Since many of our customers are buying direct from the farm for the first time, we wanted to put together an F.A.Q. page to help answer any questions you may have!

We can now ship our meats across the US. If you are outside of NY, NJ, CT, PA, VT, MA,OH- we heavily suggest next day shipping.

 

Q. What is a meat-share program?

A. When you join a meat-share program, you are joining a farm-community. Our meat share customers reserve a percentage or share of one of our prime quality cows and/ or pigs. By purchasing a share, either a 1/4, 1/2, or Whole, you are reserving a share of that animal.

This allows us, the farmers to raise a specific number of animals each year, for a certain amount of VIP customers (or farm-community members) each year. This also allows us to focus on the best farming practices available so we can raise only the best American Beef and Pork.

Once you reserve your share, we will determine which animal will be yours, schedule a processing date, and finally arrange for pick-up or delivery of your personalized meat-share. It does not get more farm-to-table than this. All of your cuts of meat will be individually packaged and vacuum sealed.

Q. Ordering a quarter of a cow, half a cow/pig or a whole cow/pig sounds intimidating and like a lot of meat- should I feel this way?

A. Ordering direct from your farmer is the best way to order your meats. What many of our customers do on their first orders is split the order (especially a whole cow) with friends and family- many of which have MEAT PARTIES/ GATHERINGS on the day the meat is delivered. * which we love because it is high energy upon our arrival.

Remember, if you have not done this before- you may feel a bit nervous because it is new and something you are doing for the first time but if you are after the best quality product, greater health for you and your family, and saving a few bucks- this is the best way to order your beef. Where else can you actually come to the farm and meet the animals to see exactly how they are treated prior to your consumption?

Q. I have never purchased a quarter of a cow, half a cow or a whole cow before, how much freezer space do I need?

A. For a whole cow, we recommend an 14.8cu chest freezer.  For a half a cow, a 7.0cu chest freezer. And, for a 1/4 cow, a 4.9cu chest freezer. Lowes has a great selection- just remember inventory drops in the late fall due to deer season.

Q. How do I know how much meat I will get?

A. The amount of meat you will take home is approximately 60% of the animals hanging weight. We charge based on hanging weight. For cows: this typically amounts to 50lbs.for a 1/8th cow, 90-100lbs. for a 1/4 cow, 190-200lbs for a 1/2 cow, and 390-400lbs for a whole cow.  For pigs: 30-35lbs for a 1/4 pig, 60lbs for a 1/2 pig, and 120lbs for a whole pig.

Q. What is hanging weight?

A.Hanging weight is after the cow has the head, hide, internal organs, and  legs removed. The butcher then takes a weight- and prior to aging, cutting and packing, gives us that weight which we charge on. It is farmer industry standard.

For example, our cows live weights are approximately 1000lbs.- Hanging weight, once the butcher removes head, hide, internal organs, and legs- is approximately 600lbs.  

The next step is aging the meat, cutting the meat, and packaging the meat.

Your take home share of meat is 60% of hanging weight.

Q. Do you feed your cows corn or grain?

A. When we first started the farm, we just used grasses- but what we found was during the harsh winters it because difficult to keep weight on our animals and we began losing some animals due to the climate. So, we now use some corn silage and grain during parts of the year to keep our animals safe and healthy. Animal welfare is our #1 priority. The animals are the stars of the show and we want to make sure they are safe and healthy so our customers get only the best.

Q. When will I get my order if I put a deposit down today?

A. We do our processing year round- with a limited schedule through the winter to keep the animals and drivers safe. Our orders are filled in the order in which they come in. So- get your orders in early! If you have any requests on when you would like your order, please email us and let us know! We are currently turning our larger shares around in 60-90 days. That means 3-weeks prior to your delivery your cow or pig was out in pasture. That is freshness.  

Q. Do you deliver?

A. Yes, for a delivery fee we do deliver our larger meat shares. We are a small family farm, so we, the farmers do the deliveries as we love to meet our customers!

Q. Do you ship meat?

A. We do currently ship out meats using UPS as our carrier. If our truck is going to be in your area, we will also hand deliver! We ask that any orders south of Maryland, or west of Ohio choose next day shipping.

 Q. What areas to your service for your meat-share (whole/ half/ quarters)?

A. We ship nationwide! Shipping costs vary based on distance from the farm.

Q. Do you use antibiotics on your animals?

A. When our animals get sick (much like people)- we do treat them as needed to ensure their welfare. We do not use preventative antibiotics. We are 100% committed to keeping our animals safe. With that being said, every antibiotic has a withdrawal period and our animals will never be slaughtered with antibiotics in their system.

Q. How long will it take for me to get my order if I ordered a smaller box and not a share?

A. Depending on when our fresh product arrives back from our butcher, you can expect your order within 2 weeks. We try to turn around orders quickly, but since we do not keep large inventories to guarantee freshness, it could take longer than just a few days! It will be worth the wait.

If you have any other questions that we did not answer above, please feel free to reach out:  wearefreedomfarms@gmail.com