Buying a Whole, Half or Quarter animal from a Farmer

One popular way to buy meat in bulk is to purchase a whole, half or quarter of a steer or hog directly from a farmer. This is also called “freezer beef” or “freezer pork” because it will fill your freezer and you’ll always have high quality meat on hand!

When you purchase this way, you are actually purchasing a portion of the live animal.

How it Works:

Step 1: Place your Deposit

To make this purchase, you’ll put down a deposit and agree to a price per pound for the remainder of the transaction. The deposit is only refundable if the farmer is unable to deliver the livestock. After you pay the deposit, you may not request a refund for any other reason.

Step 2: Processing

After your purchase, the farmer will deliver the animal to the locker or butcher. At that time, it will be weighed and harvested. 

If the animal is weighed before harvest, it is called the “live weight.” If it is weighed after harvest, it’s called the “hanging weight.” Most of the ChopLocal farmers price their animals based on the “hanging weight.”

Then, the butcher will process your portion exactly the way you want it.

You’ll get to decide if you want the primal rib section of your beef cut into prime rib for roasting, or ribeye steaks for grilling. You can decide if you want bone-in roasts or boneless roasts. You can decide if you want short ribs or if you’d like that meat used for ground beef. And those are just a few examples! (Here's more information about buying half a cow.)

Sound complicated? Don’t worry! The farmer or butcher will help walk you through your choices.

Step 3: Pick up your meat and enjoy!

Once the meat is processed, you’ll pay the butcher directly for their services, and you’ll receive an invoice from the farmer for the remainder of your portion of the animal.

You will be responsible for picking up your meat from the locker, unless the farmer offers delivery or shipping.

Have questions? Feel free to reach out to the farmer or ChopLocal team for help!