Just Got Back from the Processor

Look in my area if you want to find cheap land and a lower cost of living.

Curious, how was the eating on that Holstein? No grain right?

Thanks

I grass feed our Holsteins and they usually take a whole chest freezer. I always think it will be too much space, but nope. If ther eis extra space just fill double ziplock bags or milk jusgs with water and freeze them. That way the freezer doesn't work as hard and if the power goes out your beef is still frozen.

That's about the price we pay for our butchering. Our butcher is great. I go to Church with some of the guys that work there. Gotta love it when one says, "Oh, you brought Tupac in last week. He went down nice and quick."

We are on a farm that's "in town" and the town says we can't raise pigs. Our butcher makes his own cajun flavored bacon. He's picky about the pigs he'll turn into bacon and the bacon is at least a quarter inch thick. I still say there is nothing like a nice warm summer night with your own beef on the grill and burgers topped with good bacon to make it all right in the world!

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I refuse to believe corporations are people until Texas executes one.

I also believe that workers need Unions as much as gun owners need the NRA.

Just ate our first steak from this Holstein/Angus and I have to say it is the best steak I have had EVER. Don't know if it was the breed or processor but plan to use the same guy in the fall with a 2 yr.old Dexter steer. This is the first time after using three other guys that I know we got our own meat back, just might be worth the higher cost.

Yes VERY HELPFUL! We are hoping to start our first calf this spring. We have never raised one before and the prospect of it is quite honestly a little scary. I appreciated seeing your numbers. I have been looking on Craigslist for a calf...not sure where to buy or what kind to buy or what age to buy.....I hear a lot of people talk about losing baby cows and so we are thinking a bucket calf rather than a bottle calf? Still in the researching/learning phase. Would love to hear more of your experience.
Thank you for the post.

For future reference, how do you guarantee this?

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Knights and Dreams Farm

Just picked up my beef today. Dexter steer, 24 months old, 534 lb hanging weight, grass fed/fattened. Of course, we had steaks for dinner tonight. Just as good as last time.

Here is breakdown of what we got:
170 lbs steaks, roasts, cube steak, stew meat, ground round
132 lbs hamburger meat
25 lbs short ribs (boney but very good if cooked right)
20 lbs soup & marrow bones (for making stock)

Expenses:
$300 processing (includes transportation)
$200 feed (we supplement pasture with hay & alfalfa cubes in winter)
$150 pasture maintenance (mainly diesel fuel)

If you exclude the soup bones, it comes out to $2.00 per lb

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Steve
http://goatfeatherfarm.org

Just bought our first calves this month. Both are Holstein crosses with a Hereford. Used our tax refund to buy a nice cow/calf pair of Charolais too. Hoping to keep our whole family in milk and meat. My problem will be learning how many I can keep on the property. Not sure how many it will support. A lot to learn!

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Advoc for the LARGE BLACK HOG as well as other old and slow growing foods. Visit our little homestead on our facebook farm page...

https://www.facebook.com/lifeonhorsefork?ref=hl

Bum Steer came home last night.And boy were those ribeyes good!!
2 year old / 651lbs hanging weight
103 lbs ground beef
29 tenderized round steaks
24 ribeyes
10pkg of shortribs
12 pkg sirloin
10lbs boneless stew
2 large briskets
4 large pike peak roast
8 chuck roast
6 arm roast
14 soup bones
5 large pkg of fajita meat
4 rump roast
28 ny steaks
6 pkg tenderloin
We sold a 1/4 to our solar power guru and paid back a neighbor for a calf he gave us and Have one very full freezer. The ribeyes were very lightly marbled. No grain was ever fed and I am now a true believer. Grass fed all the way. Sirloin steak tonight!! Oh baby!

It was a little on the light side but it was 36% of live weight. Not that far off. Holstein also has a lot of weight in their bones. Larger breeds run in the 35-50% range on what you get back from the live weight. Smaller breeds will run in the 45-60% range.

ALWAYS call ahead to make an appointment at the butcher shop around here they stay booked ahead months preticulary in the fall and early winter when most people want there livestock butcherd .

Most places do not give you back your own burger unless you specify it. Not ripping you off, just the way things are processed there. It's the norm. I didn't know that until I started working at a meat processing place last summer.

I don't see tongue or oysters on anyone's list, or ox tails.

Apparently in the south where we live--ox tails are sought after. So I same them for our friends--when I make soup--I want meat in it.

My husband said, he didn't want to eat the tongue--I told him too late!!

I minced it up in the stew--never knew it. I know some like it as a sandwich meat.

I also didn't see live on the lists--liver is excellent. I bring it to the church pot luck--and they all love it. Even my husband who wasn't too keen on it at first--especially when I tried to pass it off as barbecue. My sister had to think for a moment what it was--couldn't take the texture, then she wanted to hit me.

So now I just cook it with lots of onions and peppers.

We also take the bones--for the dogs.

We brought the the liver heart and oxtail home to share with our neighbors. The inspector did not like the look of the tongue.

Strange. What didn't he like?

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My second day of work at the meat processor's, one of the guys decided to play a funny. It was kill day, and he brought me in a tongue and a heart that were still warm and put them in my hands really quickly without me realizing what they were. EWWWWW!!! Not much that wigs me out, but EWWWWWW!!!! I could have swore the heart was still beating it was so warm. YUCK!

something about parasites maybe , not really a straight answer from the butcher shop.
Lord knows we cant question the authorities. The shop has a great reputation and so far I am happy with everything else.