Is buying a 1/4 beef worth it?
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- Опубліковано 14 тра 2024
- Today we will talk about our cost to purchase a 1/4 of a beef. We actually bought a 1/2 and split it with a friend of ours which results in a little extra savings. I will share what we paid in comparison to what the average grocery store price is as well. Thanks for watching and we hope everyone is doing well.
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**Email us at: Rockycreekfamily@gmail.com
***********ROCKY CREEK HOMESTEAD****************
After battling Psoriasis for years, I discovered the power of quality food and its positive impact on my skin condition. This sparked my desire to raise my own quality food. So come along with our Family as we transition from urban living to small self sustaining family farm. Learn from both our successes and failures in hopes it may inspire others to try new things. We entered into this journey with no prior experience and hope to provide many laughs and learning experiences. We learned most of how to do what were doing from watching others and hope to be able to provide a similar learning opportunity to anyone else who may benefit from this. Thank you for coming along with us on this journey and we hope it is enjoyable for you and your family.
Always appreciate your videos Stan. The wife and I have talked for some time about buying fresh from the farm like that. Also good info on the price comparisons. Now, GO take care of your self. We'll be here when you get the next vid out. All the best.
Thanks buddy. It’s a big cost up front but it’s a good saving overall. Last year market prices were up a little and I paid more that year than this year but it still tends to result in a cheaper overall cost.
Great video and good to see one. Totally understand being busy. I’m considering a small family run cattle farm for beef next year so this was great info to go off of.
That’s great. My only suggestion would be to look into the processor they use unless they do it themselves. I’ve seen great cost difference from processor to processor. I paid a little extra to have some burger formed into patties and for packaged stir fry beef chunks. Other than that I stayed rather standard with my cuts.
@@RockyCreekHomestead definitely. We had pigs processed at 1.45 a lb. Really pleased with them and I’m going to check the cost of hanging a cow cuz I know that’s a more lengthy process. I go back and forth between raising one and selling half or just purchasing from someone. I need to do some cost comparison to narrow it down but I know we won’t by next year so splitting a cow is a great option.
Thanks for sharing this. I just found your channel and resonate with your approach to homesteading while working. My husband and I went in with three other families to buy a whole cow (Rochester, NY). The finished weight, packaged ground beef, steaks, roasts, was 102 lbs for $615.00. Basically $6.15 per LB. This has gone up almost $1.50 per LB. Feed cost, finding a processor, general demand has eked up the final price. But you are right -- food security is worth it. Keep on keepin' on. Hope you feel better. :-)
Wow that is a bit of an increase. I’m fortunate our prices have stayed where they are. We have family in the Buffalo NY area and I am always amazed at the increase in cost of things when we visit there.
Really enjoying your videos. Praying your ticker gets a clean bill of health.
Thank you. I’m sure it’s nothing major. Take care and thanks for hanging with us.
Prayers for health and answers.
Thank you. I really appreciate that.
Take care of your heart. I have been there and done that. Good video.
Thank you sir. You take care.
Hey friend, hope you get your medical stuff sorted. I appreciate your videos, and hope you and your family are doing well. Wishing you the best for the busy times, make sure you take advantage when you get some time to rest :) Love from the UK!
Thank you! It’s been busy but we’re finding time to relax and things should really slow down soon. Hope all is going well in the UK and thanks for the support!
New subscriber. Love your videos. Stick to those old frigs much better than the new imported ones. We had a new one and after service call 22 in two years we got rid of it and purchased a couple of 30 plus year old ones that are great. The bonus is they maintain their coldness for longer periods of time when the power goes out than the newer ones.
Take care of your health.
Wow 22 service calls! That’s crazy. Stuff today really isn’t built like stuff used to be. I appreciate you watching and we’re glad to have you along for the journey. I’m no expert at all but I’m just trying to inspire everyday people like me to the idea of raising / growing their own food.
Anxiety? Stress? My husband thought his ticker was going and freaked out, here he worked himself up and had a panic attack from anxiety over it.
Someone mentioned that as well. I’m not the best at recognizing stress as I’ve pretty much operated most of my life in a constant state of chaos 😂. Subconsciously it could be heightened.
Several years back I thought I was having a heart attack at my desk (was in my mid-30s at the time). I waited and went to the MD later that day. She did an EKG and thought I was having a heart attack. Went to ER, got an MRI and cardiac enzymes pulled, and it turned out it was anxiety. Got a job change, some cognitive behavioral therapy, and that is long gone. Scary stuff though....
A nurse in the ER started to yell at me because I drove in. haha. It was only 1/4 mile from my MD's office...
Edited to add I pray you figure out what the issue is and get better quickly.
@@danielb1877 @rocky creek homestead my husband remembered he pulled/yanked his arm opening the back hatch of the dump truck. And it flew open. That was the reason behind the pain. He forgot and it escalated to him thinking he was having a heart attack.
It’s funny you said nurse yelled at you. They wanted to have me ride in an ambulance and I refused. I was like, I drove here by myself, I can drive to the ER by myself. I have a follow up with a specialist in a few weeks. I’m sure it won’t be anything major. Thanks for sharing your experience. I’ll be sure to update on the outcome.
The brain has a strong impact over the rest of the body. It’s crazy. I’m curious to find out what was causing it.
Keep an eye on the ticker. Reduce stress whenever and wherever possible.
We started buying beef this way at the beginning of covid. The quality is noticeably better!
Thank you. The quality is certainly a lot better. Thanks for watching and take care.
I would love to live where ground beef is $4 and change a pound lol! We're around 6.99lb up here in Eastern NY. We are waiting for our freezer to come in stock so we can buy in bulk in from our local farms. Thanks for the video!
Wow that is quite a bit higher. Last time market pricing was higher and I paid more but it was still under $4 per pound. I sure hope we don’t get to those prices like you have. Thanks and take care.
Hey! I live in NY as well. We buy from local farms and pay 3.50 a lbs plus the processing fee and it's so worth it! Definitely look around once you get your freezer.
Depends on what you choose
You referring to cuts? Breeds? Size?. Just curious so others may be able to learn as I’m not an expert by no means. Thanks for sharing and for watching.
My daughter keeps calling you the Henry homestead. Bless her. I was just about to ask how the mating going with the pigs! Lol
Mater sure is a lazy fella. I’ve thrown in the towel at this point with him trying to mate. I’ll give him another try after I separate them, but I’m already exploring maybe adding another boar to the property once I get some more fencing done.
@@RockyCreekHomestead I still wonder if he is still too young? I thought that animals were ‘love the one your with’ sort of person.strange
I like the idea of pooling resources to buy beef on the hoof. I live in southern NH and I do not have enough land to pasture my own cows. I still buy from a local establishment that raises grass fed beef as organically as they can. For all the expenses involved in buying a side of beef this way the end result is still better than buying from a big chain supermarket. And you feel better about spending your money local.
That’s us, sourcing the beef is our most logical option due to our land limitations. It’s so much better quality and we know more about how it was sourced. That’s great you have a connection. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video. How did you find your farmer friend? I hope your heart is OK!
Thank you. He actually used to live in our area and his wife’s family owns a large farm about 3 hours from us. They moved back there to help with the farm and we just travel there to get it about once a year. Great time to visit, catch up and stock up.
Whats going on brother love your videos
Hey buddy, thanks for watching. We’re just weathering this busy time and looking forward to things settling a bit. Hope you’ve been doing well.
I've missed seeing you lately. Hopefully your doctor can give you some answers and you can get back to feeling great.
It’s weird it just comes and goes. I’m sure it’s nothing major. Probably just the business of life. Appreciate you and hope you’ve been doing well.
I believe its a great investment awesome
It really is. We’ve already placed an order for a 1/2 cow in September.
I'm catching up on videos. Stress is very hard on the body and younger people in their 30s have been know to have a heart attack from stress. Take care of yourself. Don't push to get a video out. We will be here when you do. Living in Texas there are a couple of meat processors within 20 miles of me that sell retail. I'm not a big meat eater but my son loves buying from them. Sometimes they will have deer sausage also. My daughter's fiancée family sell calves to raise for meat.. I don't have room for a steer at this point.. The fresh meat is better you just have to get used to the better quality taste after growing up on grocery store meat. I known it is sad we are so used to inferior meat flavor. Stay Safe and God Bless.
That’s great that you have several options for beef in your area. I’d love to have the room to raise a cow, but we just don’t have the room right now. Fortunately my issue has eased up and they’re doing some tests to make sure everything is good to go. I’m sure it won’t be anything major and all will be fine. I thank you for your concerns and support. I hope y’all have a wonderful thanksgiving.
Thank you for this video! When you say " *OUR* total cost was $982.08" it is uncertain if *OUR* means your family or *OUR* means both you and your friend.
If both you and your friend together paid $982.08 - then your portion of that would be $491.00 for 114 lbs of "end-product" - which would average out to $4.30/lbs
If that is the case - then you got a phenomenal price!!!
The average hanging weight cost (farmer + processor) is currently around $4.00 - which if one calculates shrinkage from hanging-weight - brings the typical "end-product" cost to between $6.50-$6.90 per lbs.
So in your case you go an incredible price!!! You received local beef which is totally awesome! And the "end-product" was FDA approved. Well done!!! :-]
The $982.08 was the total price for the 1/2 of the cow, so I paid 1/2 of that and received 144lbs of the 288lbs of meat. It’s a great deal. This year we actually got a 1/2 all to ourselves and we’re able to get a very similar price again. For that I’m very thankful. Better price and better quality.
@@RockyCreekHomestead Yes! I would say you are blessed!
We have a few meat processing companies in our state which sell by hanging weight as well as retail.
In some instances if a buyer is savy - and is willing to cut his own steaks or roasts - he can purchase meat in large blocks.
For example: A 20 lb chuck roll can sometimes be purchased for around $5.20/lbs.
One would take that home and cut it up into steaks or roasts. That way one does not have to invest in a 1/4 or 1/2 of a cow.
Thank you so very much for your video! :-]
That’s a great option for those who have small families or limited storage space. Sometimes people just need to think outside the normal grocery shopping experience. Thanks for sharing.
How do you recommend finding a farmer to purchase beef like this if we don't already know someone? Love the channel!
Before I starting purchasing from my friends family, I made a connection through a vendor at a local farmers market. Another option could be to reach out to an area processor and ask if they could recommend a farmer they process for that sells direct. I know one of the processors in our area has a list of farms they serve on their website as a reference for people. I hope this helps and thanks for watching.
@@RockyCreekHomestead Yeah! I'll check those options out. Thank you!
We have gotten a 1/4 of a beef a couple times now. It’s a whole lot better to do that than just going to the grocery store. In our opinion.
I agree. Thus particular beef I got for this video turned out to be the best I’ve ever gotten taste wise. I’ve already placed an order for a 1/2 this time. Great taste, better price and better quality. Thanks for watching and take care.
I am in California and have been interested in buying a 1/4 or 1/2 of a beef and it is $8.36 per pound for a 1/4 beef on average after cut/wrap or $7.64 per pound for a 1/2 a beef. Pretty high prices. I am mainly afraid of getting tongue, organs and tail, I have never had that part of an animal and don't want to have those parts go to waste when someone else would most likely enjoy that more.
It's a big upfront expense but we like it. Taste and quality to us seems much better. With prices fluctuating greatly now to in the grocery stores, it tends to pay off for us in the long run. I hope your experience goes well if you choose to do so.
That's $3.41 lb for hanging weight not after evaporation and deboning. Take home lb is different than hanging.
Thanks for the clarification.
I’m not sure if you’ve done a health update since this video, but symptoms sound like A-Fib. Hopefully not! Also I recently bought half a cow and half a pig from a local business and it was a huge one time investment $2500 but our grocery bill thanks us every week 😂
Thanks for checking in on the health stuff. It’s been chalked up as an unknown, possibly a side effect to the Covid booster I had. It’s seemed to fade away over time and has been fine since. I haven’t gotten anymore shots and don’t plan too. That’s awesome you got loaded up on some good quality meat.
I may have missed it but how much did you pay the farmer for half a share?
We raise our own cattle but have never sold cattle this way. We are considering offering half or quarter shares but have never seen it done locally so we have no idea if it is worth the extra work and expense.
We are getting a fairly good rate here in VA still. I paid $2.35 per pound to the actual farmer. Then an additional $1.06 per pound to the processor. I hope that helps.
$2.35 is a great price. I pay $5.65 and that's in Texas. Apparently Virginia is for lovers. Lovers of hookin-neighbors up.
I just paid $4:00 a # for a 1/4 of a beef
This might be a silly question how long can you freeze the beef for?
I’m not sure the definite answer to that. What I can say is I’ve had frozen meat for 1.5 - 2 years that was vacuum sealed and I ate it with no issues at all. I’ve seen articles that state 1 year storage life is typical. If it doesn’t look weird or smell weird, I’ll probably still eat it 😂
I have had 6 heart attacks..hopefully they figured out what was happening..if this wasn't 4 months later I would given you a little lecture lol
Oh my 6 heart attacks 😳. Fortunately it’s settled down and I should get my results from heart monitor and testing any day now.
@@RockyCreekHomestead I pray all is good 👍
Take care of yourself.
Appreciate it. Thanks.
Hi Stan, I really enjoy your channel! I’m wondering if you have considered raising rabbits for meat? We are only on 1/4 of an acre so our options for meat animals is very limited but we have been thinking about rabbits. What are your thoughts on raising rabbits?
We have three rabbits, which I originally got with the plan to raise them for meat. Unfortunately when we had the first litter of babies, that was the one animal my wife and daughter just refused to let me process. The three have remained on the property and I just catch their manure to use on the garden. I’ve researched them a lot prior to getting them and after breeding them twice and seeing how easy it was, I do believe it’s a very sustainable and quick turnaround for a meat source. I’m hoping I can get my wife on board one day to process them but she’s been so supportive of the processing of our pigs and chickens that I haven’t really pushed it.
@@RockyCreekHomestead Thank you, I appreciate your response. My parents bred rabbits and processed them together for a couple of years when I was a small child (no memory of it) and everything was going fine until one heavy processing day my mom just decided she couldn’t do it anymore and my dad supported her in stopping. Since I’ve never had an experience of processing animals before, I’m not sure what my emotional response would be.
what was the actual weight you took home? your hanging weight isn't the same as cut weight.
We just got a quarter cow, 4 of us together bought a whole cow.
Live weight ~1400 lbs
Hanging Weight ~840 lbs
Actual take home weight ~ 460 lbs
Roughly 115 lbs per quarter at about $800 per quarter from a farm in illinois.
I don’t have the paperwork any longer as this video is old. I increase my quantity this year bought a 1/2 beef this year though at just over $800 for a 1/2 beef.
You should probably see a cardiologist. Especially if you had EKG changes last time this happened.
It’s not as bad now so I’m assuming if still happening when I see my family doctor he’ll probably refer me to one. If it gets bad again I’ll do something sooner.
I ordered some hens that lay 300 eggs per year ( Red Sussex Cross ) they need more than reg chickens to keep them healthy and feathered. The cost to keep them healthy isn't worth the extra eggs. 🤷 I have no problem giving them what they need, I would much rather have healthy birds. I'm just saying that chickens that lay more cost more to keep healthy and thriving. * I supplement them with calf manna to give them the extra they need.
I’ve never heard of giving them calf manna. That’s interesting. 300 eggs a year is a ton of egg production. That’s pretty impressive particularly with how cold it gets there.
@@RockyCreekHomestead Ya they are quite hearty as long as they get what they need
@@RockyCreekHomestead I mix the calf manna with oats in a large garbage can and throw a scoop out every day to scratch around in. These red Sussex crosses are the type they use for grocery production, large brown eggs, I noticed after a year they were ragged looking even though I fed them all the meal worms and layer (good layer feed) sunflower seeds. I finally came across a farm web page that talked about calf manna. So, I looked it up and 'voila' apparently great for chickens, mine are looking much better.
Typically how long do you think 1/4 beef will last your family?
In the past 1/4 beef has lasted our family for 3/4 - 1 year. With that said though beef is probably the meat we eat the least of as we’re much more of a chicken and pork family. This cow was a bit smaller, so I’m thinking this should last us 3/4 of a year.
That's amazing.
Buying a Half or a whole is better!
Your correct if people have the money to purchase that much up front. We’re actually getting a 1/2 this year. Scheduled to be ready early October.
@@RockyCreekHomestead I bought 2 halfs this year 1 grain finished and 1 grass finished! I pick up tomorrow I'm so excited! I love Beef!
Awesome. Id be curious to hear if you notice any difference between the two
@@RockyCreekHomestead absolutely there is a difference. Not only in appearance but in cook time and definitely flavor! I like both. Grain is more tender but grass is beefier in flavor
You shouldn’t wait. You should go to the ER. It sounds like you need to have an angiogram done.
Thank you for your concern. The issue is still present at times but it’s significantly reduced. I have a follow up with a specialist in a few weeks.
Sounds like a heart attack
I call it a freezer full of deliciousness. Thanks for watching.