An Illinois Local Beef Story

The Yingling family of Mt. Sterling has worked hard to craft a high-quality beef product out of their nearly 75-year-old herd. Read how they consider the consumer every step of the way in their journey to successful local beef retail.

By Olivia Hoots

Burger lovers know the real star of the show when enjoying a delicious dish is the protein, and beef connoisseurs take no shortcut when it comes to sourcing it. GJY Beef Company, owned by Gordan and Jackson Yingling, is a commercial beef operation and local beef retail business with a mission of providing high-quality beef at a great price to local families whether they visit their local grill or put it on the dining room table in their home. This family proves that while beef may have helped us win the west, it never ceases to bring folks together.

Count Your Blessings One-by-One

The Yingling’s involvement in farm life began in 1959 when Gordan’s parents, Arthur and Nancy, moved to Brown County Illinois, where the family had everything from cattle to chickens. As a family of eight children, “everybody had a role in the farm, whether you chose hogs, or the chickens, or cattle,” Gordan details.

One day, Gordan thought it a bright idea to share that he “was bored” to his father, only to get placed as a fence checker, which is a hat he had to wear every day after school.

At just ten years old, Gordan got his first cow from his father and by the end of college was buying cattle with his dad. I guess you could say he was finding his calling.

Gordan married his wife, Jeanne, in September of 1988, and they have three children, Jackson, who works on the farm, Clayton, an engineer who works for a consulting firm in Chicago, and Wilson, who works for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Peoria County – he comes back to the farm when needed. Jeanne spent years as a school secretary and is now a specialist for John Wood Community College.

When they were first married, they did not have their own farm but bought 80 acres to build a house on. “That was a great part of our married life too, getting to build something together,” Jeanne says.

After that the cattle herd started to grow again, from 15 to 50 and 50 to 100. “Those goals seem so far away but as you reach them it is such a high point,” she says.

Jackson remembers the day Gordan officially had 100 cows. “He was so tickled about that; it was a monumental thing for him.”

Jeanne tells a story of their boys starting to grow their own personal herds. When the boys were around 10 years old, her and Gordan gave them a calf each year to sell to have spending money. Clayton, though, started keeping his cow to then have a heifer calf to make more money and eventually they all had their own small herd. “We need to start charging them more for feed,” Jeanne told Gordan.

Jackson’s first time choosing a cow proved he was one to pay attention to what his dad said. When looking at a particular cow one day, Gordan said, “this may be the best cow I have raised in my life.” That is the exact one his son chose when it came time to make his decision. “I did not think he was paying attention,” he says.

After getting a degree in animal science, Jackson worked for a veterinarian where he worked cattle every day, eventually realizing he would much rather be doing it on his family’s operation, so he joined up with his dad’s growing cattle business. Today they own 400 crossbred cattle and 1,000 acres of land between them.

Jackson built his own family house on very nearby land. He and his wife, Andrea, met through mutual friends and together have started the fourth generation of their farm –Rhett (7), Jordyn (4) and Reeves (1).

How to Make Beef

As the self-titled “Genetic Improvement Manager” at the Yingling operation, Jackson spends his time making breeding decisions to increase the maternal and carcass traits of his animals.

In 2009 he wanted to increase the genetic quality of his herd, so he learned to Artificially Inseminate. He found “that is the most cost-efficient way to improve your genetics,” he says. “But AI bred does not make it any better than what you raised.”

“Jackson is the genetics type, he likes to do the AI and bulls,” Gordan shares. “My role is more on the nutrition side, keeping calves, cows and bulls.”

When it comes to nutrition management, Gordan cares about specific things. First, he focuses in on genetics, making sure to prioritize docility throughout their herd – both for bulls and cows. “I believe that docile cattle will feed a lot better, and therefore taste a lot better,” he says.

Another factor that contributes to that quality is their feed program where they believe in growing cattle slower and only finishing them at the very end. They believe in a little more age but grass-grown and grain-finished cattle. “It is a perfect combination,” Jackson says. “We are getting a lot more marbling, a lot more tenderness, and a much more attractive product in general by doing it that way.”

They also take the time to select just the right sire groups to bring value on farm and on the carcass, so not only phenotypically.

When it comes to females on their operation, they seek to cull properly and look to the future. Overall, diversifying into local beef sales in a time of beef prosperity secures profitability down the road.

The farm gals take part in the day-to-day well-being of the farm too, with Jeanne keeping books. She loves the farm. For her, the best feeling is when you see the kids run off for the pond with a fishing pole or return from feeding with smiles across their faces, viewing relationships forged on a farm as priceless.

Andrea’s biggest role is being a farm mom to her and Jackson’s three kids, especially since she also has a job in Mt. Sterling at DOT Foods. She will also often make plantingseason meals and run where Jackson needs her. She used to open gates more, but their oldest son, Rhett, quickly took her position.

Jackson is also the manager of their recent endeavor, a local beef sales business.

New Horizons

Progress is something Gordan pursued from day one, from ear tags to keeping records, to breeding strategy. “Some of our cows we can trace back to my grandpa Arthur’s herd,” Jackson says. That same enthusiasm rubbed off onto his son, especially when it came to their start-up of the local beef sales in 2022.

Gordan had been selling quarters, halves, and wholes, to family members, friends and acquaintances for years and before GJY Beef Company, the official name of their local beef business, was selling feeder calves and good heifers because they did not have room to keep them.

Then Jackson decided to keep every heifer they raised, AI those and whatever did not breed they fed out to get a premium on those rather than sell them, but he first brought the idea to his family.

“I never realized how passionate he was about the beef sales,” Andrea expresses. “When he told me about his idea, I was a little taken back, but with everyone wanting to know where their food comes from and having the desire to source local and support small businesses, it was a prime opportunity.”

After he showed her the numbers, Andrea encouraged Jackson to follow this pursuit and agreed it would help them continue to grow their cattle herd. She has been his support system through the process, and loves cheering Jackson on in his endeavors. “He is such a go-getter, and I really admire his work ethic and passion,” she says.

“I am not as adventurous as Jackson and Gordan,” Jeanne says. “They had to do a little bit of talking to me and explain the situation to me. They had to sell it to me, but they made a lot of sense.” She was convinced that people love the ability to come to the farm and buy the cuts they want, and not only quarters or halves. “I think you need to be open to new ideas, at least willing to listen, and not afraid to try something new,” she explains.

Now, by leveraging Facebook to announce their bi-weekly office hours on Tuesdays and Fridays, folks can call into the office to order. Jackson says their customers genuinely care about what they are putting into their bodies, which is why his individualized touch in advertising is so important to their business.

They also have a walk-in freezer on the farm where locals can come grab beef cuts just like a grocery store. Not only that, but Jackson has a few prospective customers awaiting the day when they can have Yingling beef shipped across state lines.

Gordan says consumers value knowing how the cattle are treated, knowing where it comes from, and having the opportunity to specially pick what cuts they want. “And all of our customers love grain fed beef because they think it tastes so much better,” he says.

“Hey, what would you think about using local beef at your restaurant?” Jackson asked James Barnett, owner of Jersey’s Bar and Grill in Camp Point, in early 2022. “He had a theory of wanting to increase his meat sales and I always wanted to have locally-sourced products,” James says. “We were trying to get the best burger blend that Sysco had.” Yet, once Jackson had all the licensing needed, they began to serve GJY beef. “We have been going strong ever since.”

James was sure to announce when Jersey’s Bar and Grill began to serve the Yingling’s beef, because they wanted everyone around to know where their beef was now coming from. This increased their beef sales.

“There was not a single person who had something poor to say about the beef,” James says. “They love the taste.” Their Jersey’s burger is their number one food on the menu, made with GJY beef, and complete with lettuce, pickle, onion, and homemade “Jersey Sauce.”

Jackson believes there is something special about local beef that customers seem to catch onto, whether it is seen in consistent customers or Jersey’s having their beef sales doubled within two months. Yingling beef was the determining factor in both situations.

Plus, the Yinglings are still on the uphill climb as Jersey’s just opened a new location in Mt. Sterling and GJY will soon have a storefront there too, open May 1.

Customers can also find their beef sticks in nearby grocery stores and convenience stores. “Shout out to Harvester Meats in Canton,” Jackson exclaims. “They have been a very big help.” Plus, a local school also serves their beef.

Andrea likes knowing people associate their product with other successful businesses like Jersey’s, or their beef sticks at the grocery store. Her favorite part of it all is getting to be a part of the initiative to support local businesses.

A Life Worth Passing Down

“We believe there is a time to get the work done, but a time to play too,” Jackson says. He is teaching his kids these kinds of lessons as he begins to involve them on the farm.

“[Rhett] is ecstatic about learning about the farm,” Jackson says. “If he has a choice he will go with grandpa everywhere. Those two are good buddies.” Andrea says that one day he spent all day cutting silage with Jackson. “From day one he has been a farm kid,” she says.

Jordyn likes to ride in the tractor cab anytime she can, usually falling asleep, and one-year-old Reeves’ favorite thing is to watch out their house window at the cattle.

Andrea loves watching her kids grow up in this lifestyle and getting to see the entire process of raising beef, witnessing the amount of work it takes to get a high-end, quality product.

Just last year, Jackson took Rhett to a McClelland’s Panther Creek Ranch sale. “My son said, ‘I want to buy one’” Jackson says. “Whenever I tell you, you raise your hand,” he replied. Then, Rhett started raising his hand freely, whenever he felt like it. Jackson grabbed him quickly to hold his hands down. That female went for more than they were planning to write in the checkbook that day, but Jackson let him bid on the next one. He named her Mary “after Jesus’s mom.”

Jackson’s biggest fear for a while was “what if none of my kids want to come back to the farm,” and now he is considering the possibility of them all wanting to come back. “My goal is to be able to have a spot for all of them if they want to be here,” Jackson says. “That is 100% what gets me going every day.” His focus is on the future of his kids.

“I would love to see this farm stay in the family for years and years and years,” Gordan says. He is working hard for the same mission Jackson expressed. “Especially now that I have a son involved and now grandkids,” Gordan explains, “I want to make it better than when I found it, and I want to teach them.

Jeanne agrees. “That is kind of what the whole goal is, that if they want it, it is here for them,” she says. She loves watching her grandkids grow up and learn lessons on the farm like her own kids did.

Purpose in Life and Work

The Yingling’s friend Bill Pherigo, who the Yinglings also do business with through his company, My Farm Business, LLC, has been purchasing beef from the family for over seven years.

“[Gordan and Jackson] are guys who live and die by their word,” Bill says. Jackson was talking to him about their direct-to-consumer sales they were doing, and Bill “jumped in,” believing in the quality of their beef. “The quality is just absolutely a night a day difference, as far as structure, tenderness of the cuts, and the hamburger is more vibrant,” he says. “When you deal with good, honest people, I know they are going to put out a good, honest product.”

“We started this business because we care about other people,” Jackson expresses. He tries to remember his customers are the ones allowing him to have a business.

James says the Yinglings are easy to work with, always going beyond expectations to get things done on time, and anytime.

Bill is more than just a customer to the Yinglings too, whether he goes to a customer fish-fry or on duck hunts with Jackson. For him, that is the kind of business-to-business relationship that is “as good as it gets.”

“In Matthew, Jesus says, ‘love your neighbor’ and He says, ‘everyone is your neighbor,’” Bill shares. “Without community you do not have a societal factor knitted together based on something more inherent than just goods and services, but on a moral perspective.” He says if you go to Brown County, you will see it. “[Jeanne] works her tail off to help people,” and to Bill the whole Yingling family feels familial.

“The relationship I have with Jackson and Gordan is first built on our faith,” Bill says. “We talk about struggles in business and where God has us and what he wants us to do.” He believes this is the Yingling’s true calling.

There are people in every business that are merely there to make another dollar, and while we all must make a dollar, the Yingling’s honestly believe in doing the right thing, and doing it well and doing it rightly. Bill and other beef customers the Yinglings have believe in their product, and value the ability to see the family that stands behind it. “If you stand behind [that product], the money will come after,” Bill says.

“What other country can you do this in,” he says. “We are talking a dream here, to run your own business, to be good at it, and make a living for your family. It does not get better than that.”

The Yingling family believes that message too, giving back to their community and church family, with the strong belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and his purpose in blessing them to live a life of thankfulness. “I cannot forget to mention how much God has blessed us,” Jeanne shares. “And how thankful we are for the wonderful life he has given us.”

That kind of mission means high-quality people that make high-quality beef, and GJY Beef Company beef is that kind of product.