Edward and Joanna Miller of Hillcrest Dynamics discovered that Joanna had a brain stem tumor in 2016, they were told by doctors at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics that it was untreatable. They couldn’t operate and chemotherapy would not be effective at fighting the cancer. The Millers were told that the doctors couldn’t do anything besides keep an eye on the tumor. Thus started their family’s journey with raising 100% grass-fed beef and lamb.

“We didn’t want to sit there and wait while the tumor grew, so we checked out our options,” Edward said.

They went to Mexico, where Joanna was treated in a clinic offering natural IV treatments to build the immune system and resist growth of the tumor and also started farming and eating grass-fed beef and lamb. At a checkup, Joanna was told the tumor was not growing and to “keep doing what you’re doing.”

Edward first learned about the benefits of grass-fed product from the Stockman Grass Farmer, a monthly publication produced by Joe Salatin, author of “Salad Bar Beef”. He started researching more about the benefits of grass-fed meat and learned of the many benefits to eating the natural product.

“When you give grain to animal, it actually alters their fat content from a healthy fat to a less healthy fat,” Edward said. “If you’re consuming feed lot beef, you can actually cause cancer because they get so much grain and the fat that’s in it is hard on your heart and your brain.”

One of the greatest benefits of grass-fed product is that it’s higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which Edward said is “an essential fatty acid with some pretty amazing side effects.”

In his research, Edward discovered that grass fed product, compared to grain-fed, has 500% more CLA, 400% more vitamin A, 300% more vitamin E, 75% more omega 3 and 78% more beta carotene. CLA was found to reduce cancer, decrease body fat, decrease heart disease and adult diabetes and increase bone density and immunity to disease.

Grass fed foods are not only preventative but regenerative as well,” Edward said. “You’re building soil and you’re not using fertilizers, you’re not using all that expensive chemical GMOS, you stay away from that. And you’re actually regenerating the whole cycle: the grass, the soil, the cows and the people who consume it. So, it’s a whole cycle. It’s really amazing how that works.”

Edward said switching to raising grass-fed beef has improved the quality of the soil on his organic farm.

“Grass-fed product is a natural, wholesome product with no artificial hormone, no drugs or antibiotics,” Edward said. “We don’t use wormers…What happens when you use a chemical wormer is that reside gets in the milk, in the meat, and also goes right through the animal and gets into the soil. So, if you have an anti-parasitic that you put on your cows, it will actually get into the soil and kill the good bugs in the soil.”

Hillcrest Dynamics is located at 1147 Orange Ave on the east edge of Kalona along Highway 22. Hillcrest Dynamics is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Edward said his business doesn’t list a phone number because he wants customers to visit his farm — to be able to see the cattle and fields and have a connection to the product they’re buying.

“Grass-fed product is healthy for you and healthy for the soil and the environment,” Edward said. “We encourage you to give it a try.”