Ordering Beef
How are the Cattle Raised?
We purchase our cattle in the spring as feeder calves when they are a couple of months old weighing in around 500 - 600 lbs. Within the first month of being on our farm, we transition their diet from dry hay that is supplemented with grain to 100% grass fed pasture. Once their ruminants (stomachs) have adjusted to the fresh pasture, we begin our intensive rotational grazing management. This is where the cattle are given a new section of fresh pasture daily. Once winter arrives, they consume high quality dry hay that we make throughout the year. As the next growing season comes around, they are put back into our rotational grazing management where they are then finished out on 100% grass fed pasture until they are sent to the butcher. We schedule our butcher dates in the fall to give the cattle as ample amount of time to put on high quality muscle and high quality fat from the nutrient and protein rich pasture.
How much does it cost?
In the process of ordering a quarter, half, or whole beef from our farm there are two payments you will have to make. One payment is where you purchase the animal from our farm and the other is where you pay for your processing fees from the butcher. Listed below are the prices and examples for each.
1) Purchasing the animal from our farm
We sell our beef by the hanging weight. Hanging weight is the carcass weight of the animal after it has been field dressed by the butcher.
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1/4 Beef we sell for $3.60/lb Hanging Weight (Average Hanging weight of a quarter beef is 200-250lbs)
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1/2 Beef we sell for $3.40/lb Hanging Weight (Average Hanging weight of half a beef is 400-500lbs)
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Whole Beef we sell for $3.20/lb Hanging Weight (Average Hanging weight of a whole beef is 800-1,000lbs)​
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2) Payment for the Processing Fees
Once we drop off the animal at the butcher, we will notify you that your beef has been dropped off and that you can expect a phone call from the butcher. When the butcher calls you, he will get your cut order and depending on how you have your meat process depends on the overall cost at the butcher. Our butcher currently charges $0.70/lb to process and a $70 kill fee for the animal that will be divided based on how much the size of your order.
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Example
Estimated Total Costs listed below for a 225lb hanging weight quarter comes out to around $1,000 (Breakdown below)
1) Payment to Ski Farms LLC: $3.60 per lb hanging weight for a quarter comes out to $810 ($100 up front and then $710 after we drop the animal off at the butcher and recieve the hanging weight from the butcher)
2) Processing fee to Cedar Wedge : 0.70 per lb X 225lbs = $157.50
Processing fee will vary based off of customers meat cutting instructions (for example extra cost for making hamburger patties)
The slaughter fee of $70 dollars per animal is split so 70/4 = $17.5
Grand total comes to: (810 + 157.50 + 17.5) = $985 Total