Frequently Asked Questions
Your Questions, Answered
These are the most common questions we get. Don't see your question here? Send it to us!
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GLOSSARY
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What is rotationally grazing?
Rotationally grazing is our way of sustainably managing our grass and soil. Basically, rotationally grazing means only one area of our pasture is grazed, while the remainder "rests". We have our pasture split into multiple "paddocks" or areas, and we move our animals through the pasture so they always have fresh grass. They spend 1-3 days in one paddock and then move to the next one.
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This benefits our grass, soil and animals in a few ways:
1. It keeps fresh grass for our animals through the growing season
2. It allows the grass to recuperate and have time to grow back while the animals are in another area
3. It allows the plants and grass to renew energy reserves, rebuild and deepen their roots
4. Manure fertilizes and benefits the soil
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What is bale grazing?
Similar to rotational grazing, in the winter when there is no grass available, we place big round bales through the pasture for our animals to "graze" on. The bales can be corn stalks, oat, hay or any other forage.
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Bale grazing is especially good for the plants, grasses and soil because the leftovers from the bales and the manure from the animals are fertilizer for the grass. It will grow back even more lush for the next growing season.
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What is a market heifer or steer?
A heifer is a female that hasn't had a baby yet.
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A cow is a female that has had a baby.
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A steer is a castrated male.
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If they are a market animal (market heifer, market steer, etc.) it means they will enter the food supply.
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What is corn silage?
Anytime you hear "age" like corn silage, haylage, or oatlage, it means the crop or forage was chopped to use the entire plant, not just the seed, and it's fermented to be stored.
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It's a high-quality feed, and uses the whole plant, rather than just the seed for feed. It's a great way to sustainably use grain grasses with less waste.
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ORDERING
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How much should I order?
We have found that a 1/2 feeds a beef-loving family of 5 for about a year. Our family loves ground beef recipes, so we would buy additional ground beef and extra steaks for grilling.
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How much freezer space do I need?
A 1/4 of beef will fit in a 5-7 cu. ft freezer.
The rule of thumb is one cubic foot of freezer space for every 35 – 40 pounds of packaged meat.
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FDA recommends the following:
Steaks: 6-12 months
Roasts: 4-12 months
Ground Beef: 3-4 months
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Why do your prices change?
We base our prices on the market, and that can vary depending on feed and fuel prices.
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Keep in mind, it's cold here! Our animals spend the majority of the year on grass, but what happens when it snows? We have to feed our animals, and that means purchasing feed like hay, corn silage, and grain.
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How do I pay?
You can pay us in cash, check or Venmo.
Find and friend us @Pam-Ruble-1
How do I pay the meat market?
You can pay the meat market in cash or check when you pick up your meat.
If we are delivering or shipping to you, you can pay us the fee and we will pass that on.
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Why do I pay you and the butcher?
You are paying us for the meat, and you are paying the meat market for the processing (cutting or grinding into steaks, roasting and hamburger).
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How much does processing cost?
Processing costs about $175-$225 depending on the cuts you choose. Meaning, for example, if you want extra ground beef or particular cuts, there is more processing involved.
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How much meat will I take home?
Hanging weight for a 1/4: Approx 200 lbs (+/-)
Hanging weight for a 1/2: Approx 400 lbs
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Please know that these approximate and weight will depend on the size of the animal.
Your take home weight will be approximately 60-65% of the hanging weight.
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What will I take home?
In a standard quarter, you can expect:
6 to 8 @ 1" Thick T-Bone Steaks
6 to 8 @ 1" Thick Rib-Steaks
5 to 6 @ 1" Thick Sirloin Steaks
7 to 8 Pounds Round Steak (Can Be Cut For Stew or Roasts)
3 to 4 @ 3 Pounds Each Chuck Roasts
3 to 4 @ 3 Pounds Each Arm Roasts
1 Each @ 3 1/2 Pounds Each Sirloin Tip and Rolled Rump
Approximately 50 Pounds of Ground Beef
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What is hanging weight?
The hanging weight is the weight of the animal before it has been cut into your steaks,roasts and ground beef.
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