When you reserve your meat in bulk, it helps us plan several things, including how many animals we will raise as well as what types of cuts we will have available for retail at farmers’ markets. Because buying meat in bulk can be a large purchase, we thought it would be helpful to answer some Frequently Asked Questions to help you decide which type of bulk purchase is right for your family.

If I make a bulk purchase, will I just get a huge amount of mystery cuts?

• Nope! We work closely with our local, USDA-Inspected processor to schedule and customize all our bulk purchases. There are some “typical” percentages in terms of roasts, steaks, and ground meat, but we are able to tailor each and every bulk order to your family. If you survive on burgers and meatloaf, we can up your percentage of ground meat. Would you like both tri-tips (more information on those in a later newsletter…) from your cow? We can do that too.

Is it really saving me money?

• YES! Grass-fed protein is a premium product, and retails in stores and at farmers’ markets for much higher than bulk orders. Yes, we require a non-refundable deposit up front, but that initial investment will save you BIG time over the long haul. Bulk meat purchases are a great way to make grass-fed protein work with your family’s budget.

How much do I need?

• That depends on how much meat you eat! In a year, our family of five would eat a whole beef, a whole hog, and around 50 chickens. Your family’s meat plans may very well differ from that! Single folks, couples, and families with smaller children (either in amount or actual size) might find that a half-beef or even split-half is enough for their freezer.

Speaking of freezers, how much space will it take up in my freezer?

• Again, this depends on how much you buy, but the common rule of thumb is one cubic foot of freezer space for 35-40 pounds of cut and wrapped meat. A whole beef is a large purchase, and would definitely need a large amount of freezer space. On the plus side, you would be stocked up for the year! We find that one garage meat freezer is often enough to handle a typical family’s bulk purchase.

Do I have to come to you to get it?

• Only if you’d like! We welcome all visitors to the farm, and we are working on scheduling our farm store hours for this exact reason. However, if you are too far away to make the trip, we will happily deliver all bulk orders. Even better, coordinate with a local friend and we can make one large drop-off to your area! The more the merrier!

Hopefully this information is helpful and helps you decide if a bulk purchase is right for you!