How a Custom Beef Share Works (And Why It's Worth Making Time For)
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There's a specific kind of peace that comes from opening your freezer and knowing exactly what's in it.
Not guessing where it came from. Not squinting at a label trying to decode what "natural" actually means this week. Just knowing.
Knowing the cow was raised on pasture just up the road from you, knowing your farmer by name, knowing every cut in there is something you'd feed your own kids because that's exactly what we feed ours.
That's what a custom beef share gives you. And if you've been curious about how it actually works, what it costs, and what you walk away with, here's the whole thing, laid out plain and simple.
What a custom beef share actually is
A custom beef share means you're reserving a portion of one of our pasture-raised cattle, either a whole or a half, before it's ever processed.
Because you're getting in early, you get a say in how your beef comes back to you.
Thicker steaks or thinner ones. More roasts or more ground beef. It's your freezer, so it should be stocked the way your family actually cooks.
This is beef raised the way it should be. Our cattle live on pasture their whole lives, moved to fresh grass daily, doing exactly what cattle were built to do.
About 90 to 120 days before processing, we finish them on a high quality grain, which is what gives you that rich marbling and flavor that makes people put their fork down and ask what they just ate.
How the process works
We keep this simple on purpose.
Join the waitlist. Spots for each custom beef share are limited so when the email goes out to the waitlist, don't mess around.
Reserve your spot with a deposit. A non-refundable deposit holds your place in line for the next available share.
Choose your cuts. We'll walk you through your options so your share reflects how your family actually eats, not a generic cut sheet.
Pay for your portion. We'll invoice you once the final hanging weight is sent to us from the butcher. Your deposit will be subtracted from your final total.
Pick up your beef. Once processing is done, you'll pick up from our butcher in Rutherfordton, NC, pay them for their services and load up a freezer full of beef you trust.
What it costs
Here's where we like to be as straightforward as possible, because you deserve to know what you're actually paying for.
A whole share runs $7.50 per pound of hanging weight, and a half share runs $8 per pound of hanging weight.
Our target hanging weight is about 600 lbs. This can vary per animal because they're all different and different seasons can effect the final weights.
Here's an estimated breakdown for cost:
Whole beef share
$7.50 x 600 lb = $4,500
+$100 kill fee
+roughly $40 for any extra processing like sausages, patties, fajita strips, etc.
Estimated total for whole beef share: $4,640
Half beef share
$8.00 x 300 lb = $2,400
+$50 kill fee
+roughly $20 for any extra processing like sausages, patties, fajita strips, etc.
Estimated total for whole beef share: $2,470
A quick note: pricing can shift with things outside our control, like processing costs, so these numbers may not reflect current pricing by the time you're reading this.
You can always check current pricing here before you commit.
And yes, we know buying direct means a bit more effort and a bit more up front than tossing a package in your grocery cart...
But if you're serious about knowing what's feeding your family, you make the time. That's not inconvenience, it's intention and that's who we're here to serve.
What you actually take home
This is the part people always want to know, so let's talk real numbers.
A whole share typically comes back to you as 350 to 400 pounds of beef for your freezer.
A half share runs about half that, so roughly 175 to 200 pounds.
The exact number depends on the cuts you choose, since more steaks and roasts will land you a bit different weight than a share leaning heavier into ground beef.
Either way, we're talking about a freezer that goes from "what am I making for dinner" to "oh, we've got options" for months at a time.
Cuts you get to choose from
This is the whole point of a custom share. You're not stuck with whatever shows up in a box.
You get to choose things like:
Your steaks, including how many to a pack and how thick you want them cut
Whether you want more roasts for slow Sunday dinners or more ground beef for easy weeknight meals
Specialty cuts and extras depending on what's available for your share
We'll talk you through it so you walk away with a freezer that actually matches how your family cooks and eats, not a cookie cutter box that has you googling what to do with a brisket you didn't ask for.
Why families keep coming back for this
"I have been purchasing and eating their products for over a year now. I can DEFINITELY tell a difference in their meat vs store bought meat! Stacie is also just so warm and kind with tons of enthusiasm for her products and community. Highly recommend!" - Karen D. (Marion, NC)
That's the difference. Once you taste beef that was actually raised right, it's hard to go back to wondering what you just put on the grill.
Get on the waitlist
Custom beef shares don't happen often, and spots fill up fast because families come back to reserve theirs again and again.
If you're ready to fill your freezer with beef you actually trust, chosen the way your family eats, the next step is simple.
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