Thinking about buying a half or full cow.

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  • indyjohn

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    Dec 26, 2010
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    In the trees
    All this talk got me incited to go visit a local small business that I've read about on our neighborhood fb chat page.

    Don's Butcher Shop

    This place is on the southeast side of Indy across the street from St Francis South campus hospital. It is everything it was made out to be - great product, great service, better prices than you'd expect. Beef, pork, chicken locally sourced when they can. Great people.

    T-bone was on sale today...
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    005.jpg

    Talked to the man himself. He said he'd do a side of beef for his cost plus $2 per pound. About $1,200.
     

    Leadeye

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    .
    All this talk got me incited to go visit a local small business that I've read about on our neighborhood fb chat page.

    Don's Butcher Shop

    This place is on the southeast side of Indy across the street from St Francis South campus hospital. It is everything it was made out to be - great product, great service, better prices than you'd expect. Beef, pork, chicken locally sourced when they can. Great people.

    T-bone was on sale today...
    View attachment 150877

    View attachment 150878

    Talked to the man himself. He said he'd do a side of beef for his cost plus $2 per pound. About $1,200.

    That's going to taste good off the grill!
     

    Farmerjon

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    We have one 1550 pound holstein steer left that has a date with the processor I believe Sept. 9th. We charge $3.10 a pound hanging weight (not weighing the guts, hide, head, legs). The processor we use actually grinds the hamburger from each animal separately (most grind once a week and you get the amount from your animal but get a mixture of everything butchered that week). Butcher cost is .50 a pound (the amount of meat you get). Processing, well you call them, they will talk you through the cuts and what you want. Some people prefer thick steaks, some thin, some want two to a package, some want 4 or 6 or? Don't like that specific cut? Grind it into your hamburger mix. We are not "organic" but we do not use growth hormones, medicated feed and this group of steers did not require any medications for any problems. Feel free to email me with any questions, I deliver the steer to the processor for you, you pick up your meat and pay your processing fee and then based on the weight send me a check for the remaining amount you owe me ($200.00 non refundable deposit required). How much meat? Usually figure 60% is excellent so a 1500 pound steer will provide 900 pounds of meat (and some bone, think of your steak and ribs). 1/2 a beef then is 450 pounds times 3.10 equals $1,395.00.

    Edited to add, we sell whole or halves. Will sell 1/4's, but you need to find someone to buy the other 1/4 because you don't get one quarter of the animal, you get 1/2 of the 1/2. Would not be fair to get the best cuts so when you make your cut list the butcher cuts the entire 1/2 to the cut list then you get 1/2 of what is available. Need to have a friend or family member that you agreed with on the cut list buy the other 1/4. (clear as mud??). Good quality beef, fresh from the butcher, will make you want to never buy from the store again.
     
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    Lex Concord

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    If you have some land and some time you can grow cows. We used to get bottle calf’s cheap from a dairy farm. I think they want the calf’s gone early so mom makes more milk. Have to bottle feed them for a while. Full size dairy cows take some room.

    now they have lowland angus cows. A full sized cow is like 500 lbs hoof weight and if you can butcher out a deer a cow should be more of less the same at this (elk size).
    Less maintainer 2 cows feed on an acre of land. Not bad on fencing.

    most are used to grain feed beef. Grass feed beef has a much different taste so maybe the rancid beef was grass feed. I grew up on mainly grass feed beef. Now my uncle tops them off with grain before butcher shop comes calling them.
    Grass fed freezer beef has spoiled me. Not a fan of grain fed.
     

    Tactically Fat

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    Well, I went to Colfax and got the cow and brought it home.

    I'm very very glad it was a small beast. VERY very glad it was a small beast.

    We'd been burning through as much freezer stuff as we could the last 2 weeks, too. And if it weren't for dragging the turkey out of there yesterday (to roast on Sunday) - There wouldn't have been room.

    My only real First World Complant would be the plastic vacuum-sealed packaging. That stuff is too slick to really stack well in an upright freezer. I could've gotten more in there if it was wrapped in butcher paper.
     

    2in1evtime

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    Both good ideas, but how about a pressure canner?
    We pressure can hamburger and roast, also chicken and pork too, saves on freezer space. My wife is thinking of buying a freeze dryer, we can use it for most anything. Have already made arrangements for a whole beef purchase for this winter, i and my wife and son will butcher this one too.
     
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