Re: Buying half a cow

[Guest guest]

Ami,

Ask your local WAP chapter head if they know of anyone in the area. Ask

farmer's market vendors, do a web search for local farmer's organization,

put a notice up on the bulletin board at your local feed supply store saying

what you're looking for or if you see a small pasture with a few beef in it

stop and ask if they sell in bulk. Your location will determine how close to

grass fed you can get locally. In New England where I am is 6 months of no

green grass so beef has to eat hay only in the winter in order to be

considered totally grass fed. We get our beef from friends who have pasture,

hay and a cornfield they make into silage for beef winter feeding so its

technically not 100% grass fed. We usually buy in the fall after they've

been on pasture all summer. May try spring too this year as Kip mentioned

best after greenest grass. The butcher comes there and kills just like

Heidi's beef. If you can find that, feel its important to not traumatize

with transportation away, adrenaline can toughen meat just like a deer that

runs wounded. Beef hangs to tenderize for a week or more, grass fed raisers

go 2 weeks hanging to tenderize, we tell him how we want our's cut and go

get it. We pay $1.50 lb. hanging weight, beef processing, packaging

included. Extremely low price, likely because they consider the feed being

there, not bought and labor is being reimbursed. Hanging weight is weight

without hide, organs before it is cut. Have done this for 5 years, has been

different breeds, flavors. Only once some of the cuts were tougher than ever

before or since. Admitted it themself and said they'd gone 6 months over the

usual raising period. Hope this helps as guideline.

> There were several posts from people who have bought half a cow. How

> do you go about doing this? How do you find people who sell? How much

> does something like that cost? (I'm sure it is different depending

> upon what kind of cow you get etc, but right now, I have NO IDEA so I

> just want to hear how much poople have paid.) Do they butcher it too

> or you have to take the beef from them and allocate your own butcher?

> Is it much cheaper than buying smaller amounts from beef markets? HOw

> can you prevent you from getting tough meat or you are at their mercy?

Wanita

[Guest guest]

>There were several posts from people who have bought half a cow. How

>do you go about doing this? How do you find people who sell? How much

>does something like that cost? (I'm sure it is different depending

>upon what kind of cow you get etc, but right now, I have NO IDEA so I

>just want to hear how much poople have paid.) Do they butcher it too

>or you have to take the beef from them and allocate your own butcher?

>Is it much cheaper than buying smaller amounts from beef markets? HOw

>can you prevent you from getting tough meat or you are at their mercy?

>

>Any explanation is greatly appreciated.

>

>Thanks,

>

>Ami

You might want to go through some of the archives, there is a lot there.

I've gone two ways, one thru a wholesaler, and once straight to the farmer.

The wholesalers you might be able to find just by going through the

phone book ... some won't sell to the public, but if they don't, they

may know someone who can. You just pick up the meat frozen,

already cut and wrapped. The meat I bought that way was $2 to $2.50/lb,

hanging weight.

The farmer I found by emailing the local Longhorn association ... because

I LOVE Longhorn, and they gave me the name of a farmer who is pretty

well known in that association. The feed coops know who is doing what

too, usually. Some grass-feeding places are beginning to advertise at

a low level (like a pin-up ad at the organic grocery).

Usually a " custom slaughter " truck goes to the farm and does

the butchering. If you want the internal organs, you need

to be there (they don't like handling them, plus if they DO

freeze them for you, you have to pay for that extra). Once

the beef is cut into " hanging sides " it goes to the butcher,

where it is cut and wrapped and frozen, for about .40 extra

a pound. You pick it up at the butcher, usually a couple of

weeks later (depending how long they hang it ... it is best

if it is " aged " but you may have to reserve space for that

and ask for it to be aged).

The beef I bought " on the hoof " was $1.35 hanging, plus the .40

cutting. However, most of the grass fed beef I've seen for

sale to the " organic " market is going for $1.65 to $3/lb (plus the cutting).

There is about 20-40% " waste " when they cut the beef, so if

you bought a 400 lb side, you would likely end up with 300 lb or so

of beef.

You can also buy a calf and get someone to raise it for

you (paying a boarding fee). But you kind of have to know

someone willing to do that.

Either way, the main work YOU need to do is:

1. Write a check.

2. Make sure there is room in your freezer.

It's a good idea to bring a cooler for the meat if

it is a long drive, or get it during the fall or winter.

The best butchering time is at the end of summer/fall

when the beef have gained all the weight they are going

to from the grass.

The organs are another set of work ... the

liver, heart, and kidneys are pretty easy but the stomach, hooves

etc. can STINK and I think I'd need an outside

place to deal with them (or my family to leave the

house for the duration).

-- Heidi