Let’s face it, most people have never bought meat in bulk before. Maybe you bought the 10 lb. pack of burger at the grocery store, or if there was a sale, stocked up on multiple packages of breakfast sausage or chicken. But 30, 100, 200+ pounds of meat?!

The first time we bought meat in bulk, I was nervous. I didn’t know anything about the process. I had to Google everything or go to friends or family who had bought in bulk before to get answers. That’s a lot of meat and a lot of investment.

While it IS the smartest way to go to get the best deal for your dollar, it comes with a lot of unknowns if you’ve never done it before.

We get asked all kinds of questions. I’ve been asked by people whether they have to pick up a live animal and deliver it to the butcher themselves - NO, you do not. Here’s a list of the top three asked questions:

1. How much freezer space will I need for bulk meat?

   A rule of thumb is to plan 1 cubic foot of freezer space per 35-40 lbs. of packaged meat. For example, the take home packaged meat for our quarter beef is approximately 100 lbs. So you would need approximately three cubic feet of freezer space.

2. How much meat will I receive in a meat share?

   This depends on several things - first, the finishing weight of each animal, and every animal finishes differently; second, how you choose to have it cut. The following are approximations of how much meat to expect:

   • Whole Beef Share: 420 lbs.

   • Half Beef Share: 210 lbs.

   • Quarter Beef Share: 105 lbs.

   • Whole Pork Share: 140 lbs.

   • Half Pork Share: 70 lbs.

3. How much money total should I expect to pay for a meat share?

   You will pay Section 32 Farms for the meat share and processing costs to the butcher. There are several factors for final pricing - the final hanging weight of each animal and how you have your meat cut. Butcher costs are subject to change. The following are approximations of cost for each meat share:

   • Whole Beef Share:

     • Sec. 32 Farms Cost: $2400

     • Butcher Cost: $500

   • Half Beef Share

     • Sec. 32 Farms Cost: $1200

     • Butcher Cost: $250

   • Quarter Beef Share

     • Sec. 32 Farms Cost: $650

     • Butcher Cost: $125

   • Whole Pork Share:

     • Sec. 32 Farms Cost: $745

     • Butcher Cost: $200

   • Half Pork Share:

     • Sec. 32 Farms Cost: $445

     • Butcher Cost: $100

There’s no question too big or too little. If you’re not sure - ask us! The biggest thing we want people to know is that we’re here for you every step of the way. We’re thinking and planning for you before that animal is even born! We want to make this as smooth of a process for you as possible.

So if you’re thinking about it, have more questions, or just want to chat more, reach out to us at hello@section32farms.com or 989-860-2000. View more frequently asked questions on our website here.