There’s been a shift happening in how people think about what goes on their plate and on their skin. More like a return to something older, something that got squeezed out when convenience took over. Rendered beef fat, once a staple in kitchens and medicine cabinets alike, has been finding its way back into homes. And two Maryland farms are helping to lead the way.
Willows Farm: Tallow for Your Skin
Curtis and Maryanne Cumberland bought Willows Farm in Union Bridge in 2021. The house cornerstone dates to the late 1700s. Their 165 acres run 100% grass-fed and finished Wagyu x Angus cattle. Their daughter Caitlyn kicked off the tallow side of the business in 2024, mostly because they were throwing away perfectly good fat.
“The fat for our tallow comes from the organ or kidney fat of the animal,” Curtis says. “The suet is the most nutrient-dense fat on the animal. Those vitamins A, D, K and E are vital to creating an exceptionally high-quality tallow.”
They grind the suet, then use a mix of wet and dry rendering to get a pure, hard tallow. After that comes organic jojoba oil and essential oils for spreadability and scent. Why does it work so well on skin?
“The lipids and fatty acids in beef fat are nearly bioidentical to those of our own skin. Our skin doesn’t have to do anything to absorb and utilize the vitamins,” Curtis explains. “Plus, it’s chemical-free. There’s nothing but beef fat and plant juice in our tallow. You can pronounce every ingredient.”
Customers say a little goes a long way, and several have reported it eased their eczema.
The farm’s whipped tallows come in plain, lavender, and a blend of frankincense, orange and ylang ylang in mild scents. The helibalm, a natural skin-soothing salve, is stiffer, more like cold honey, carrying woody notes of helichrysum, bergamot and cypress.
And yes, Curtis knows what you’re thinking. “I can totally understand anyone’s hesitation at the idea of rubbing beef fat all over your face,” he laughs. “Nobody wants to smell like a burger. But because we only use suet, there’s no beefy odor or greasy texture.”
Freedom Valley Farm: Tallow for Your Kitchen
Ryan Hamby spent a decade as a registered nurse before deciding the hospital wasn’t for him. He grew up one of four boys, learning from garden rows and backyard chickens on an acre and a half. Eight years ago, his family bought a farm named Freedom Valley Farm. Now he’s full-time, working alongside his wife and family in White Hall.
He hasn’t left all of his past behind. His nursing years shaped how he thinks about food. “I kept seeing the same people with the same problems,” Ryan says. “Nobody was taking seriously what they were actually putting in their bodies. Food is medicine. That’s why we raise everything as naturally as we can, no genetically modified feed, and our beef tallow comes from 100% grass-fed, grass-finished cattle with no antibiotics, vaccines or added hormones.”
He started rendering beef tallow as a cooking oil. His family now runs through about a quart every two to three weeks. “Just this morning I fried potatoes in a cast iron skillet with beef tallow,” he says. “It’s a high smoke point fat, so it doesn’t denature the way olive or avocado oil does under heat. Your body knows what to do with it. Swap it one-to-one anywhere a recipe calls for oil, and you get incredible flavor on top of it.”
Then there’s the cholesterol myth, which Ryan traces straight back to old marketing campaigns à la Mad Men. “Animal fats got a bad rap starting as far back as a 1940s campaign selling us Crisco. Tallow doesn’t wreck your cholesterol. It supports the good kind. The real problem isn’t the fat; it’s the source. Cheap tallow from a bad source carries pollutants and toxins. Know where your food comes from.”
The Common Thread
Same animal, same fat, two uses. What both farms keep circling back to is the source. Whether it’s going on your skin or into your dinner, you want to know the cow behind it. And these farmers know.
Hungry for more? Read about another medical professional turned farmer.