calves to stand up to the heat, humidity, and insects here in Florida. The genetic influence from English breeds helps with the marbling of the meat. A well-marbled cut is more tender and flavorful than other beef. This marbling also keeps the meat moist when it’s cooking.
Our Pork is raised just north of us in the small town of Lake Butler, FL. Our friend Mr.Tom and his daughter Katie do an amazing job caring for these animals. The hogs spend their entire lives in their natural environment, always on pasture, with no antibiotics or added hormones.
When quality matters as much as preserving a vanishing way of life, you have found the way to do both – Riverbend Cattle Company LLC.