Buying grass fed cow from ranch

I plan on purchasing 1/2  cow from Stemple creek ranch. The price is $995 and $250 for the butcher to package it up, so looking at $1245. Has any one use this ranch or buy cow on a regular? I don't know if that is a good or bad deal for this is my first time. Also do anyone here have another ranch/place  they can recommend for me to check out. Also for the price I mentioned, the meat I will be getting is about180 to 200lb. Will need another deep freezer for sure, anybody got one for sale? Thanks

I think that's a good deal. The guy near me is 7.55 per pound for halves and quarters. I recommend sampling their beef before you lay out all that cash. Grass fed animals can taste different year to year and ranch to ranch. Eatwild.com list lots of different sources of pastured animals. I did a class where you get to butcher the cow your self and take home 100 lbs. it was fun but there price has gone up. Hope it all works out for you.

My last beef I paid a little over a thousand after cut and wrap that was
In 2011. Feed prices have skyrocketed so overall I think it is fair.

I do not buy beef too often but pig and lamb pretty much every year and to me the most important thing is to be VERY clear with your processor how you want your cut and wrap done. As noted before dry aged grassfed will taste a bit different than your grain finished wet aged beef from Safeway.

Think about how you eat your beef. We eat very little ground beef/meat so I always ask for more stew/fajita exc... Other than ground. Trust me you will
Still have plenty of ground. Also if you want the offal be sure to ask for it. Tongue, liver, heart, oxtail will often disappear of you do not ask for them. I also ask for the cheek meat or the whole head for cabeza.

Hope it works out for you. It's always fun having a grocery store worth of meat, game and fish in the freezer!

Phil

for 250 I would just go out and buy your own band saw and cut it up yourself but that is me. My dad was a butcher and taught me how to cut up anything. It is not that hard and you'll be sure to cut everything to your size.

I just ate and my mouth is still watering.

I get mine locally here at Morris grass fed... My family likes them and they package everything for you.  If your like oxtail, grab a couple of those also as extras.

http://www.morrisgrassfed.com/

Dr Hab.

Hope I do not sound like an ass but I would be very cautious on sending someone with no experience to break down a whole side of beef. The butchery is one thing but you really should use a dry locker to age grass fed beef for a couple of weeks then a deep cold freezer to to freeze it before it goes bad. If you throw 300 lbs of warm meat in a small home size chest freezer all you will get is spoilage. You can do the whole dry ice method but by the time you get all of the gear, paper, saw exc... You are getting pretty close to 250.00

I have done lamb at home with a saw actually and that is not too bad but a whole side of beef I think is a bit more than your average person could handle. And I am sure as you know butchery looks a lot easier than it really is. I would hate to spend 1,000 dollars on.a side of Beef and hack it up.

Now if you want to do it to learn and the whole experience that is a whole different story, but if you want great meat I say pay the piper.

Phil

Get a sample 1st.  My fraters and I bought a "grass feed" steer once.  We quartered it and threw it in the trunk of his 65 mustang.  Took it home and with knifes and a hawksaw cut it up in the garage.  I tried one meal with it.  It stunk so bad, and was like chewing a radial goodyear.  We even had it ground into hamburger and still couldn't eat it.  I think it was rodeo stock.  Be careful. 

One final consideration is attending a local county fair and purchase a 4-H or FFA raised animal and have the local meat locker tend to the needed packaging.  Great investment in our future and meat to boot!

Thanks for the responses guys. I will let the the butcher do the cut and prep, this is not something I would want to experiment with to save some $$. I would check the other ranch that was recommended as well, keep it coming.

I wouldnt even use a band saw. That bone takes up freezer space, and the bone meal ruins your meat if you do not scrape it down. Butchering isnt for everyone, but for people that want to, can do it with time and the right stuff. I can butcher an elk, 100% boneless in just under two hours myself. I can break down half a beef in about the same. Grinding burger etc takes more time. On a typical steer, two year old you will yield around 300 pounds. Again, that is not exact, but a good rule of thumb. Also depends on how you want things cut up. I leave things in large pieces/roasts. It is easy to cut the roast into steaks, stew meat, or leave as a roast. Once you put a blade to it, that is all it will be. If you cut it into steaks, you will never have a roast when you want one. Anyhow, meat cutting is fun, I enjoy it, and if anyone ever wants to tackle a butcher job, and wants some hands on instruction, let me know! I have everything to cut up a bluegill to grind burger/make jerky.  As far as price, I think you are getting a high price there. The rule of thumb is 65% loss of weight from hoof to plate. Also, beef are finished on grain, usually a mix called 3way or sometimes dry cobb. Grass fed, means it was out to pasture until it was butchered. Or fed hay in a feed lot. There is not much marbling in the meat this way, and it can tend to take on a weed flavor like star thistle here in california, sage in nevada, etc. I would insist on at least a 60 graining in an enclosure, where the beef can't exercise too much. Free range cattle will be tough as a boot for the most part. Just my two cents.

I get my beef and poultry at county fair auction every year. Side of beef last year. Tastier than the store bought stuff. Kids do a great job in raising their animals.

Montana is right that grass fed beef tastes different. Make sure you like it before you drop that kind of coin on it.

"Grass fed beef" is a consumer choice these days, rich in omega 3 fats and hormone free. It is an alternative to the feed lot, grain finished, environmentally stressed, medicated animals that you get down at Safeway.

One final consideration is attending a local county fair and purchase a 4-H or FFA raised animal and have the local meat locker tend to the needed packaging.  Great investment in our future and meat to boot!

+1, always try to support our local FFA/4H clubs, these kids put there heart and soul into raising these animals, and they are our future of agriculture, cameron

One final consideration is attending a local county fair and purchase a 4-H or FFA raised animal and have the local meat locker tend to the needed packaging.  Great investment in our future and meat to boot!

+1, always try to support our local FFA/4H clubs, these kids put there heart and soul into raising these animals, and they are our future of agriculture, cameron

+1

And the meat is super tasty!


Eric Morgan
Trident Ultra 4.7
Not the guy selling the Outback
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