What does it mean when I buy a quarter or more of a beef?

Farmers often sell beef by the Quarter, Half or Whole.

Legally this means you are buying a ‘Beef Share’ versus specific cuts. Technically you buy on the hoof, while the animal is still alive, and before it is processed.

Through dry aging and processing (removing hide, cartilage bone, etc), about 25-40% of the Beef Share is lost from the original hanging weight. The amount of take home meat per quarter generally ranges from 120 to 160 pounds. To use a quarter beef for example, the math breaks down to between $4 to $5 per pound of beef for a total of $480 to $600 for 120 pounds of meat take home.

What is “dry aging”?

Dry aging is a time-honored technique in which unwrapped cuts of beef are stored in a specially constructed room where all aspects of the environment are strictly regulated; temperature, humidity, air circulation and bacteria levels. The key effect of dry aging is the concentration and saturation of the natural flavor, as well as the tenderization of the meat texture.

What can I expect in my Take Home Meat?

You should expect a mix of steaks, roasts, ground and stew meat. Roughly speaking, 1/2 of your meat will be ground and/or stew meat, 1/4 will be roasts (chuck, shoulder, rump, sirloin tip etc.) and 1/4 will be steaks (sirloin, ribeye, T-bone, skirt, flank, round, etc.).

All shares will be frozen, cuts are vacuum packed and labeled while burger is packed in tubes in volume indicated.

Can I personalize my order?

Yes. In fact, each cut order is personalized to your satisfaction. For example, when ordering for our family, we request "as many cuts as possible" with the rest being made into ground burger. Other families we serve prefer to order prime cuts only with heavy use of ground burger. (Generally, our ground is very lean; roughly a 90% store equivalent.)

You will be asked:

1) Which cut(s) you would like*: steak: t-bone, ribeye, sirloin, round, tenderized round, skirt; ribs: short ribs, back ribs; roast: chuck, rolled rump, sirloin tip, rib, arm, brisket; ground burger. *Any cuts that you choose to decline will be ground into burger for you.

2) Size of burger package: one, one-and-a-half, or two pound packages - or a mix thereof.

3) In addition to meat, you have the option of requesting soup bones or offal (oxtail, kidney, tongue, heart). Unless otherwise specified, this will be discarded.

What is the minimum order I can place?

A quarter of beef is the minimum that we can distribute at this time; however, contact us for more information regarding a special order. **While we encourage purchase of a quarter minimum, an eighth can be purchased for an additional $50 handling fee.

How do I pay?

There are two payments required.

1) Once the animal has been weighed, an owner of CLF will let you know how much you owe via cash or check to Creek Lake Farms. This is required before pick-up.

2) Upon pick-up, you can pay for processing via check or cash to Schultz Butchering; this is often between $145 and $175 per quarter.

However, if you have made a commitment to purchase beef and cancel once the animal has been brought in, you will be instead billed a nonrefundable $150 fee.

How does pickup/delivery work?

Product can be picked up at our locker - Schultz Butchering Plant at 404 E Main Street in Ceylon, MN, or equivalent, during their business hours. Be prepared to pack your meat into coolers (three large coolers are generally enough for a quarter) or about five cubic feet of space. Otherwise, delivery is also an option for an added charge.

What type of storage do I need for my share?

This means you will have about 4-5 grocery bags worth or 2-3 coolers full of beef per quarter. Please remember to bring coolers to the butcher to pack your beef into. A 5 cubic foot freezer. A 5-7 cubic foot chest freezer often can be purchased for about $150 to $200 dollars new.

We are Beef Quality Assurance certified, what does that mean?

Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) instills consumer confidence in the beef industry. When producers implement the best management practices of a BQA program, they assure their market steers, heifers, cows, and bulls are the best they can be. It ensures a level of care, attention and respect to best practices.

Contact us.

Have more questions? Want to see the farm?

Contact us below and we would love to be in touch!