Do You Sell Half A Cow?

Hello! It's been another beautiful week at the ranch and a hot one! People frequently ask us "do you sell half a cow?" So I thought I would take a second to answer this question. 

The short answer is YES, we sell what we call custom freezer beef. In all honesty though, we used to do a lot more of it but after several cows, weighing over 1,100 pounds went in and the customer walked out with not even 400 (closer to 350) pounds of beef, I was mortified. Yes, the customer paid for her. Yes, they could do what they want with her but I put too much into my beef to let nearly 70% go to waste on the floor. We had a customer once that told me he was experienced in making this kind of arrangement so that showed me that a novice would leave even more on the floor. Come to find out, he virtually only got just ground burger and steaks. All that being said, he wasn't the only person that had that sort of thing happened too. But he was the one person that made me take a serious look at things.

 We do still sell freezer beef but we certainly do not push it. Since that experience we have started selling bundles and guess what they contain. Everything he wanted to order (burger, steaks, and roast - PLUS a few other things like brats, patties, kabobs, etc.). My thought is this, if someone is just wanting bulk beef at a reduced price per pound, I can do that for them and they come out the winner and I still get to harvest the soup bones, dog bones, liver, kidneys, heart, oxtail, brisket, and so much more! It's a win win for all parties! Nevertheless, if you would like more information on how we help people get premium 100% Grass-Fed and Grass-FINISHED Beef as freezer beef look down below!

A Better Way

We are streamlining our business model, and although you can still purchase a Whole Beef, we have moved away from selling Quarters and Halves - for several reasons. The two biggest being that:

1. In general, the majority of customers prefer simplicity - not dealing with the huge variance between hoof weight and hanging weight, or hanging weight and take-home weight.
2. We saw a lot of product being wasted when processing Quarters and Halves, e.g., bones, tallow, sweetbreads, etc. The majority of our customers are unable to fully utilize the entire cow.

Therefore, we moved to the simplicity and demand for Beef Bundles. These Beef Bundles have proven to be more along the lines of what most customers want - a bundle of steaks, roasts, ground burger, and some other products thrown in for good measure. This simplified process has reduced the back and forth dialog, saved time, and has greatly reduced waste. Our Beef Bundles have made many happy customers.

So, you still want to purchase a whole cow?

For those still desiring to purchase the WHOLE cow (and yes it can be split up with whomever you desire), please follow these steps:

1. Schedule Processing Date: Once you have confirmed with us that we have a cow suited to your desires, reach out to your processor. Call and secure a date that fits your schedule. This gives you time to budget, empty (or buy) a freezer, or any other planning needed. 

Before the pandemic, we used a Bardstown processor, whom we were very happy with, Boone's Butcher Shop. Their phone number is 502-348-3668. I always enjoyed talking with Jerry (an owner) and Pam (the manager).

1. Contact Me: Once you’ve scheduled a processing date, contact me, and we will discuss the estimated price and deposit. We cannot hold a cow for anyone unless a deposit is paid.
2. Pay Deposit: A deposit, which is half of the estimated total, should be paid via our emailed invoice. Await your scheduled date following any instructions your processor gives you, e.g., cut requests, etc. 
3. Pay Balance: Final payment will be based on the weight prior to leaving the farm. Before I load the cow and deliver it to the processor, be sure to pay the balance owed that will be sent to you by way of another emailed invoice.
4. Pickup: Processor will notify you of the date that your beef is ready for pickup from their location. Please make arrangements with them for the best time and any boxes or coolers that you need to bring with you.

Cost

We offer you a whole cow around $5.50/LB, hoof weight, plus a $50 one way delivery fee to our nearest Bardstown processor. If you want a different processor, the delivery fee is a minimum of $50, or $2/mile, whichever is greater from our farm. Deposit is refundable for seven (7) days from initial payment. Our cows are ready for processing around an average of 900+/- pounds (if you want a different size, please let us know). The only cost that is NOT payable to us, is what your processor charges you to process and package your product based on your instructions to them … on average, the last I knew, that’s about $0.67/LB in Bardstown. In general, prices are subject to change, but this will give you an approximate in the process.

If this sounds like something you’d like, feel free to let me know OR, if it sounds like too much, check out our Beef Bundles. If you have any other questions, I’d love to answer them for you. Email Jonathan for questions: Jwatson.LWR@Gmail.com