Organic Butcher Post-anniversary Reflection

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November 18, 2025

The owner of The Organic Butcher, Don Roden, worked in sales and marketing for an Internet company in Southern California in 2002.

On the heels of his celebrating 20 years in business as the organic butcher, I wondered how in the world he ended up in Northern Virginia as a butcher. So I had a conversation with him.

“Around the time when the tech bubble burst, everyone was losing their jobs and moving into different fields, I returned to Northern Virginia, where I’m from. It was a pivotal time in my life." Said Don.

Around this time, he began thinking more about his health, including what he ate. Don researched and learned how to source healthful foods and prepare meals at home. He developed a passion for finding a way to share what he learned, both the food and the know-how he’d acquired. That was when he first got the idea of becoming a butcher.

“Up until that time, I never thought I’d ever be a butcher, or wanted to be a butcher. Many people assume that butchery was in my family. I get that question a lot: whether my father or grandfather, or even grandmother was a butcher. They’re always a bit surprised to find that’s not the case.”

Applying his business experience at the beginning of this journey, Don felt he could focus his enthusiasm on his vision of opening many stores, making it profitable to connect people with real food. But after opening the first location in McLean, that vision gave way to maintaining profitability in a small-scale model.

Starting a business was challenging enough. He didn’t want to spread himself too thin.

“The last thing I wanted to do was over-extend & not offer the highest level of service & product that we can. I didn’t want to just open more shops to make more money. I wanted us to be the best butcher shop we could be and offer the best service. That’s why it took 17 years to decide to open a second one.”

When the first Organic Butcher opened, they processed whole animals rather than buying pre-selected cuts. This created a challenge because each animal only provides a small amount of some highly popular cuts. Once those few cuts were sold, the shop still had to find a use for less-popular parts of the animal.

(A great example of this is the tenderloin. Each cow has only two tenderloins, which means only a few pounds of this prized, tender meat come from an entire animal. Since demand is much higher than the supply one animal can provide, it becomes difficult for whole-animal butchers to keep it in stock while still selling the rest of the cuts.)

“There are a couple skirt steaks and a couple hanger steaks, you only get so many ribeyes, and then hundreds of pounds of ground beef.”

A good butcher finds a balance of offerings: everyday foods along with higher-priced selections, educating customers about what’s available and when. Don has become an expert at educating his patrons and empowering them to utilize and be nourished from the whole animal.

When asked to describe a perfect day at the shop, Don says, “It all starts in the morning. The cases are full, the smoker is fired up, the music is on. You open up your doors, and your customers are smiling, your staff is laughing. There’s a certain amount of organized chaos, but it feels good. It feels like home. You just know when it’s going to be a good day; you can feel it. The energy is electric.”

Bring your own good vibe to Organic Butcher at 6712 Old Dominion Drive in McLean; or the second location at 7925 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda.

You will be deeply nourished.

Susan

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Many people wonder why foods grown with care for the land, animals, and farmers often cost more than the industrial options that line grocery store shelves. It’s an important and honest question, and it deserves a thoughtful answer. Let’s start with the basics: food affects everything. Our health, our communities, and the land that sustains us are all tied to how food is produced. Unfortunately, problems begin when the cheapest foods tend to be the most processed, the most subsidized, and the most aggressively marketed. It's easy to feel boxed into these choices, especially when you look at the price tag. But sometimes, and for lots of folks, it's easy to forget that those cheap foods come with a much higher price tag later on, whether it's just how we feel as processed foods affect our bodies, or the bills that stack up after doctor's visits. I know that after I eat ultra-processed foods (often full of unspecified additives, dyes, stabilizing ingredients, etc.), I don't feel great. 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Food that nourishes more with less — Nutrient-dense food tends to be more satisfying, meaning people often feel full sooner and stay full longer. These aren’t abstract ideals. They’re real, biological outcomes from raising animals on living landscapes rather than in industrial warehouses. At Polyface, we consciously invest in people and animals—not gadgets, not chemicals, not complex machinery that distances the farmer from the land. Instead of giant tractors, Polyface invests in skilled team members who know how to read the land, interpret animal behavior, and respond with nuance and care. Human eyes, human hands, and human intuition cannot be replaced by equipment if the goal is health and regeneration. Instead of confinement buildings that require ventilation systems, antibiotics, and elaborate waste-handling equipment, Polyface invests in animals raised outdoors in fresh air and sunshine, rotated across pasture so they can express their natural design (while fertilizing the soil). Instead of relying on chemical crutches, Polyface invests in biological solutions like rest periods for grass, multi-species grazing, composting systems, and portable shelters. These things help us follow natural patterns rather than fight them. This kind of farming is people-intensive. It’s observation-intensive. It’s relationship-intensive. It's a very different type of farming than what is most often seen or illustrated. So, why does this matter? You don’t have to raise chickens or move cattle across pastures to be part of this work. Honest, regenerative farming is a partnership between the growers and the eaters. Every time you choose food raised with care and transparency, you cast a vote for the kind of world you want: A world where animals live in a way that honors their design. A world where farmers can make a living without compromising their values. A world where the land becomes healthier, more fertile, and more resilient each year. A world where food strengthens bodies instead of breaking them down. When you choose Polyface, you become part of this regenerative story. You help restore soils, revive rural communities, and support a type of agriculture that heals instead of harms. You help build a food system rooted in transparency, nutrition, stewardship, and hope. I've heard it said that the path forward begins with honest conversation and mutual learning. The same holds true for moving toward better food and better farming. Thank you for asking hard questions and caring enough to look deeper. We want to stay accountable, curious, and committed to improving what we do. Whenever you’re able, the Salatins welcome you to the farm so you can see these principles in action for yourself. I always tell people that there’s nothing quite like walking the pastures, watching the animals, and witnessing regeneration firsthand. Together as farmers, families, and communities, we can cultivate a future where food nourishes everything it touches: the land beneath our feet, the animals in our care, and the people around our tables. I like the sound of that future, don't you? Hannah

Organic Butcher Post-anniversary Reflection

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