100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef
We sell live animals by the whole or half. We partner with Exeter Meat Market in Exeter, CA and with Farmer’s Wholesale Meats in Bakersfield, CA to help you customize the cuts you would like. We no longer sell animals by the quarter. We usually have the most tender cuts made into steaks and then have the rest packaged as roasts, hamburger, stew meat, and soup bones.
How much meat can I expect?
An average steer of 1,000 lbs live weight will yield about the following in steaks, ground beef, roasts, soup bones, and stew meat:
Whole: 380-480 lbs take-home weight
Half: 190-240 lbs take-home weight
The final take-home weight of your packaged meat will vary both by the size of the live animal and whether you choose to keep the stew bones and organ meats.
What cuts will I get?
Our “variety sampler” of cuts includes ground beef, roasts, steaks, and more. See what you can expect in your order here. You can customize cuts during the ordering process.
What is the cost?
The cost of the finished meat (double wrapped and frozen as individual steaks, roasts, stew cubes, soup bones and pounds of hamburger) is about $12.50 - $13.50 per pound. The amount is determined by three costs:
The cost of the animal: Per pound, based on the hanging weight of the animal: Whole order $5.50, Half $5.50. Note that the final weight of the packaged meat will be less than the hanging weight. Details below.
The cost of harvesting the animal: About $275 per whole animal
The cost of processing and packaging the meat: About $1.25 per pound, based on the hanging weight of the steer, which is typically about 60% of the live weight
You will pay the cost of the animal to us. A deposit is due to us to schedule the harvest. You pay the costs for processing directly to the meat market: Exeter Meat Market when you pick up the meat in Exeter, CA or to Farmer’s Wholesale Meats when you pick up the meat in Bakersfield, CA.
For example, if you buy a half steer and the hanging weight of your half is 330 lbs, you would pay us a total of about $2,100 for the animal and the harvesting, and you would pay the meat market an additional approximately $415 fee for the cutting, wrapping, and freezing of the meat. (Our partners’ prices may change. Please confirm with Dan before ordering.)
After you fill out the wait list form below and we have an animal available, you can pay the deposit by credit card on our website. (Deposit amounts: Whole $1,200, Half $600). At that time, whole or half orders can also specify your preferences for cuts, organs, or any other custom requests.
How does the process work?
Once we have a whole order for an animal and you have paid the deposit, we will grass-finish your animal with alfalfa hay for 2-3 weeks. (The alfalfa hay finishing makes the meat more tender, but if you prefer, we can allow the steer to remain on pasture until the harvest date.) We will arrange for the slaughterer to come to our ranch. This is the most humane process for the cows, because they do not have a long ride in a trailer and do not smell the fear of a slaughter house.
After the slaughterer kills the animal, he will take it to the butcher who will let it hang in his refrigerator for about 3 weeks before cutting and wrapping it. This helps the meat be more tender. The butcher will then cut and double-wrap the meat and freeze it. They will call you when the meat is ready to pick up, usually a day or two after they cut and wrap it. Unless it is the high-season, they usually have flexibility in holding the meat for a few days or longer if you are out of town until you can pick it up in Exeter, CA or Bakersfield, CA.
What do the different weights (live, hanging, take-home) mean?
Live weight is the weight of the animal when it is alive. Let's assume your steer weighs 1,000 lbs.
Hanging weight is the weight of the carcass before it is aged or processed. Typically, the hanging weight is about 60% of the live weight. The weight loss is due to the blood, head, hooves, and viscera being removed. So your 1,000 lbs steer will have a hanging weight of about 600 lbs. The price of the animal and the price of the meat processing is based on the hanging weight.
Take-home weight is the weight of your final meat packages. This is usually about 55-65% of the hanging weight. So your 1,000 lbs steer will probably have a take-home weight of about 360-400 lbs of packaged meat. The loss of weight happens due to water loss during the three weeks of hanging as well as loss during the cutting process, as bones and fat are removed. If you request more boneless cuts, your take-home weight will be lower, but that does not mean you are getting less meat. Just fewer bones.
How long will it take?
If you are ordering a whole animal, we often have a steer of appropriate size ready. Once you place your deposit, we will take about 2-3 weeks to finish the steer with alfalfa, then it takes another 3 weeks for the meat to age for tenderness and for the meat market to package it for you. If you want to order a half steer, once we have someone who is interested in the other half, we will contact you. Please fill out the wait list form below so that we can contact you when we have an animal ready for you.
Can I resell the individual meat packages?
The meat will be processed for you personally. The packaged meat will not be labeled for resale.
Do you sell grass-fed beef by the pound?
Not at this time. Please sign up for our mailing list, and we'll let you know if we are able to in the future.
Will I pick up the meat in Bakersfield or Exeter?
See our 2024 schedule of harvest dates and meat market locations.
Sign up for our wait list
We will contact you when an animal is available.