OUR STORY

We care about doing it right. We promise you the best.

To learn more about the reason we started and some of the amazing producers we partner with, read on…

Old Station Craft Meats opened in Waukee with one goal:

BRING QUALITY BACK TO THE MEAT CASE.

Two brothers who grew up raising livestock on a family farm. One continued the legacy, and one became a businessman. Now, they’ve combined what they’ve learned and opened a specialty butcher shop built on doing things right.

OWNER, NICK LENTERS

Nick brings more than 12 years in customer service and consulting to every interaction — and a farmer's understanding of what it takes to raise a quality animal. He knows where the meat comes from, what makes it good, and why it matters. That perspective is baked into every sourcing decision Old Station makes.

Five years in, the focus has sharpened.

We've built a full line of handcrafted products — jerky, snack sticks, bacon, sausages, cured meats, hams, and seasonal cuts — all developed and made on-site. Our team includes Dave, a Food Science-trained specialist and competitive BBQ enthusiast who oversees everything we put our name on. When you pick something from our case, someone here made it.

We're a full-service butcher. Premium cuts, handcrafted products, real answers from people who know their stuff, and a shop worth coming back to. Come in once — you'll understand why our regulars stop buying meat anywhere else.

OUR PRODUCERS

We source our cuts from producers we trust — farms and suppliers who meet the same standard we hold ourselves to. We know where our meat comes from and we're happy to tell you about it. Click on the arrow to learn more about each of our producers…

  • Grass Run Farms is a collaboration of Midwest family farmers raising cattle the way generations before them did. Their cattle consume forage diets their entire lives — no grain, no animal by-products — and are harvested humanely. A straightforward commitment to doing it right from start to finish.

  • Berkwood Farms is a coalition of more than 60 independent family farmers united around one goal: never sacrificing quality. They are the largest American supplier of 100% certified heritage Berkshire pork and the only farmer-owned company with national distribution. Their network provides Old Station with a consistent supply of high-quality Berkshire pork, along with a selection of smoked and cured pork products featured in the shop.

  • Northstar Bison was founded by Lee and Mary Graese, who acquired their first two bison in 1994. Lee brings a background as a competitive weightlifter and gym owner; Mary spent her career as a dietician. Together, they built a bison operation grounded in health, quality, and a respect for how the animal is raised.

  • Bell & Evans has been raising chickens to a higher standard since the 1890s. Based in Pennsylvania, the family-owned operation raises its birds without antibiotics, feeds them a 100% vegetarian diet, and air-chills every bird — a process that produces cleaner, better-tasting chicken than water-chilled alternatives. Their commitment to humane animal welfare runs through every step of the operation, from the farm to the package. When quality in the case starts with quality in the raising, Bell & Evans is the answer.Item description

  • Upper Iowa Beef was built around a simple belief: people have the right to know their farmer and know their food. Their producers provide humane care for their animals, respect the farmers who raise the cattle, and offer transparent information to the families who enjoy their beef. A community that came together because quality and accountability matter.

  • Great Range Bison sources its cattle directly from premier bison ranches across North America. Their bison are raised without antibiotics or growth hormones and fed a vegetarian diet of grasses and grains. For more than 30 years, Great Range has worked closely with rancher-producers to ensure sustainable, responsible raising practices from pasture to plate.

  • Catelli Brothers raises veal calves untethered in spacious barns, where they can freely socialize with other calves. Their lambs graze on pastures across sheep farms and ranches. Humane treatment and excellent animal care are foundational commitments — for Catelli Brothers and every livestock partner in their network.

  • Bell Farm was founded in 2014 by Ellen Bell, who relocated her family from the city to the country with two beehives. Over the years, the operation has grown substantially. Ellen now manages between 50 and 500 colonies depending on the season — a testament to what starts small and grows with purpose.

  • The Krug Brothers raise a flock of pasture-raised chickens — and when they're not in school, they're tending to it. Their chickens produce pasture-raised eggs sourced with the same care Old Station brings to everything in the case. Young farmers doing it the right way.

  • Ferndale Market has been raising free-range turkeys in the Little Cannon River Valley of Cannon Falls, Minnesota since 1939 — now three generations deep. Founded by Dale and Fern Peterson, the farm has stayed independent and true to its original practices: no antibiotics, no artificial growth promotants, and birds raised on open pasture with room to roam. Their turkeys are fed a custom-blended diet of locally sourced corn and soybean meal, processed naturally without additives, and handled humanely at every step. Today, Dale and Fern's grandson John and his wife Erica run the operation alongside the second generation — committed to the same standard the family built its name on.