Great news from Vanguard! Your friendly local butcher, Whiska Creek Abattoir, is back in full swing. After a little break last summer to recover from illness, wonderful owner and operator Alice Bexson wants to remind everyone they’re still here.
"We're back to do business with all our locals that may or may not realize that we're open for business," Alice states.
What makes Whiska Creek so special? It's an unwavering dedication to time-honored butchering techniques. They take pride in using traditional dry aging methods vs cryovac packaging used by larger industrial processors. "It's like night and day, flavour-wise," Alice affirms. For her, it's all about superior quality. "You can't beat a dry-aged animal. Ever. The flavor is different. It's just a better flavor, better texture, better everything." This commitment to quality means they take their time. "We do one side, one animal per cutting," Alice emphasizes. "We process it from start to finish and into the freezer, and then we go on to the next animal."
Alice believes their custom cutting service is a win-win for local livestock producers and folks who appreciate top-notch meat. "We cut it the way the individual wants it," she says. This personalized touch means more of the best cuts end up on your plate, not in the trim pile. According to Alice, it also helps keep prices fair without ever compromising on quality. "I can assure you that any which way you look at it, buying a locally grown side of beef from a really good producer, which we have them here, is always, always, always going to be the best way to buy your meat."
Don’t have your own cattle or farm? No problem. Whiska Creek Abattoir also sources beef, pork, lamb, and goat at competitive prices for customers who want quality meat without raising it themselves. They’ve also added convenient retail options—whether you’re after a box of hamburger patties, juicy steaks, or anything you need for a summer BBQ, they’ve got you covered with great rates and unbeatable flavor.
Whiska Creek Abattoir is all about consistency and sticking to what works. "We do it old school, the same way that the previous owner did it for 30 years," Alice explains with pride. "I still continue to do it the same way, and the process hasn't changed."
For all the hunters out there, Whiska Creek also provides expert processing and cutting services for wild game during hunting season. "We do all game in the fall during the hunting season and we exclusively make ourselves available to take animals in over the weekend," Alice mentions, knowing that's when most folks have time to hunt. "We do wonderful in-house muscle-sliced jerky. And on wild game, you can't beat it.” She notes, “We also offer sausage making and salami, pepperoni sticks, or honey garlic, whatever flavor you want, whatever form that you want it, we can make it here."
At the heart of Whiska Creek's operation is a genuine passion for quality and making customers happy. Alice's philosophy is simple and reassuring: "If I won't eat it. It doesn't go out the door," she declares. "We want to have repeat customers,” adding, "My standards are pretty high."
Alice finds immense joy in her work. "I still love what I do after, you know, 20 years of doing it," she says. And it's the happy customers that keep her going. "When you have a client that calls you and says, ‘Oh my God, I had a ham on the weekend, and I can't believe how good it is. It's just like when I was a kid.’ That makes me happy. That makes me feel like, oh my God, we are still doing it right."
So, with Alice back and feeling great, Whiska Creek Abattoir and its staff are thrilled to continue serving the Vanguard community with their exceptional meats and good old-fashioned service. Stop by and taste the difference for yourself!
