The Legacy of Wittstock Ranch
Out here, nothing worth having comes easy.
Wittstock Ranch was founded in 1955 by my grandparents George and Florence, who believed in hard work, grit, and the promise of the land. My grandfather worked long days at the local creamery and milked a herd of Jersey cows before and after work. My grandmother taught school and sold eggs to help make ends meet. Together, they chased a dream shared by generations of American ranching families—the dream of owning a piece of ground they could call their own.
When they finally bought the land we still ranch today, they started building their cattle operation with 10 horned Herefords. Not long after turning them out, tragedy struck. Every one of those cattle was found dead.
Many folks would have walked away.
My grandparents saddled up and started over.
That’s the kind of people they were.
Between dairy farming and working full-time at the creamery, my grandfather rebuilt a barn after it burned to the ground, built the hay shed that still stands today, and laid the brick fireplace in the family home with his own hands. Nothing was handed to him. Everything was earned. Built on blood, sweat and tears the blood of my family resides in the soil of the ranch.
Before long, Wittstock Ranch became known far beyond our corner of Wisconsin.
With a herd of only 30 Herefords, my grandfather competed against some of the largest ranches in America. While other outfits ran tens of thousands of cattle, he brought home honors that put Wittstock Ranch on the map. Two of his bulls placed first in class and fourth overall at the Kansas City Royal National Show. His reputation as a cattleman and breeder eventually earned him a place in the Hereford Hall of Fame.
He proved that quality beats quantity and that great cattle come from great stockmanship.
I grew up dreaming of being a cowboy. Maybe it was because of the ranch, or maybe I was born that way. I spent my summers working cattle, fixing fence, hauling hay, and learning lessons that only ranch life can teach. I admired the Herefords I’d seen in old John Wayne westerns. To me, they were the cattle of the American West—the red-and-white breed that helped build ranching history.
Those same cattle still inspire what we do today.
Today, J Double T Beef carries on the legacy of Wittstock Ranch through the cattle partnership operating on our families ranch between Josh Kuhn, Ted Lundberg, and myself, Troy Wondrasch.
Josh is a farm kid through and through. He oversees the daily care of the herd and manages everything from feeding programs to cattle health and pasture management. He knows cattle because he lives it every day.
Ted brings a passion for premium beef and years of experience working with some of the finest restaurants and culinary professionals. He understands what separates an ordinary steak from an unforgettable one.
For more than 25 years, I’ve worked in the livestock and feed industry with some of the largest meat companies in America. My focus has always been developing feeding programs that maximize marbling, flavor, and eating quality. Our cattle are raised with one goal in mind—to produce beef worthy of the Wittstock name.
Our foundation remains the Hereford breed. We value their calm disposition, maternal strength, structural soundness, and outstanding beef quality. Alongside our Herefords, we raise Angus and Hereford-Angus Baldy cattle that combine the best traits of both breeds.
We’re not a giant corporation. We’re not a feedlot chasing volume.
We’re ranchers.
We believe in stewardship of the land, respect for our animals, and producing beef the right way. Every calf is managed from birth through harvest under our care. Our cattle spend their lives on pasture before being grain-finished to achieve the rich marbling and bold flavor that great beef is known for.
Drive south of Clear Lake on Highway 63 and you’ll likely see our cattle grazing in the fields, just as generations before them have done.
We don’t cut corners.
We don’t chase cheap.
We chase quality.
Our customers tell us time and again, “This is the best beef we’ve ever eaten.”
That’s the standard we aim for every day.
When you put a J Double T steak on the grill, you’re not just buying beef. You’re buying a piece of ranching heritage built by generations of hard-working cattlemen. You’re tasting the legacy of one of the nation’s premier Hereford breeders. You’re bringing the spirit of the American cowboy to your table.
So fire up the grill. Gather your family and friends. Pull up a chair by the lake.
And don’t make the mistake of showing up without a J Double T steak.
Because every great cowboy story deserves great beef.