Meat processing plant in Belltower

I was very happy to see the article in the Eagle about the meat processing plant near Belltower called OCC Legacy Cuts. Probably nobody remembers but I wrote an article for the Eagle a few years ago suggesting this very thing.

It is a little surprising to me it would be located in Belltower and not closer to Ekalaka, but that is probably closer to the center of the county. It is also surprising that they would be located in such a sparsely populated place. I really wish them all the best.

A number of years ago, I was operating a meat market and custom slaughter business in Bishop, California. I thought that we needed a slaughterhouse and meat cutting facility like this and I contacted Koch Industries who designed and built them. They flew an engineer out to meet with me and then designed a facility for me. It was to cost $175,000 which wasn’t bad at the time. Of course it would have cost more for the land, permits etc. I didn’t go through with it even though it was an excellent idea. I am curious to know how much O’Connor’s plant cost, but it really is not my business.

In the article I wrote for the Eagle several years ago, I suggested that they establish a brand name for the meat and then sell it nationally. This would be even more important now because of the present demand for grass fed beef. I also suggested that they process and sell other kinds of meat including buffalo, sheep and maybe even rattlesnake. Far out, I know, but I am a far out kind of guy. I also suggested that they hire a younger version of someone like me to run it for them. I guess that these guys know what they are doing and don’t need anyone else. I am also curious to know if they are related to Jeanne O’Connor who was my classmate in high school. It is a common name.

It is really interesting to me to see how this facility is constructed in modules that fit together to make up the whole. That is a great idea. From the picture in the Eagle it looks like a great facility. The article didn’t make it totally clear, but I assume that there is a slaughter module, then a cooler for storage and aging and then modules for further processing and storage of the finished product.

In meat markets that I have known, there is always a service or company that comes around and picks up the bones and scrap and then takes it to a facility where it is further processed into useful things. There must be such a rendering plant there also. Is it in Miles City or where?

Reading about things like this makes me want to be young again so I could be right in the middle of it. If anyone wants to talk to me about it or anything else, my phone number is 916-335-3670 and my email is BillLavell@ymail.com.

My address is 3691 18th Ave. Sacramento, California 95820.