Ordering 1/2 or whole cow...

[Panhandler80]

The garden thread (and my chicken coop post which I hope didn't hijack too badly) got me thinking about something I wanted to share. Let me just say that my world has been forever changed in a good way. A couple months ago we ordered half a cow. It hung for three weeks. We picked it up Friday and let me just say... WOW! Other than in a pinch, or on the road, etc... I won't be buying grocery store beef any more. So much more flavor and more tender. Honestly, it's as different from most grocery store beef as it is from venison!

 

[Fridaythe13th]

Dont tell anyone. That is like telling someone your elk honey hole. Lol

 

[Panhandler80]

Dont tell anyone. That is like telling someone your elk honey hole. Lol

I was shocked. Way way cheaper, and so much better. I'm kinda irritated that I only now discovered this.

 

[Brock A]

Good stuff! Growing up my grandparents always raised and butchered 2 or 3 cows a year for the family so I know what you mean. Now a days my freezer only has meat that my wife and I killed but I sure do enjoy a good beef steak every now and then!

 

[Squirrels]

We haven't bought beef from the "store" in several years...only way to go.

 

[Fridaythe13th]

I just got a 1/4 beef. I think it was about $3 lbs.

 

[Panhandler80]

Good stuff! Growing up my grandparents always raised and butchered 2 or 3 cows a year for the family so I know what you mean. Now a days my freezer only has meat that my wife and I killed but I sure do enjoy a good beef steak every now and then!

Oh, we eat plenty of deer meat, too. I'm usually able to connect with 4 deer or so each year, but these are usually small gulf coast deer. A 4 year old buck might have a live weight of 140 pounds where I do most of my hunting. Catch a lot of fish, too... but I try my best not to freeze it. Usually wind up with a couple hundred pounds of alligator meat as well. Adding this beef to the mix will pretty much mean no need to buy much protein at all from the store.

 

[Panhandler80]

I just got a 1/4 beef. I think it was about $3 lbs.

Yeah, I want to say that's about where we wound up as well. A little over 300 pounds and I think about $800.

 

[cnelk]

Was it grass fed beef?

 

[Panhandler80]

Was it grass fed beef?

I think it was butter fed!

Honestly, I don't know. It was my wife's deal. I know when we ordered it they said they'd slaughter in 6-8 weeks. Presumably a feed regime of sorts followed, but I don't know. Before they slaughtered they called and asked how long to hang. We asked what they recommended and they said 3 weeks, so we went with that. It's sure enough tasty!

 

[NMframed]

Enjoyed all your pics in the garden thread!

I run 40 angus and black baldy cow/calf pairs. I keep about ten weaned calves every fall to feed out for another year and sell as finished beef. I have had nothing but positive feed back on the beef I’ve sold and my customer base seems to grow every year. I sell a half beef for about $800 and processing costs another $300ish. I tell everyone that you’ll get about 180 to 200lbs of wrapped meat for about $1100, comes out to around $6 per lb average from prime cuts to ground and everything in between. I love when someone texts me and tells me how much they enjoyed their meat.

It’s kind of funny but we don’t eat much beef. As long as we have elk in the freezer, which has been the case for quite a few years now, we don’t keep a beef for ourselves. My son raises 4-H pigs and we do keep one and have it butchered for ourselves every year so between the pig and a couple elk we are usually in good shape for meat. My wife also has a Jersey cow she milks everyday and makes butter, cheese, yogurt, etc. We are pretty self sufficient for the most part around here. Right now we are taking care of 40 cows, 7 pigs, about 60 chickens(broilers and eggers), 4 lambs, 7 horses, and the garden. Makes for a very busy life but one that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

 

[bwlacy]

Just picked up a 1/4 Saturday. $3 per pound hanging weight plus processing. Comes out about $5/lb finished product.

Way cheaper and better than the store.

 

[Ownthewest]

I grew up in a ranching family, married into a ranching family, and now ranch myself. I've always taken for granted having an endless supply of beef in the freezer. Buying directly from a rancher is benificial for both the produceer and the consumer. COVID has pushed many consumers to source their beef directly from the producer (about the only positive outcome from the pandemic). It is a practice I hope will continue to grow. As far as hunting, having a freezer full of beef has made it easier to eat a few tags in search of the most mature animals instead of harvesting an immature animal out of nessesity to fill the freezer.

 

[Opah]

A long long time ago, when I just moved out to San Bernardino, ca. we bought 1/2 a cow.
After they butchered it (wish I new then what I know now!) I was paying 3 something a pound for burger. Fool me once shame on you, Haven't thought about it since. In fact I am pretty sure there isn't any place left I could purchase a 1/2 cow.
It was fantastic meat

 

[colersu22]

I paid 4.50 a lb hanging weight from a buddy that is all grass fed for 1/2 a cow last year and missed it this year but he is butchering 1 more so I’m buying some but all ground beef. Up here ground beef grass fed from the store was like 8 or something a lb so it’s way cheaper and for some reason tastes better. I forget what his cows are but I want to saw it was 1/4 wagu and 3/4 angus. He has about 12 cows normally so not a big operation by any means.

 

[wind gypsy]

I'd totally do this if it didn't take a conscious effort to get through the elk/venison already.

 

[Oregonboy]

My dad and I decided to start this last year and it was the best decision ever. I think our haul ended up between 3-4 dollars a pound. The meat is a deep red and tastes noticeably better than what we used to buy.

 

[Rob5589]

Absolutely! It is a big chunk of change initially but well worth it. Better quality, much cheaper. The last quarter we bought ran around 3.50 lb. That was for burger, t bones, rib eyes, roasts, ribs, etc. Getting another quarter in a couple months.

 

[Ethan-333]

It’s the only way to go! We do 3 cows and probably 15 hogs a year between 6-7 families.
we get a half cow and whole hog. On the hogs you basically make all your money back in the bacon alone if you were to buy it. And the beef if you had to buy all the prime cuts would cost more than the half Cow, and that’s not counting the 80lbs of burger you get out of a half easily. But we also do almost All the processing on our own. Get with a few guys and a couple weekends and you’ll have your freezer stocked.

 

[6mm Remington]

Fresh beef aged properly is a lot better than store bought as you have discovered. Not even close!