Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Beef Prices...The new gold

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison....

Daughter and Son-In-Law also got tired of low prices at stock yards and high prices at the meat counter. Last year they sold 9 steers/heifers off the farm to family, friends, coworkers. Killed 3 per weekend for 3 weekends. Hauled quarters to the processors. Already had customer cut sheets at the processors when quarters arrived. Customers paid them based on hanging weight at the processor. Customers paid processor per-determined cost per pound for cut and wrap. Everyone went away happy.

Yes, they had to line up the customers. Yes, they had people back out. Yes, they had to schedule the open windows with the processors 6-12 months in advance. Yes, they had to arrange the kill man, and cleanup of hides and offal after the kills. But, they about doubled their net-net versus sending same animals through the stock yards. Their are planning to kill 14-15 animals this year off the farm.

Selling straight off the farm ain't for everyone. However, for folks who are not locked into "This is how we've always done it", there are some opportunities to split the mark up with non-producers and keep some of additional profit on the home farm.

I had ribeyes on the grocery list last week. When I saw the high price and low quality I took a pass and thawed out some deer loin. I love venison but I really love a good ribeye and I’m not bashful about paying for a good one. But Im not paying what they wanted for those sorry cuts. Not even a cap to speak of. Probably a result of them skinny azz suburban Karens whining about fat in the beef. Pizzes me off. The fish counter is only another few steps down the aisle.

Interesting. My brother feeds 175-200 head of steer annually. Buys 300 pound or so steers in February or March. He feeds silage and some grain for a few weeks then on grass all summer. He sells them in September at 900 or so pounds. Some years he makes little, some years quite a lot. It’s a market, and it fluctuates. On average, he does just fine. And he eats good beef year round.
Some years I get to help brand and vaccinate the newly purchased steers.

It takes a lot of work to put the beef on the plate.

[quote=slumlord]I got some Choice NYstrip yesterday at the food lion for 7.99 lb.

Looked decent too.



But still. I mighta/shoulda bought a few more.


We had a couple of those Sat evening, also bought 4 extra/wrapped and froze.