“The Story of G-Line”

Nate Bradford checking calves in Oklahoma.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many things changed and were uncertain. But one thing that remained the same was the dire need for agriculture. Many consumers found themselves shocked when they were greeted with little-to-no meat options on the chilled shelves of their favorite grocery store. Individuals started to tap in and lean more on the need from the local farmer to assist in this demand to buy bulk animal protein. Facebook groups started to become prevalent for the search of local pork and beef options, and the need for local butcher and processing shops began to boom.

One of these processing plants in Oklahoma who have seen a major influx in orders during and after the COVID-19 pandemic was G-Line Ranch of Bristow, Oklahoma.

G-Line Ranch was founded nearly six miles north of the historic black town of Boley, Oklahoma, in 2003. The namesake for G-Line Ranch comes from a community of citizens who migrated to Boley from the state of Georgia and settled during the mass movement of many black Americans coming to sanctuary from the deep south to the all-black towns of Oklahoma.

Much of G-Line Ranch’s cattle herd remains in Boley and are further processed in Bristow.

G-Line Ranch has participated in outreach efforts in Spencer and Boley, Oklahoma, to build a foundation for farmers and ranchers of color to network with each other and find a sense of community.

“We want to broaden the aspect of agriculture and show that black farmers and ranchers are here and present in the state of Oklahoma,” said Nate Bradford.

Bradford is a 23-year-old civil engineering major at Oklahoma State University, one of the Bradford sons of G-Line Ranch, and a proud fourth-generation cattle rancher through and through.

Nate Bradford

G-Line Ranch is hopeful of expanding their processing facilities as well as actively working to have a presence in the retail marketing space, Bradford said. There is also a desire to sell a piece of the G-Line Ranch genetics by selling bull prospects to the public, he said.

Beef is not the only product that G-Line Ranch has expertise in. Deer processing is also an intricate part of the business.

“We have been processing deer for three years now,” Bradford said. “We do everything from standard cuts, jerky cuts, summer sausage and breakfast sausage in our deer department.”

G-Line Ranch is looking forward to expanding their deer processing side of the business as well.

Bradford Family

At the end of the day, the business is a family affair, and the Bradford family wouldn’t want it any other way, Bradford said.

“Ranching is what we know, it’s what we do best, it’s in our blood,” Bradford said.

To learn more about G-Line Ranch, go to Ranch | G-Line Ranch | Bristow (glineranch.com).

Story By: Tré Smith, TreBee Farms founder and owner

Edited By: Sarah Palmer, freelance writer and editor