Thanks for sharing. I’ve got two freezers fully stocked with locally raised grass fed/grass finished beef and it beats the heck out of commercially raised corn fed beef. I have a standby generator just in case. We had a delicious pot roast for last night’s Sunday Dinner and it’s convenient going to my freezer instead of the store. It’s also wonderful knowing you are supporting a local farm Family, not some faceless corporate entity. Buy local! Great video, appreciate you!
Honestly this is the best breakdown on TH-cam. I’ve watched so many videos trying to figure out if it was worth it, and you did an amazing job explaining it. Support your local farms and buy local!
In about a week or so I’m picking up our second whole beef. First one lasted us about 8 months or so (big family). We also grabbed a 1/4 to make sure we would be set. Needless to say, we are plenty set for a LONG time. Best investment we’ve ever made and far superior to anything on store shelves. Buy local!!
I love how descriptive this video is. Buying a 1/4 cow in canada for $850.00 from my neighbor cut and wrapped. We got so much rain this year, just grass everywhere.
This was helpful. I’ve recently purchased two freezers and a little champion generator for backup power when needed and hopefully will be filling them soon also supporting someone who’s local that responsibly raises the animals. Thanks for your time sharing your experience and blessings to your family.
Since mom passed a few years ago my dad hasn't been keeping the out door freezer to fool and we been talking about unplugging it. I'm going to take it when I move out of my apartment next year, but lately we been talking about maybe getting a 1/4 and filling it that way and get a bit of a discount off the meat prices.
We had a Jersey cow butchered from a local farmer a month ago, we brought home 400 lbs of beef. The total came to $5.25 a lb. All the beef was double wrap once with cellophane and then wrapped with butcher paper, so no worries of freezer burn. I deer hunt and process my own venison and wrap it the same way. The beef is grown the way we used to raise them growing up, nicely marbled fantastic authentic beef flavor. We do not like grass fed only beef, we find it tasteless. People that have never bought a beef and had it processed do not know what they are missing. I find if you’re able to save a little extra each paycheck it will payoff to do this.
Good video and you actually got a good deal for all said and done. Isn't high and isn't cheap. I do custom Processing here and your numbers are pretty dead on with what you would expect to get back. Just so much varies on weight. Also how much fat or how lean. Bone on or bone out cuts. Looks like good marble also. 1200lbs is my ideal weight for beef to process. My fav cut is the Ribeyes 1.25 inches. But you can't go wrong with roasts. Crockpot, carrots and potatoes! Enjoy your beef. Seems like that butcher is doing a good job. Enjoyed the video.
Thanks for watching and commenting. Just had steak tonight, and it was incredible. I’m hoping these Red Devons we’re raising come in close to that ideal weight you’re talking about.
Times have changed. January 2024. I just bought a 1/4 cow. 40 lbs hamburger. 65 lbs various steak cuts. 750 dollars. It comes out roughly to 5 bucks a lb for burger and 8.46 for steaks. Still cheaper than the grocery store and way better quality.
THIS IS PERFECT!!!!!!!! I am teaching HOME EC, and there is a section on why use a butcher and not the grocery store. I have looked all over for such information that you have here in simple, broken down format. I LOVE it!!!!! THANK YOU👍👍👍 Question....where do you get the USDA break down that you showed? They have already gone to the grocery store to get those prices, but I just wanted to have another option. Again....THANK YOU!!!
You can tell your wife that I got a lot from this ! Lol my wife and I are looking to get a 1/4 split and we are pretty close to winners ! So glad to find this video !
Highly recommend to get a 1/4th atleast. If you split a 1/4th and only get a 1/8th you really don't get much at all. Plus it's very complicated to divide and split that way
Wonderful Video!! We raise completely grass feed steer the taste and quality is far better then any grocery. You are 100% correct if you can finically afford bulk prices and have the storage for the quantity of meat you receive your investment will pay off. Grass feed beef is healthier to consume and when you compare prices you will come out ahead on your investment compared to grocery prices.
How do you figure you can grow 100% grass fed hay does not count and grass fed will never taste better or be more tender than grain fed if you don't believe that I have a whole freezer full and it's even a Holstein way better than any beef breed
@@jasonleckrone2577 According to AGA, ruminants on pasture may be fed “hay & haylage, balage, silage, forage products, crop residue without grain, small grains harvested in the pre-dough stage, and roughage.” www.americangrassfed.org Obviously, nobody wins the taste test debate, regardless of who says what. I will say this: This video is about our quarter cow we purchased from a local farm family who feeds both grass and grain and the meat is INCREDIBLE! You grass/grain farmers do an excellent job raising tasty beef - some of the best steak I’ve ever had! My grandfather was a row cropper, and so I love you guys, but here are a few candid questions I have surrounding this debate (may they in no way disrespect any hard-working farmer reading this, but initiate further discussion): Why won’t most row croppers acknowledge not everybody has half a million dollars, nor wants to spend it for equipment that operates within a system that continually enslaves its participants (seed costs, chemical fertilizers, etc.)? Can this way of raising grain, and consequently cattle, really continue? Isn’t that the definition of successful farming - to be able to continue on your land, independently of corporate interests? Some farmers in my area are considering not even planting seeds this year because of the high costs. They are trapped in a brutal system that is breaking all around them, and my heart breaks for them. I pray God provides them a way out. Grass is all some farmers have and all they wish to have for the simple reason that it independently feeds out ruminants, who then feed us. Sure, it can be trendy, and some are over the top, but I fear many will be surprised at who is still farming in just a few short years.
@@birchfieldfarming so then you can't feed corn silage correct because the last time I checked it had grain in it you can keep your grass fed leather and I'll stick with my grain fed melt in your mouth
From the numbers you've graciously provided - I believe we can calculate a "Guestimation" formula of how much a person would be paying per pound for "end-product". Take whatever the hanging weight cost price is - and multiply by a factor of 1.57 So in the case here - the "end product" is 60% of its hanging weight - which was 193 lbs 193x.6 = 116 lbs of "end-product" The total cost paid = ($623 to farmer) + ($173 to processor) = $792.00 So in this case - $792.00 was paid for 116 lbs of "end-product" This yields an averaged cost per lbs of $6.90/ lbs In this case - there are two payments. One for the farmer and the other for the processor - which have to be calculated in order to find the correct hanging weight cost. Farmer hanging-weight cost = $3.25 Processor hanging-weight cost = $1.12 Correct hanging-weight cost = $4.37 per lbs So if we take corrected hanging-weight of $4.37 and multiply by 1.57 we get a "Guestimation" cost of $6.90 per lbs - which is what was paid in this case. So for anyone wanting to "Guestinmate" an average cost/lbs - they can do so by multiplying the corrected hanging-weight cost by a factor of 1.57
This is awesome! Thank you for providing this for myself and our viewers!! One of the challenging aspects to a video like this is the crazy inflation. My numbers are pretty outdated now. I made another video on a half a cow about 7 months ago. I’ll link below. I’m really curious if you think your formula holds true or is close with those numbers as well? Thanks again for this!!🤠 th-cam.com/video/dgeLMXaIGi0/w-d-xo.html
I just bought a half beef a few days ago. It’s all in the freezer now. I’ve been wanting to do it for years, but finally did it this year. It’s a few years later from the time you made this video and I probably live in a much more expensive part of the country than you do, but mine came out with, everything added up together all the fees, etc., all the money to the farmer and butcher, etc. etc. all came out to $8.80 per pound. And I got 263 pounds. That’s ridiculous for hamburger, but really really good for ribeye :-) to me it all evens out in the end. It’s very good quality meat. I will definitely be doing this again
I think I would have wrapped each piece in freezer wrap before placing in the freezer. A second layer of plastic as in a freezer bag would work as well. Just a gut feeling.
We actually just finished consuming all of this meat, and it was delicious - some of the best beef I’ve ever had. We go thru it so fast that another wrapping is unnecessary, but might be a good idea if it was sitting for more than a year.
It is where we get ours. One it is excellent we know the breeder and the care and no preservatives. Ours ended up being 4.91 a lbs. for all cuts we got 320 lbs. ours was 4.00 a pound. Our processing fees were 294.
Sounds like you did well. You know, one thing to consider is prices have gone up considerably since I made this video. Maybe I need to do a follow-up this year.
I live alone and bought 1/2 a heifer this year for $1600. I paid $5.50 a pound. I'm in Ontario Canada. I shared some with my 3 sons families, my sister and a niece. It's fantastic and here you can't buy hamburger for $5.50 .
Label your beef. Cut of beef, bone in or not. Weight and date it was butchered plus the date it was placed in the freezer. Make sure older meat is on top of your freezer so you can get to it first. Keep a thermometer in the freezer. Keeping a recording device of temperature is a good idea to. Remember your beef makes good barter to. You can trade for lamb, game or services. Do not stack your freezer completely full. Plan your meals when you buy a portion of beef. I like my beef finished. Corn and grain fed for 60 to.90 days before it is butchered. A 1/4 of beef is a lot of meat. Enjoy.
saw a trick long time ago. freeze a plastic cup of water & place a penny / nickel on top it & if you find it on bottom one day you know everything defrosted.
I'm in Saskatchewan Canada, I just bought a 1/4 of a cow 180 pounds cut and wrapped by the rancher at $5.50 a pound for a total of $990.00 delivered, it sounds high but if I were to go buy at the supermarket it works out to $19.00 a pound. And this meat is government inspected so you know it's good, the family that sells the meat has been in the cattle business for over 100 years. Can't wait to fire up the old BBQ this year.
Thanks for the video. I’ve thought about doing something similar where I live here in Florida. When seeing your comparison the store prices seem very high to me. Ground beef @6.99 lb, T-bones @15.99. I just don’t see those prices. If the stores prices are not accurate it sort of favors the but a half side of beef in my view. The quality of the beef may be better. I really don’t know but beef is usda graded and that’s also important in this comparison I would think.
…and unfortunately we’ve only gone straight up on those prices since this video was made 9 months ago. I heard last night another 10% hike within the next few months. I never expected this video to get this much attention when I made it!
Farm bought is almost always better in taste and the quality is very good but it use to be a better price! There is not enough saving to justify the hassle in this deal but if there happy with the deal then good for them!
@@raygunnerloadrick6955 I paid 3.25/lb for more than 300lbs... it's well worth it. The meat in grocery stores in now way compares to the quality and taste! It does come out to be much cheaper especially the cuts you'll be getting! . I'm talking feeding a family of 2 for a whole year or a single person more than a year of good eating daily!!!!! There is no comparison
@@birchfieldfarming butcher's here swear that the wax coated paper protects meat longer than the vacuum bags do. I think the vacuum plastic still allows moisture to leech out leading to freezer burn sooner.
Good, you're happy w/ the results. I know every situation is different, however for me that wouldn't be worth it.. For one, 64 pounds of ground beef? I wouldn't buy that much ground beef in 5 years. I suppose if you have a large family it would work out.
Yeah, I’m feeding a family of 5, so we actually just finished up this meat and have ordered a half next. If I was by myself, it would be way too much, but one other idea is to get a few friends together on a bulk purchase. Thanks for watching!
I don't know exactly where you're located but your processing stuff was a lot higher I just got a quarter the other day the processing they do not charge for grinding in fact I had mine all made into hamburger they charge $25 for a kill fee and it was a dollar for cutting wrap so my my axle cost processing 4 lb was cheaper I took and waited out when I got home the packaged meat I had 107 lb of hamburger out of 160 pounds hanging weight which brings that factor to about $7 a pound because I paid 3 1/2 to a farmer so far as saving money I don't know to me just making all hamburger got good good hamburger but $7 a pound is pretty heavy
The thing to remember about my video though is that it was made about 9 months ago, and everything has gone up. It doesn’t sound like you did too bad to me! I bet you got some tasty meat and don’t have to worry about trucks (or lack there of) delivering to stores in the coming months.
I do most of the grocery shopping and cooking in my house(I have culinary training). I live in an expensive NE state and I buy my meat when it is on sale and then vacuum seal it and freeze it. I pay about 1 dollar less to half of the prices you are quoting. I am already going to the store most weeks so it isn't an inconvenience or added expense outside of a couple of freezer vacuum bags I buy in bulk when they are on sale. It is nice to know where your food comes from but it costs me substantially less than what you are quoting from the store and the farm. Not knocking what you are doing, but the numbers aren't quite what I experience.
Yeah, it’s always been interesting to me how different the cost of living is in different areas of the country. You bring up an interesting point, which I continue to run into on my channel - what works in one geographic area of the country doesn’t necessarily work in another. It’s curious for sure, thanks for the comment.
@@birchfieldfarming You are welcome. My wife comes from Utah and they are more in tune with the prices you are using. They live in the middle of nowhere. I cook a lot of different foods and like to find different produce. My wife had never seen a parsnip before moving out here or many of the Asian/Indian dishes I cook. My buddy is from upstate NY and was talking about lobsters and couldn't believe that we get them for $6.99 a pound during sales in the summer when he pays $25 a pound most of the time and Utah they generally can't get them. I don't like to shop for food at Walmart, but my wife's family has no choice but to drive 45 minutes to shop at one for their groceries. It might be interesting if you were to collate a bunch of data from various subscribers that live in different areas of the country.
The short answer is yes. But there IS a better way. Buy a HALF!! So many benefits to this well beyond the monetary savings. You will be helping a rancher survive and provide for their family. The quality of the product will be superior. You money will stay local. Tons of reasons to do this!!
Looks like you got the hind quarter. Wonder how much more a fore quarter costs. There you would have brisket and beef short ribs. And wondering the ratio of ground beef to cuts.
Ouch!!!☝️😳… DEFINITELY great info in this video!!!. I know now that this is DEFINITELY not for me!!! I’ll just continue to buy fresh at the market when needed!. Don’t like dealing with thawing and freezer burn anyway!. Great helpful video!!!☝️ good luck to y’all!🤙
Here in New Jersey. I just paid $1025 for a 1/4 beef, 100lbs of grass fed and finished. Butchered and vacuum sealed. Maybe these prices are for grain fed? Either that or I just got massively ripped off lol
Yes, this was grass/grain, and made awhile ago. Inflation has been brutal! Plus, your cost of living out in Jersey is probably higher than here. Lots of factors, but the main thing is you’ve now got a freezer full of great beef!
Freezer burn is mainly from the thaw/freeze cycle of a "frost-free" freezer. Chest freezers, like the one shown here, generally don't have a defrost cycle. They have to be defrosted periodically by hand (i.e. empty the freezer, turn it off, let all the water drain out), but it means that stuff you put in it *stays frozen* and so won't get freezer burn. The packaging looks fine to me, but it's not going to contribute to freezer burn in any case.
if you want to see what we farmers get per pound for beef if we sell to the stock yard go to MILWAUKEE STOCKYARDS in reeseville wisconsin and the upper left side click on the sale date it will show you what the farmer gets per pound! and remember the stockyard ONLY has to sell 1 animal at TOP price to post that number. the rest can bring 5 to 15 cents a pound less. i am working with a couple of people now 1 is a carpenter another is a mechanic they help me and in return they get beef. have another guy who is a plumber and electrician who is going to join in AND they are going to figure their jobs like farmers wages!! like the carpenter mechanic plumber ALL make over $100 a hour at their business BUT we sat down and i showed them what i make and how much my pay has went up the last 5 years compared to them and we all agreed at their service at $50.00 a hour. cause they know i make WAAAAY less than 50 a hour and i have to pay my own insurance and maintain my equipment just like them BUT now they know i am NOT allowed to raise prices for what i produce UNLESS i sell direct
I love the way your lovely wife was into making a TH-cam video out of this. Over here it is much more common to fill the freezer with a quarter of a moose.
As a butcher how do you get porterhouse and rib steaks from a quarter of beef. 1 comes from the hind and the other from the front. I think I get what they did too many variables for me..
Yeah, they’re processing the entire animal and dividing into quarters at the end for sale purposes. Definitely lots to keep track of as a processor - thankful we have competent local farmers and processors that bring us a final product far superior to grocery store meat.
It's funny most think of a 1/4th a cow as just getting it from the front or the hind lol. They don't realize the whole half is done, then split 50/50 to get a 1/4th for a customer. Problem is, getting 2 people to agree to a even split. I have customers that want roasts and some want them in burger so you have to keep them separate, weigh, and add or subtract the difference in burger
This would be called a "mixed" quarter. I have my butcher split the animal in 2 for me. When I get it home, I do the "mix" and deliver it to co-workers/friends. Less work for the butcher.
Great info - I went in on 1/2 cow with my brothers. We split got a great grass fed cow for $1600 (1/2) and between us we cam away with over 230 lbs of meat. Most of (70%)which i asked was ground beef. I will do it again this spring. Maybe to buy a 1/2 just for myself.
Twice in the last year I’ve bought a 1/4 of a cow. From now on I’m getting a half of a cow. 1/4 isn’t very much meat. Way less than I thought it would be.
Eating commercial raised beef, pork or chicken doesn’t taste near as good as home grown meat in my opinion. That’s an extra benefit to supporting your local farmer!
Family of 5, and it’ll last us 6 to 8 months of moderate use, meaning a couple meals a week. I made the video about 9 months ago, and we actually just ran out.
Much harm has been done, to fellow human beings and the planet alike, in pursuit of "less expensive". It's great that you're saving money, but IMHO you don't even need to look to that to justify the bulk buy. Even if it had cost a little more, you've got lots of other reasons to do it. Like you said, you're buying more directly, which has a lot of other benefits. You have better confidence in the quality and proper practices raising the beef. You also help keep the money in your local economy, supporting your neighbors. There's also a significant benefit in a diversified food supply, both in terms of food safety as well as resilience of the supply chain. Of course, big companies packing meat to sell nationwide aren't always the best in terms of looking out for broader societal interests, while your neighbors are much more likely to be. Not everyone's got a big chest freezer to store the meat, the capability to weather power outages that might make food spoil, or even can afford to buy all their meat at once. But it's great when someone can. No real downside, and lots of upside.
I’m sure the charges vary widely between processors and regions - hopefully folks can still see the point, which is to stop buying grocery store meat and support local farmers.
It wasn't that high. We charge 110 for that. Most get 80-100 on average. I'm sure it's a reason for the 128 to kill the whole beef and as the buyer said it varies
Wow! She's a ham! Constantly has the look of "you're a fool. You don't know what you're doing. This is dumb to be filming. I don't want to be on camera(why would you film that cocky mug anyway?🙄)" Fools will be fools! 👍 I appreciate videos like this, because it gives someone an idea of how to pick up the order and what containers they may need, how big the freezer needs to be to hold all the meat, pricing is really irrelevant; since every area will be different with pricing, BUT, This was an excellent reference video for those who have never bought a whole cow, half or quarter! Now, time to take HER to market! 👍 Thanks for the info, 🌲Washibgton State🌲🌅💖
It will probably NEVER be about the dollars per pound savings over store prices. You just have more control over what YOUR animal ate and did not eat and how it was treated in life and so on.
You’re right - there are so many other reasons to raise your own and/or buy locally. One other thing I ponder is the brutal centralization of the big 4 meat packers. If Covid taught us anything, it was that the decentralization of the food supply thru local production and direct sales should be a top priority.
@@birchfieldfarming We definitely need to maintain access to local butchering alongside the mega ones. Same thing goes for the entire food supply imo. That's why I began looking at rural YT channels even though I'm pretty much a city guy. I want to know as much as possible about the how and where as I can. Growing up our family tried the half-cow purchase once with another family straight from the farmer and got some help processing the carcass on the farm from a guy who'd done it before. We never got another because my sisters kept whining that the meat didn't taste the same (untrue) because they were squeamish after the side of beef hung in the basement for a couple of days and they got to know the beef before it hit the deep freezer then the plate.
@@nunyafawkingbiz Depends on how many meals a week. Once or twice a week, and I’d say you’d be eating on that for at least a year. Only thing to think about there is freezer burn if you’re going to keep it frozen longer than a year. I’ve seen it last longer, just depends on how well it’s packaged.
@@birchfieldfarming thank you for the info. I want also to buy bulk beef and i live in Southwest Germany. Beef is very expensive here. Steaks and Tomahawks are pricy...
@@johndavidshostak4124 Wish I could help. I don’t know anyone across the pond with bulk beef, but maybe someone who does will read this and chime in here! You never know. Take care!
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Thanks for sharing. I’ve got two freezers fully stocked with locally raised grass fed/grass finished beef and it beats the heck out of commercially raised corn fed beef. I have a standby generator just in case. We had a delicious pot roast for last night’s Sunday Dinner and it’s convenient going to my freezer instead of the store. It’s also wonderful knowing you are supporting a local farm Family, not some faceless corporate entity. Buy local! Great video, appreciate you!
Thanks for watching, enjoy the great beef!
Honestly this is the best breakdown on TH-cam. I’ve watched so many videos trying to figure out if it was worth it, and you did an amazing job explaining it. Support your local farms and buy local!
Thanks Justin!🤠
In about a week or so I’m picking up our second whole beef. First one lasted us about 8 months or so (big family). We also grabbed a 1/4 to make sure we would be set. Needless to say, we are plenty set for a LONG time. Best investment we’ve ever made and far superior to anything on store shelves. Buy local!!
A whole beef!…Your freezer must be massive.
Woah, the meat lasta for 8 months?
Why not buy a little less meat and relatively more often
You would get fresh meat
I love how descriptive this video is. Buying a 1/4 cow in canada for $850.00 from my neighbor cut and wrapped. We got so much rain this year, just grass everywhere.
Nice work, sounds like a great deal! Enjoy that meat. 🥩 🤠🍻
Omg those "No coffee yet" faces in the beginning were priceless
🤣💯
This was helpful. I’ve recently purchased two freezers and a little champion generator for backup power when needed and hopefully will be filling them soon also supporting someone who’s local that responsibly raises the animals. Thanks for your time sharing your experience and blessings to your family.
Great thinking! Blessings to you and yours as well😀
hope things work out keep growing your herd. wife has a great laugh
Thanks for watching
Great video!!! Thanks for being transparent with us.
You got it, thanks for watching!
Since mom passed a few years ago my dad hasn't been keeping the out door freezer to fool and we been talking about unplugging it. I'm going to take it when I move out of my apartment next year, but lately we been talking about maybe getting a 1/4 and filling it that way and get a bit of a discount off the meat prices.
It worked for us…best of luck
I've always wondered about prices concerning buying different weights. I've never done it, for just that reason. Great video, thanks for the info!!
You got it, thanks for watching!
We had a Jersey cow butchered from a local farmer a month ago, we brought home 400 lbs of beef. The total came to $5.25 a lb. All the beef was double wrap once with cellophane and then wrapped with butcher paper, so no worries of freezer burn. I deer hunt and process my own venison and wrap it the same way. The beef is grown the way we used to raise them growing up, nicely marbled fantastic authentic beef flavor. We do not like grass fed only beef, we find it tasteless. People that have never bought a beef and had it processed do not know what they are missing. I find if you’re able to save a little extra each paycheck it will payoff to do this.
Great advice
That sigh at the beginning. 🤣 My wife gets so mad at me for breathing sometimes. 😆
🤣🤣🤣🍻
Thank you Sir for the information. I’m thinking about doing the same. 🙏❤️
Best of luck!🤠
Thanks for the info, I also try to support local farmers.
Thanks for watching!🤠
Good video and you actually got a good deal for all said and done. Isn't high and isn't cheap. I do custom Processing here and your numbers are pretty dead on with what you would expect to get back. Just so much varies on weight. Also how much fat or how lean. Bone on or bone out cuts. Looks like good marble also. 1200lbs is my ideal weight for beef to process. My fav cut is the Ribeyes 1.25 inches. But you can't go wrong with roasts. Crockpot, carrots and potatoes! Enjoy your beef. Seems like that butcher is doing a good job. Enjoyed the video.
Thanks for watching and commenting. Just had steak tonight, and it was incredible. I’m hoping these Red Devons we’re raising come in close to that ideal weight you’re talking about.
Thank you for the spreadsheet breakdown on price difference.
You got it - Thanks for watching!
Times have changed. January 2024. I just bought a 1/4 cow. 40 lbs hamburger. 65 lbs various steak cuts. 750 dollars. It comes out roughly to 5 bucks a lb for burger and 8.46 for steaks. Still cheaper than the grocery store and way better quality.
Thanks for the update!🤠
Thank you for this video! Very helpful. I'm trying to find local farmers near me where I can do this.
Best of luck! Glad it was helpful.😀
THIS IS PERFECT!!!!!!!! I am teaching HOME EC, and there is a section on why use a butcher and not the grocery store. I have looked all over for such information that you have here in simple, broken down format. I LOVE it!!!!! THANK YOU👍👍👍 Question....where do you get the USDA break down that you showed? They have already gone to the grocery store to get those prices, but I just wanted to have another option.
Again....THANK YOU!!!
Thanks, Jenn! I believe the USDA info was here: www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lswbfrtl.pdf
You can tell your wife that I got a lot from this ! Lol my wife and I are looking to get a 1/4 split and we are pretty close to winners ! So glad to find this video !
Oh, I will let her know!🤣. Glad it was helpful. Best of luck on the beef!
Highly recommend to get a 1/4th atleast. If you split a 1/4th and only get a 1/8th you really don't get much at all. Plus it's very complicated to divide and split that way
@@hdelano11 a quarter split is still a quarter of the cow it’s just part of the front and the rear
Support your man. This is good info!
Thanks for watching!🍻
Great info....thank you so much. It was helpful. We are buying our first side of beef and you helped.
Buying beef in a form other than the finished, packaged pound can be a daunting task. I’m glad this helped, and I sure hope it’s tasty!🤠
Wonderful Video!! We raise completely grass feed steer the taste and quality is far better then any grocery. You are 100% correct if you can finically afford bulk prices and have the storage for the quantity of meat you receive your investment will pay off.
Grass feed beef is healthier to consume and when you compare prices you will come out ahead on your investment compared to grocery prices.
Thanks Matt - Keep up the good work raising top quality beef!
How do you figure you can grow 100% grass fed hay does not count and grass fed will never taste better or be more tender than grain fed if you don't believe that I have a whole freezer full and it's even a Holstein way better than any beef breed
@@jasonleckrone2577 According to AGA, ruminants on pasture may be fed “hay & haylage, balage, silage, forage products, crop residue without grain, small grains harvested in the pre-dough stage, and roughage.” www.americangrassfed.org
Obviously, nobody wins the taste test debate, regardless of who says what. I will say this: This video is about our quarter cow we purchased from a local farm family who feeds both grass and grain and the meat is INCREDIBLE! You grass/grain farmers do an excellent job raising tasty beef - some of the best steak I’ve ever had!
My grandfather was a row cropper, and so I love you guys, but here are a few candid questions I have surrounding this debate (may they in no way disrespect any hard-working farmer reading this, but initiate further discussion): Why won’t most row croppers acknowledge not everybody has half a million dollars, nor wants to spend it for equipment that operates within a system that continually enslaves its participants (seed costs, chemical fertilizers, etc.)? Can this way of raising grain, and consequently cattle, really continue? Isn’t that the definition of successful farming - to be able to continue on your land, independently of corporate interests? Some farmers in my area are considering not even planting seeds this year because of the high costs. They are trapped in a brutal system that is breaking all around them, and my heart breaks for them. I pray God provides them a way out.
Grass is all some farmers have and all they wish to have for the simple reason that it independently feeds out ruminants, who then feed us. Sure, it can be trendy, and some are over the top, but I fear many will be surprised at who is still farming in just a few short years.
@@birchfieldfarming so then you can't feed corn silage correct because the last time I checked it had grain in it you can keep your grass fed leather and I'll stick with my grain fed melt in your mouth
@@jasonleckrone2577 The Lord bless you, Sir, your herd, and your farming endeavors.
We put a steer in the freezer every year. Knowing where it came from means a lot. Knowing that all hamburger came from one animal means a lot too.
Only way to go!👍
We do too but it's hard keeping him in there.
So there are some meats you probably wouldn't buy at the store but knowing that the cows are treated well makes up the difference ❤
👍👍
This video is greatly appreciated.
Thanks for watching!
Let your wife know I love how yall love each other and this video made me want to subscribe and watch yall again...love.it
Thanks Kenny!😀
love this! thank you for the laughs ... much needed! 💕 great information as well. blessings
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing this valuable info; looking to do the same.
Thanks for watching!
From the numbers you've graciously provided - I believe we can calculate a "Guestimation" formula of how much a person would be paying per pound for "end-product". Take whatever the hanging weight cost price is - and multiply by a factor of 1.57
So in the case here - the "end product" is 60% of its hanging weight - which was 193 lbs
193x.6 = 116 lbs of "end-product"
The total cost paid = ($623 to farmer) + ($173 to processor) = $792.00
So in this case - $792.00 was paid for 116 lbs of "end-product"
This yields an averaged cost per lbs of $6.90/ lbs
In this case - there are two payments. One for the farmer and the other for the processor - which have to be calculated in order to find the correct hanging weight cost.
Farmer hanging-weight cost = $3.25
Processor hanging-weight cost = $1.12
Correct hanging-weight cost = $4.37 per lbs
So if we take corrected hanging-weight of $4.37 and multiply by 1.57 we get a "Guestimation" cost of $6.90 per lbs - which is what was paid in this case.
So for anyone wanting to "Guestinmate" an average cost/lbs - they can do so by multiplying the corrected hanging-weight cost by a factor of 1.57
This is awesome! Thank you for providing this for myself and our viewers!!
One of the challenging aspects to a video like this is the crazy inflation. My numbers are pretty outdated now. I made another video on a half a cow about 7 months ago. I’ll link below. I’m really curious if you think your formula holds true or is close with those numbers as well? Thanks again for this!!🤠
th-cam.com/video/dgeLMXaIGi0/w-d-xo.html
@@birchfieldfarming Very much my pleasure! Thank you very much!!!
3-30-23... wanting to buy a 1/4 and just the vid I needed
Awesome, best of luck!🤠
I just bought a half beef a few days ago. It’s all in the freezer now. I’ve been wanting to do it for years, but finally did it this year. It’s a few years later from the time you made this video and I probably live in a much more expensive part of the country than you do, but mine came out with, everything added up together all the fees, etc., all the money to the farmer and butcher, etc. etc. all came out to $8.80 per pound. And I got 263 pounds. That’s ridiculous for hamburger, but really really good for ribeye :-) to me it all evens out in the end. It’s very good quality meat. I will definitely be doing this again
@@nogames8982 Nice work & thanks for sharing!!🤠
I think I would have wrapped each piece in freezer wrap before placing in the freezer. A second layer of plastic as in a freezer bag would work as well. Just a gut feeling.
We actually just finished consuming all of this meat, and it was delicious - some of the best beef I’ve ever had. We go thru it so fast that another wrapping is unnecessary, but might be a good idea if it was sitting for more than a year.
Great analysis and vlog!
Thanks for watching🍻
It is where we get ours. One it is excellent we know the breeder and the care and no preservatives. Ours ended up being 4.91 a lbs. for all cuts we got 320 lbs. ours was 4.00 a pound. Our processing fees were 294.
The beef is so much better than from grocery store. It’s worth paying more.
Sounds like you did well. You know, one thing to consider is prices have gone up considerably since I made this video. Maybe I need to do a follow-up this year.
I live alone and bought 1/2 a heifer this year for $1600. I paid $5.50 a pound. I'm in Ontario Canada. I shared some with my 3 sons families, my sister and a niece. It's fantastic and here you can't buy hamburger for $5.50 .
That’s a great deal, healthy, and what a bonus to be supporting a local farmer as well!🤠
Label your beef. Cut of beef, bone in or not. Weight and date it was butchered plus the date it was placed in the freezer. Make sure older meat is on top of your freezer so you can get to it first. Keep a thermometer in the freezer. Keeping a recording device of temperature is a good idea to.
Remember your beef makes good barter to. You can trade for lamb, game or services. Do not stack your freezer completely full. Plan your meals when you buy a portion of beef.
I like my beef finished. Corn and grain fed for 60 to.90 days before it is butchered. A 1/4 of beef is a lot of meat. Enjoy.
Thanks, George
saw a trick long time ago. freeze a plastic cup of water & place a penny / nickel on top it & if you find it on bottom one day you know everything defrosted.
I'm in Saskatchewan Canada, I just bought a 1/4 of a cow 180 pounds cut and wrapped by the rancher at $5.50 a pound for a total of $990.00 delivered, it sounds high but if I were to go buy at the supermarket it works out to $19.00 a pound. And this meat is government inspected so you know it's good, the family that sells the meat has been in the cattle business for over 100 years. Can't wait to fire up the old BBQ this year.
That sounds phenomenal! Enjoy every bit of it!🤠
The first thirty seconds of the video says a lot about their relationship. 👍
Thanks for the video. I’ve thought about doing something similar where I live here in Florida. When seeing your comparison the store prices seem very high to me. Ground beef @6.99 lb, T-bones @15.99. I just don’t see those prices. If the stores prices are not accurate it sort of favors the but a half side of beef in my view. The quality of the beef may be better. I really don’t know but beef is usda graded and that’s also important in this comparison I would think.
…and unfortunately we’ve only gone straight up on those prices since this video was made 9 months ago. I heard last night another 10% hike within the next few months. I never expected this video to get this much attention when I made it!
Farm bought is almost always better in taste and the quality is very good but it use to be a better price! There is not enough saving to justify the hassle in this deal but if there happy with the deal then good for them!
@@raygunnerloadrick6955 I paid 2.50 per lbs hanging weight and 265 for processing. Very much worth the hassle for the savings
@@SumOneSomewhere well yeah at 2.50 per pound
@@raygunnerloadrick6955 I paid 3.25/lb for more than 300lbs... it's well worth it. The meat in grocery stores in now way compares to the quality and taste! It does come out to be much cheaper especially the cuts you'll be getting! . I'm talking feeding a family of 2 for a whole year or a single person more than a year of good eating daily!!!!! There is no comparison
WOW that's 1/4 cow?! Can't beat that
Thank you for the video. Very informational! I can see my wife giving me the same looks if I made a video like this. LOL
🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for the informative video. 👍
Absolutely, thanks for watching
The info is worth it great information
He has his own farm. He can raise his own cow for free. Seems strange.
I would prefer true butcher's paper for wrapping over the vacuum pkg. and the pkg qtys aren't ideal. Price good and quality looked good too!
What’s the advantage to butcher’s paper? Is it just not wanting plastic?
@@birchfieldfarming butcher's here swear that the wax coated paper protects meat longer than the vacuum bags do. I think the vacuum plastic still allows moisture to leech out leading to freezer burn sooner.
@@kenthhamner2641 Interesting, thanks for sharing!
Good, you're happy w/ the results. I know every situation is different, however for me that wouldn't be worth it.. For one, 64 pounds of ground beef? I wouldn't buy that much ground beef in 5 years. I suppose if you have a large family it would work out.
Yeah, I’m feeding a family of 5, so we actually just finished up this meat and have ordered a half next. If I was by myself, it would be way too much, but one other idea is to get a few friends together on a bulk purchase. Thanks for watching!
@@birchfieldfarming going in with others is a good idea
love your hat! It makes me homesick though.
…I really wish this video was on bison meat that I had processed myself. Farm goals, someday.
I get gifted a quarter beef every fall for my hard labor around the farm
Sounds like a sweet deal!
You can use the ground beef for making sausages.
Sounds delicious!😀
I don't know exactly where you're located but your processing stuff was a lot higher I just got a quarter the other day the processing they do not charge for grinding in fact I had mine all made into hamburger they charge $25 for a kill fee and it was a dollar for cutting wrap so my my axle cost processing 4 lb was cheaper I took and waited out when I got home the packaged meat I had 107 lb of hamburger out of 160 pounds hanging weight which brings that factor to about $7 a pound because I paid 3 1/2 to a farmer so far as saving money I don't know to me just making all hamburger got good good hamburger but $7 a pound is pretty heavy
The thing to remember about my video though is that it was made about 9 months ago, and everything has gone up. It doesn’t sound like you did too bad to me! I bet you got some tasty meat and don’t have to worry about trucks (or lack there of) delivering to stores in the coming months.
Wife needs more coffee. Badly. Thanks for the video.
Very useful.
Thanks for watching.
Great video!Have a great day 👍💯
Thank you - you as well!🤠
I like your videoShout out Manny from Chicago Just wondering what state are you in I found the video to be very good
Information
Hi Manny from Chicago!😀. Our farm is right outside Oxford, Ohio (just north of Cincinnati). Home of the Miami Redhawks. Thanks for watching, be well!
What specialty cuts do you usually get when you get 1/4 beef?
We do mostly ground, roasts, brisket, and steak (ribeye, sirloin, etc). Many choices at the processor.
It is great info. And usefull
Thanks, Will👍
I do most of the grocery shopping and cooking in my house(I have culinary training). I live in an expensive NE state and I buy my meat when it is on sale and then vacuum seal it and freeze it. I pay about 1 dollar less to half of the prices you are quoting. I am already going to the store most weeks so it isn't an inconvenience or added expense outside of a couple of freezer vacuum bags I buy in bulk when they are on sale. It is nice to know where your food comes from but it costs me substantially less than what you are quoting from the store and the farm. Not knocking what you are doing, but the numbers aren't quite what I experience.
Yeah, it’s always been interesting to me how different the cost of living is in different areas of the country. You bring up an interesting point, which I continue to run into on my channel - what works in one geographic area of the country doesn’t necessarily work in another. It’s curious for sure, thanks for the comment.
@@birchfieldfarming You are welcome. My wife comes from Utah and they are more in tune with the prices you are using. They live in the middle of nowhere. I cook a lot of different foods and like to find different produce. My wife had never seen a parsnip before moving out here or many of the Asian/Indian dishes I cook. My buddy is from upstate NY and was talking about lobsters and couldn't believe that we get them for $6.99 a pound during sales in the summer when he pays $25 a pound most of the time and Utah they generally can't get them. I don't like to shop for food at Walmart, but my wife's family has no choice but to drive 45 minutes to shop at one for their groceries. It might be interesting if you were to collate a bunch of data from various subscribers that live in different areas of the country.
His eyes are like 😳 I smell my kind on you and it smells like ☠️ am I next. 😆🤣
🤣🤣🤠
We paid 3.50lb for our 1/4 cow, about 250 lbs, processed, packaged and delivered. Much cheaper and better tasting.
Only way to go!👍
Where did you get your 1/4 cow online?
@@desantasmith5539 I called Running W farms, West Branch Michigan.
Awesome! Good info. Do they put the weight on the package label?
Thanks for watching! Yes, I believe weights are on each cut, and each pkg of ground is obviously 1 lb.
@@birchfieldfarming thanks!
The short answer is yes. But there IS a better way. Buy a HALF!! So many benefits to this well beyond the monetary savings. You will be helping a rancher survive and provide for their family. The quality of the product will be superior. You money will stay local. Tons of reasons to do this!!
Half is a great idea!
Looks like you got the hind quarter. Wonder how much more a fore quarter costs. There you would have brisket and beef short ribs. And wondering the ratio of ground beef to cuts.
Our farmer and processor did not differentiate, no cost difference. Interesting question though.
I bought a quarter horse and they gave me the whole thing.
Did you give the butcher a cow tip?
I told him to buy the dip and sell the rip, but he told me to keep the change you filthy animal
Ouch!!!☝️😳… DEFINITELY great info in this video!!!. I know now that this is DEFINITELY not for me!!! I’ll just continue to buy fresh at the market when needed!. Don’t like dealing with thawing and freezer burn anyway!. Great helpful video!!!☝️ good luck to y’all!🤙
👍👍
I've only done a half .......so I won't miss out of half the brisket.
Sounds delicious! We got smart and ordered a half for Summer!
No question the locally raised beef is better quality more humanly raised.
And you can save some money that's a win-win
You got it!👍
Here in New Jersey. I just paid $1025 for a 1/4 beef, 100lbs of grass fed and finished. Butchered and vacuum sealed. Maybe these prices are for grain fed? Either that or I just got massively ripped off lol
Yes, this was grass/grain, and made awhile ago. Inflation has been brutal! Plus, your cost of living out in Jersey is probably higher than here. Lots of factors, but the main thing is you’ve now got a freezer full of great beef!
Did they get freezer burnt the way they packaged /vacuum sealed it? Their method didn't look all that good
Nah, everything has been some of the best we’ve ever had. Packaging has been fine.
Freezer burn is mainly from the thaw/freeze cycle of a "frost-free" freezer.
Chest freezers, like the one shown here, generally don't have a defrost cycle. They have to be defrosted periodically by hand (i.e. empty the freezer, turn it off, let all the water drain out), but it means that stuff you put in it *stays frozen* and so won't get freezer burn. The packaging looks fine to me, but it's not going to contribute to freezer burn in any case.
The ground beef alone would be about $380... steaks are $7-25 a pound.. yes it’s very economical to do a cow like this
Exactly
Is the cow you should in the beginning the cow that was process?
No, the processed cow was from another farm.
if you want to see what we farmers get per pound for beef if we sell to the stock yard go to MILWAUKEE STOCKYARDS in reeseville wisconsin and the upper left side click on the sale date it will show you what the farmer gets per pound! and remember the stockyard ONLY has to sell 1 animal at TOP price to post that number. the rest can bring 5 to 15 cents a pound less. i am working with a couple of people now 1 is a carpenter another is a mechanic they help me and in return they get beef. have another guy who is a plumber and electrician who is going to join in AND they are going to figure their jobs like farmers wages!! like the carpenter mechanic plumber ALL make over $100 a hour at their business BUT we sat down and i showed them what i make and how much my pay has went up the last 5 years compared to them and we all agreed at their service at $50.00 a hour. cause they know i make WAAAAY less than 50 a hour and i have to pay my own insurance and maintain my equipment just like them BUT now they know i am NOT allowed to raise prices for what i produce UNLESS i sell direct
Thanks for the info. Direct to consumer is the best model for what we do here.
Pressure can the meat Incase of power outages & invest into a solar system or solar generator like bluetti or ecoflow or jackery
Great ideas to be prepared.
I love the way your lovely wife was into making a TH-cam video out of this.
Over here it is much more common to fill the freezer with a quarter of a moose.
Sounds delicious, Thomas!🤠
I have 1 stand up freezer for beef and 1 for pork.
Very smart! Uprights would be a great upgrade for us!
Not counting the cost of gas to and from the store every time you want a pack of burger, steak, or roast.
…this is true! Most are probably already at the grocery for other items, but still a great point.
How can you tell if it’s Prime, Choice, or a lesser quality?
Best answer I could give is by talking with your local farmer and/or processor.
As a butcher how do you get porterhouse and rib steaks from a quarter of beef. 1 comes from the hind and the other from the front. I think I get what they did too many variables for me..
Yeah, they’re processing the entire animal and dividing into quarters at the end for sale purposes. Definitely lots to keep track of as a processor - thankful we have competent local farmers and processors that bring us a final product far superior to grocery store meat.
@@birchfieldfarming Interesting way to do it. I remember mom and dad buying a front 1/4 or Hind. I just processed one this weekend.
A quarter is usually half of a half beef. Not front or rear quarter.
It's funny most think of a 1/4th a cow as just getting it from the front or the hind lol. They don't realize the whole half is done, then split 50/50 to get a 1/4th for a customer. Problem is, getting 2 people to agree to a even split. I have customers that want roasts and some want them in burger so you have to keep them separate, weigh, and add or subtract the difference in burger
This would be called a "mixed" quarter.
I have my butcher split the animal in 2 for me. When I get it home, I do the "mix" and deliver it to co-workers/friends. Less work for the butcher.
Great info - I went in on 1/2 cow with my brothers. We split got a great grass fed cow for $1600 (1/2) and between us we cam away with over 230 lbs of meat. Most of (70%)which i asked was ground beef. I will do it again this spring. Maybe to buy a 1/2 just for myself.
Sounds like a great deal, and I bet it’s good meat.
No Filet? I just bought a 1/4 for $850. The meat is better and you are supporting local farmers.. oh and my brother owns the farm.
No filet this time. Sounds like a deal!
Was this a front or rear quarter
Processor did not make the distinction
Twice in the last year I’ve bought a 1/4 of a cow. From now on I’m getting a half of a cow. 1/4 isn’t very much meat. Way less than I thought it would be.
I feel ya! - We just put an order in for 2 - 1/4’s. Thought spacing it out might be better with freezer space. We’ll see.
Support your local farmers
Eating commercial raised beef, pork or chicken doesn’t taste near as good as home grown meat in my opinion. That’s an extra benefit to supporting your local farmer!
You got it, John!🤠
124k view, this is great information. Thanks for the video sir
Thanks for watching. With all the inflation, I need to circle back and make an updated version!
How long would you say that load of meat will last your family?
Family of 5, and it’ll last us 6 to 8 months of moderate use, meaning a couple meals a week. I made the video about 9 months ago, and we actually just ran out.
Much harm has been done, to fellow human beings and the planet alike, in pursuit of "less expensive". It's great that you're saving money, but IMHO you don't even need to look to that to justify the bulk buy. Even if it had cost a little more, you've got lots of other reasons to do it.
Like you said, you're buying more directly, which has a lot of other benefits. You have better confidence in the quality and proper practices raising the beef. You also help keep the money in your local economy, supporting your neighbors. There's also a significant benefit in a diversified food supply, both in terms of food safety as well as resilience of the supply chain. Of course, big companies packing meat to sell nationwide aren't always the best in terms of looking out for broader societal interests, while your neighbors are much more likely to be.
Not everyone's got a big chest freezer to store the meat, the capability to weather power outages that might make food spoil, or even can afford to buy all their meat at once. But it's great when someone can. No real downside, and lots of upside.
I agree💯 - we would do it even if it cost us a little more than grocery. The taste of this beef has been incredible!
Your kill price was high and most don’t charge extra for grinding unless you make hamburger out of the whole beef.
I’m sure the charges vary widely between processors and regions - hopefully folks can still see the point, which is to stop buying grocery store meat and support local farmers.
It wasn't that high. We charge 110 for that. Most get 80-100 on average. I'm sure it's a reason for the 128 to kill the whole beef and as the buyer said it varies
Wow! She's a ham! Constantly has the look of "you're a fool. You don't know what you're doing. This is dumb to be filming. I don't want to be on camera(why would you film that cocky mug anyway?🙄)" Fools will be fools! 👍
I appreciate videos like this, because it gives someone an idea of how to pick up the order and what containers they may need, how big the freezer needs to be to hold all the meat, pricing is really irrelevant; since every area will be different with pricing, BUT, This was an excellent reference video for those who have never bought a whole cow, half or quarter!
Now, time to take HER to market! 👍
Thanks for the info,
🌲Washibgton State🌲🌅💖
The algos sure seemed to like it. I think we all would’ve been a bit more professional if we knew this video would have 80K+ views
Omg...she called it! Eight months later...401 likes.
Ha! 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
It will probably NEVER be about the dollars per pound savings over store prices. You just have more control over what YOUR animal ate and did not eat and how it was treated in life and so on.
You’re right - there are so many other reasons to raise your own and/or buy locally. One other thing I ponder is the brutal centralization of the big 4 meat packers. If Covid taught us anything, it was that the decentralization of the food supply thru local production and direct sales should be a top priority.
@@birchfieldfarming We definitely need to maintain access to local butchering alongside the mega ones. Same thing goes for the entire food supply imo. That's why I began looking at rural YT channels even though I'm pretty much a city guy. I want to know as much as possible about the how and where as I can.
Growing up our family tried the half-cow purchase once with another family straight from the farmer and got some help processing the carcass on the farm from a guy who'd done it before.
We never got another because my sisters kept whining that the meat didn't taste the same (untrue) because they were squeamish after the side of beef hung in the basement for a couple of days and they got to know the beef before it hit the deep freezer then the plate.
Not a bad deal, I bought a 1/4 cow with $5 a pound in Montana.
Nice!👌🤠
Guy in Tennessee bought 1/2 for a little over $3 a pound.
@@mhammer5 🔥🔥🔥
The thermal cup for coffee I can understand but why is she carrying a spoon?
Tea…gotta stir in that honey 🍯
nice hat. Go WYO!
😀
(I see wife's face)
I pushed like.
I bought a half a cow.. about 1700$ more than a year of quality meat !
Only way to go!👍
@@birchfieldfarming next year I'm going to go for the whole cow! How long do you think a whole cow would last a family of 2?
@@nunyafawkingbiz Depends on how many meals a week. Once or twice a week, and I’d say you’d be eating on that for at least a year. Only thing to think about there is freezer burn if you’re going to keep it frozen longer than a year. I’ve seen it last longer, just depends on how well it’s packaged.
How long would that beef last a family of four???
We have a family of 5 and at one meal a week it lasted us about 9 months.
Not sure how u got quarter beef with front and hind quarter meat. I have been a meat cutter for over 40 years and know what u get for a quarter beef
Our processor lets us choose what cuts we want. It’s pretty great!
Better off getting 1/2 a beef ends up being cheeper
…it would be interesting to re-work the numbers with a half. Great idea
How many T-bones were there??
6 packages of loin steak, I believe there were two pieces of meat to a package.
@@birchfieldfarming thank you for the info. I want also to buy bulk beef and i live in Southwest Germany. Beef is very expensive here. Steaks and Tomahawks are pricy...
@@johndavidshostak4124 Wish I could help. I don’t know anyone across the pond with bulk beef, but maybe someone who does will read this and chime in here! You never know. Take care!