2025 Custom 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or Whole Beef Deposit
Price range: $300.00 through $1,200.00
Ordering a custom 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or whole beef gives you the freedom to have your meat processed to your specifications, increases your family’s food security, and gives you a better price per pound (25% SAVINGS) by buying in bulk.
Options include steak thickness, roast weight, quantity and weight per package, as well as having your meat made into summer sausage, brats, jerky, corned beef, and burger patties. Plus, as a BONUS, you get bones, fat, and organ meats completely FREE! See below for more information.
Buying bulk beef for the first time can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Our goal is to make the entire process simple, clear, and stress-free, so you always feel confident about the food you're feeding your family.
What Happens After You Place a Deposit
If this is your first time buying bulk beef, don’t worry—we walk you through it step-by-step.
Once your order comes through, we email you:
- A simple overview of how the process works
- Recommended cutting instructions
- What to expect from the butcher
- Timeline details
- Preparation tips (freezer space, pickup, etc.)
Processing & Pickup: How It Works
We partner with several trusted, small‑scale local butchers within an hour of the Rockford area.
Here’s how the process works:
- We deliver your animal on your scheduled harvest date.
- The butcher dry ages the beef for 10–14 days.
- You call the butcher to customize your cutting instructions.
- They cut, package, and freeze your beef according to your requests.
- You pick up your finished beef directly from the butcher and pay them for processing.
Processing fees are typically $0.95–$1.10 per pound hanging weight, depending on the butcher.
Bulk Beef Pricing
- Custom whole beef (~600 lbs) — $7.95 per pound hanging weight ($1200 non-refundable deposit)
- Custom 3/4 beef (~450 lbs) — $8.10 per pound hanging weight ($900 non-refundable deposit)
- Custom 1/2 beef (~300 lbs) — $8.25 per pound hanging weight ($600 non-refundable deposit)
- Custom 1/4 beef (~150 lbs) — $8.45 per pound hanging weight ($300 non-refundable deposit)
Deposits are applied to your final total.
Example Cost Breakdown (Quarter Beef)
1/4 beef at 150 lbs (hanging weight) × $8.45 per pound meat cost = $1,267
Plus 150 lbs (hanging weight) × $0.95 per pound (average) processing cost = $142
Total 1/4 beef cost = $1,397
Deposit is credited toward your total cost.
Total freezer storage is approximately 3–4 cu ft for 1/4 beef.
⭐ NEW TO BULK BEEF? START WITH THE FREE GUIDE
Before placing a deposit, download our FREE Bulk Beef Buyer’s Guide (scroll down). It explains everything in a clear and straightforward way and helps you choose the right size for your family.
Inside the guide:
- The difference between a 1/4, 1/2, and whole
- How much packaged meat you’ll take home
- What a 1/4 beef looks like laid out on a table, so you can visually understand the volume
- Approximately how many of each cut you will receive
- Customizable cut options
- Freezer space required
- The entire process from ordering → butcher → pickup
➡️ Scroll down to get your FREE guide.
Understanding Hanging Weight
A typical whole animal will have a hanging weight of 550–625 lbs. This weight is taken after the hide and internal organs are removed but before the carcass is cut and packaged. Both your meat cost and the butcher’s processing fees are based on this weight.
Hanging weight can feel unfamiliar if you’ve never bought beef this way before, but it’s the trusted method processors use to give you a consistent, accurate starting point.
Understanding Your Beef Yield
Our Red Devon–influenced cattle consistently finish beautifully, producing a typical cut‑out yield of 62–66%.
- You will always bring home less than the hanging weight—bone and excess fat are trimmed away during processing.
- You can request to receive these trimmings back for FREE to make broth, stock, or other traditional recipes.
- The weight you bring home reflects the finished beef—fully trimmed, packaged, and ready for the freezer.
A Helpful Example
A 150 lb hanging weight 1/4 beef typically yields around 100 lbs of finished beef—steaks, roasts, ground beef, stew cuts, brisket, short ribs, and more.
Because of our genetics, forage quality, and careful finishing program, our cattle deliver solid, reliable yields—often higher than conventional feedlot beef (which typically yields under 60%).
Seasonal Harvest Schedule: Why Timing Matters
Because our cattle are raised entirely on fresh, living pasture, most harvesting occurs from early summer through late fall, when forage is abundant. We occasionally harvest in late winter when cattle are grazing high‑quality stockpiled forage or being finished on alfalfa hay.
Our grazing management and finishing standards ensure consistent, high‑quality beef throughout the year.
If you have questions at any point, we’d be happy to walk you through everything personally.
Just reach out via the CONTACT tab above
The prices quoted on each product page and in your cart are estimates only. Because most of our products are sold by the pound, we will not know your exact order total until it is packed and ready for pickup.
If the item you’re looking for is currently marked for pre-orders only, contact us and we’ll put you on a waiting list to be notified as soon as it’s available.
