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about us
Our Journey and Building the Foundation
Welcome to The Salt and Sear Craft Beef Company! We’re Shane and Beth Lechtenberg, along with our three daughters, Lanie, Jaylee, and Ally. Our journey to starting this business has been a long one, built on years of hard work, determination, and a lot of passion. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished and are excited to share it with you.
Shane grew up on a farm near Butte, NE, the oldest of eight siblings. He experienced the challenges of the 80s farm crisis firsthand and learned the importance of perseverance and adaptability in agriculture. With a strong passion for farming, he pursued a degree in Ag Economics from the University of Nebraska. After college, Shane worked in the agronomy industry before joining extended family in cattle feeding. Eventually, he returned to his roots, working in Agricultural Risk Management Consulting, where he found his true calling—helping farms and ranches across the country thrive and sustain their operations for future generations.
In 2005, we met over Christmas break in Beth’s hometown of Burke, SD. We were married the following August, and soon after, we settled in Butte, NE. Beth had been teaching school in Springview, NE, and together, we began building our farm and ranch operations. Over time, we hired help to keep things running smoothly, and before we knew it, our family had grown, with Lanie, Jaylee, and Ally becoming an integral part of our farm life.
Lanie is now a freshman in college studying Agronomy and Ag Business, Jaylee is a high school junior with a love for livestock, and Ally, a 5th grader, is learning the ropes of ranching from her big sisters. All three girls help out around the ranch whenever they can, and their dedication to the farm is something we’re incredibly proud of.
Our passion for doing things our way led us to start this beef company. Beth has always been a health-conscious advocate for our family, constantly looking for ways to improve our well-being. This drive to provide healthier, high-quality food for our family is what inspired us to raise and sell our own beef. We’re committed to producing beef that not only tastes great but is also healthy and raised with care.
Our cow herd began with Hereford and Angus cows, bred with Hereford and Angus bulls. Over the years, we’ve transitioned to a more specialized breeding program, using Black Wagyu bulls to produce a high-quality cut of beef. This beef has become a staple in our own kitchen, and we want to share that experience with you, so you can enjoy it too.
We’re excited to be part of the growing movement of this ranch-to-table way of eating. We’ve formed great partnerships to help us safely process, package, and ship our F1 American-style Wagyu beef directly to your door. Going forward, our focus is on making our herd more efficient in grazing our landscapes in a regenerative, sustainable way.
We’re just getting started on this journey, and we can’t wait to share our progress with you. Our program will continue to evolve, and we hope you’ll join us as we grow. Thank you for supporting our family and our dream!