At Battle Abbey we strongly believe that British Columbia is an incredible source for the food we serve. Food is to be celebrated and recognized for what it is and from where it came; however most of today's foods follow an industrialized path. Nowhere is the Industrialization of food more evident than in the production of meat. The rancher has become anonymous as the animal is sold to feedlots and then travels through the food chain from packing plant, to distributor, to grocer, to mouth. Meat produced at nature's pace and raised the way mother nature intended has become a historical footnote from a bygone era. Thankfully we know ranchers that still believe in the tradition and have taken it to the next level in raising animals the way Mother nature intended!

Enter one of our great producers for Battle Abbey's bison served in house: 

The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of earth and promise as Christoph Weder watched the bison move across the rolling hills of Venator Ranch. Their shaggy coats rippled in the wind, a reminder that this land—wild, untamed, and vast—was not just home to them, but to a vision he and his wife Erika had spent decades building.

Their story began far from these northern pastures, in a tiny Guatemalan village on Christmas morning, 1999. Christoph, a Swiss-born adventurer, had stopped for breakfast, unaware that across the same table sat Erika, a woman who would one day become his partner in life, in love, and in the pursuit of a ranching revolution. What started as a chance meeting grew into a two-year transatlantic romance until Erika traded her Swiss roots for the open landscapes of Canada in 2001.

Both came from dairy farming families, but they had milked enough cows in their youth to know they wanted something different. In 2003, they packed up and moved to Alberta’s Peace River District, founding Spirit View Ranch. There, they focused on raising top-quality Angus genetics and rejuvenating overworked farmland through what eventually became known (in popularity) as "Regenerative Agriculture". Their innovative, sustainable approach to ranching didn’t go unnoticed; in 2006, they were named Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers, and by 2013, they had earned the Environmental Stewardship Award from the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. Along the way came their 4 children Pasco, Nero, Oro & Luna that added another dynamic and even more energy to the Ranch.

But their journey didn’t end there. In 2013, an opportunity pulled them further west—toward Hudson’s Hope, British Columbia, a place known as the Gateway to the Northern Serengeti. The land was rugged, neglected, but brimming with potential. It was the perfect canvas for their dream. They named it Venator Ranches Ltd.—Latin for "hunter" or "gladiator."

The Angus cattle from Alberta found a new home here, but it wasn’t long before the Weders expanded their herd to include bison. The decision was as much about philosophy as it was about practicality. Bison, the great roamers of the plains, could thrive in this landscape as they had for millennia. What began with a modest herd of 75 animals soon multiplied twentyfold, creating a regenerative ranching model where bison, cattle, and nature coexisted in balance.

But with growth came challenges. Market fluctuations and unreliable access to buyers made selling live animals unpredictable. The Weders knew they had to take control of their product—every step of the way. In 2021, they embarked on a new venture: field-harvesting bison in the traditional way, ensuring minimal stress for the animals and maximum respect for the land. What started as a return to old-world butchery soon evolved into Monterra Meats, a fully licensed provincial abattoir (Est. #77) that opened in February 2023.

At the same time, their direct-to-consumer brand, BisonGuy, was born. Through an online marketplace, they bypassed the industrial meat system, delivering their 100% grass-fed, grass-finished meats straight to customers across British Columbia. No feedlots. No middlemen. Just honest, quality meat from pasture to plate.

Take a walk down the meat aisle of any grocery store, and you’ll see the difference. Vacuum-sealed steaks and neatly packed ground beef boast labels that say "natural" or "grain-fed," but the truth lies in the source. Most of it comes from massive feedlots, processed in plants where efficiency outweighs quality.

For the Weders, ranching isn’t just about raising animals—it’s about preserving an ecosystem, a heritage, and a way of life that respects both the land and the consumer. It’s about knowing the name behind the steak, the story behind the meal.

At Battle Abbey, we take pride in sourcing our food with intention, and that’s why the meats from Bison Guy are more than just ingredients in our kitchen. They are the result of a commitment to sustainability, quality, and tradition. Christoph and Erika Weder are more than ranchers—they are rebels, rewriting the story of North American meat, one pasture at a time.

To learn more about their journey, visit www.bisonguy.ca.