I know it's possible....

[RachelMarie]

I'm wondering how to go about buying "1/2 a cow". How do I do this? Do I find a local cow farmer and ask them?

 

[Fletch]

I'm wondering how to go about buying "1/2 a cow". How do I do this? Do I find a local cow farmer and ask them?

Isn't that the same as a side of beef? If so, just go to a local butcher.

 

[RachelMarie]

Isn't that the same as a side of beef? If so, just go to a local butcher.

I have no clue if it's the same. I've heard it's cheaper to cut out the middle man...somehow. I know nothing about this. My husband wants to buy it. I'm supposed to find it.

What is a good price?

 

[BURNSURVIVOR725]

my parents do it but they are friends witht the farmer. if you could get someone to go halvesies with you you could buy a cow from a young 4H'er and have it butchered.

oh and i hope you have a big freezer!

 

[MinuteMan47]

We usually just buy the cow and have it butchered. You will just have to find some people to go in on it with you....maybe an INGO Group Buy

 

[mrjarrell]

Try this RachelMarie.
Eat Wild - Indiana

 

[Colt556]

Try these...

Sides Of Beef - Shop Smarter.com

http://www.local.com/results.aspx?keyword=side%20beef&location=Indianapolis%2C%20IN


Let me know when the BBQ is.

 

[IndyMonkey]

There is a farmer just outside of Plainfield taking orders on cows that will be ready to kill in a few weeks.

If you want the phone number I can swing by there and get it for you.

 

[jd4320t]

I'm not sure how far NE you are but I know there are two great butcher shops up that way. One is in Portland and the other is in Decatur.

Manley Meats Decatur, Indiana - Offering Custom Butchering, Meat Processing Deer, Beef, Pork, Catering & Caterer Decatur

Fisher Packing Company of Indiana Portland

 

[mrjarrell]

There's also Royer's. I've run into them at the Farmers Mkt.
index

 

[88GT]

We're getting ours from a co-worker of my husband's.

I'm betting the butchers would know who offers single cows up for sale. If you don't want the whole cow, you will have to find others to purchase the difference. For example, we're taking a half cow, and two of my husband's coworkers are taking a 1/4 each.

You still have to have the meat processed at the butcher so you're not really cutting out the middle man, and I'm not sure it's a large savings over the grocery store (depending on a multitude of factors), but at least you know your meat source, and in most cases, you can specify how much of what cuts you want when it heads off to the butcher. A big plus for me since I am finding that the chain markets aren't carrying the cuts I want or they just don't look good.

FWIW, I do believe it's a 4-H animal. Another good place to check, as someone else mentioned above.

***ETA, I just got the email regarding costs. Let me know if you want to see how it breaks down.

 

[POC]

Got a chainsaw?

 

[Ironjaw's-wife]

I know we are getting ready to get a cow or 1/2 from my brother n law. pm ironjaw and ask him. i only cook it! and complain about the price, but it's sooooooo much better than store bought meat...

 

[theweakerbrother]

It's rarely not that much cheaper, at least from what I've found here, that buying a cow is cheaper than finding deals at the store. You aren't saving a lot of money but you are getting a lot nicer meat.

 

[E5RANGER375]

theres a friendly butcher shop in greenwood. archers market i think? very good service, that i have had. and I have OC'd in there with no problems too

 

[baldguy637]

I have no clue if it's the same. I've heard it's cheaper to cut out the middle man...somehow. I know nothing about this. My husband wants to buy it. I'm supposed to find it.

What is a good price?

It is cheaper, you'll pretty much be getting everything (steaks, roasts, ect..) at burger price. As far as cost goes......you'll be charged market price per lb when the steer is slaughtered. I'm thinking its right around .90-.95 cents right now, plus a processing fee. We get a half a steer and two whole hogs a year to feed a family of 5.

The nicest thing is having all of the meat in the freezer!

 

[Farmerjon]

We (my wife and I) have a small beef herd on our farm. We don't farrow hogs anymore, but do buy feeder pigs and sell freezer pork. We presell our beef to our customers so they can bring their kids by if they want them to learn where their food comes from. We do not use anti-biotics unless the animal is in need of it. Large feedlots put anti biotics daily in their feed ration as they have so much turn around that the need is there. It takes us a little longer to get the same weight as we don't use any growth hormones or other tricks of the trade. We sell our beef for $2.00 a pound hanging weight. Customer pays for processing (depending on what you want, you can add a hundred bucks to your processing costs). It makes for expensive hamburger, generally cost another 1.30 to process thus giving you 3.30 a pound for hamburger, but try to buy steaks for 3.30 a pound!! And as others have stated, yeah, the taste. If you have never eaten fresh beef, you are in for a treat. Stop by a local farmer, feel free to ask, they might not have any, but bet they will be able to help you find a farmer that has some for sale.
For information sake, a half of a beef is that, one half. You can buy a 1/4 of a beef, but you don't get the front quarter or the back quarter, basically what you get is half of the half. Which means it is harder for me to sell 1/4's because I have to "team" my customers so their cutting procedures are somewhat similar making the division easier for the cutter. The difference between hanging weight and live weight, hopefully a calf will hang at 60% of its live weight. So when buying hanging weight, you aren't buying the hooves, head, hide and guts. You generally are buying what is eventually packaged and arrives in your home. When you decide on a processor, call them, don't be afraid to tell them you don't know how to cut/order a fresh beef. The good ones will walk you through the process. If you don't prefer specific cuts of meat, you don't have to order them, just ask them to put that in your hamburger order. It cost more to have your hamburger pattied up, more if you have less hamburgers per package, but hey, make it easy for yourself. If it is just you and the wife, get three burger patties per package. If it is a family, figure out what is best. Same for bulk hamburger, get your packages in manageable sizes.

 

[XtremeVel]

I'm not sure how far NE you are but I know there are two great butcher shops up that way. One is in Portland and the other is in Decatur.

Manley Meats Decatur, Indiana - Offering Custom Butchering, Meat Processing Deer, Beef, Pork, Catering & Caterer Decatur

Fisher Packing Company of Indiana Portland

+1 on Manley's. We have never bought 1/2 a cow there... We always come out of there broke after filling our freezer with their cold cuts. They make many of their own cold cuts and they are awesome ! They also make the best beef and pork jerkey !

 

[hotfarmboy1]

I'm wondering how to go about buying "1/2 a cow". How do I do this? Do I find a local cow farmer and ask them?

Yeah finding a local farmer that's going to butcher a cow is one way to do it. That's how we've sold some to family before when we had a few cows we were feeding out. They'd take half and we'd take half. Otherwise you may be able to ask a butcher shop and see what they say. Most will probably do it.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Our side of beef several months ago was right around $700.