Custom Meat

There has been a lot of confusion about how "custom" farmers work. We don't know in advance accurate hanging weights of animals or customer cut choices... cut choice is up to the buyer, the customer pays the processor separately. We would need additional licensing to sell processed meat even if we weren't the processor, and that's not what we do... We aren't selling meat, we sell animals and cows are sold by the whole, half or quarter. Pigs are sold by the half. When the coyotes did not eat all of our birds, poultry was sold by the whole, but could be processed into quarters if the customer wanted. If you want Alan to deliver it when it is done, he just asks for the check for the processing part before he picks it up (made out to the processor), and some gas reimbursement if the drive is longer than the average. We don't sell farther than 100 miles from the farm, and rarely more than 25 miles away. The processing cost and hanging weight of the animal are unknown at the time we take it to the butcher. When they process it, they weigh it and charge for the cutting/grinding/packaging/whatever. You need to call them to give them your order when we bring them the animal and to find out your cost. Then when they tell us how heavy the animal was, we ask $3.50 per pound hanging weight 1/4. (This is lighter than the live weight but heavier than the de-boned weight.) The picture previously posted of Alan and the calf is the calf that became the bull that became the steer that will feed 4 families. It had a good life enjoying room to run and fresh well and creek water and a varied pasture (exercise and diet lead to healthier animals with leaner meat and more omega 3 fatty acids naturally). Not sure if the calf in the picture or it's nursemate was the sire of the Indian Summer heifer we have now. We had the calf's mother supply milk to an adoptee and did not castrate either before the next cow was conceived... Like I said a good life for an animal on the farm. That is what our farm is about... raising our own children and letting the animals that provide us food have a good life and raise young of their own. There is no better teacher than nature, and we adults are still learning too. If you have questions, please post them and sorry if there is a delay in the response... life happens.