Purchasing meat directly from the farm can seem overwhelming, but we’ve made it simple! Here’s how our pricing works:
Packaged Beef
Please note, prices are estimates based on average package weight and price per pound. Final pricing is based on actual weight at pickup or delivery, with any balance or refund settled at that time. This standard method ensures fair and accurate pricing.
Custom Beef
We sell our custom beef at $5 per pound of hanging weight. Your nonrefundable deposit goes toward the total cost of your beef, with the remaining balance based on the actual hanging weight after harvest.
We deliver the animal to Trackside Butcher Shoppe for processing. Processing is a separate cost, and customers will work directly with and pay Trackside Butcher Shoppe for their processing preferences and any optional add-ons they choose.
Your beef will be processed according to your preferences and vacuum sealed for freshness.
We can coordinate delivery of your finished beef within approximately one hour of our farm in Owenton, Kentucky, as long as the meat can be transported without thawing. You may also pick up your beef directly from Trackside Butcher Shoppe. Longer-distance delivery may be possible, but an additional reasonable fee may apply for dry ice, freezer accommodations, or other measures necessary to keep your beef safely frozen during transport. Any delivery arrangements, especially those outside our standard delivery area, must be discussed and agreed upon prior to harvest.
Things to Keep in Mind:
Hanging Weight vs. Finished Meat: The price you pay Down Home Farms is based on hanging weight—the weight of the beef after harvest and before it is processed into individual cuts. After processing, you can expect approximately 60–70% of the hanging weight as finished meat, including steaks, roasts, ground beef, and other cuts.
Processing Costs: Processing is paid separately to Trackside Butcher Shoppe. Based on their current pricing, standard cattle processing includes a $45 kill fee plus $0.86 per pound of hanging weight. Optional items and specialty processing, such as patties, single-packed steaks, sausage, or other specialty grinds, may add to the total processing cost.
Freezer Space: Be sure to have enough freezer space to store your beef. Generally, you’ll need about 5–7 cubic feet of freezer space per 100 lbs of finished meat.
Delivery: We can coordinate delivery within approximately one hour of our farm in Owenton, Kentucky, provided the meat can remain frozen during transport. Longer deliveries may be available for an additional reasonable fee depending on distance and what is required to keep your beef frozen. All delivery arrangements must be discussed and agreed upon prior to harvest.
Quality and Freshness: Your beef is vacuum sealed and frozen by the processor to preserve freshness and allow for long-term storage. Your meat will begin to thaw once removed from appropriate frozen storage, so please plan accordingly.
Our goal is to maintain uniformity in our beef, and we typically aim for a hanging weight of 700 to 800 lbs per cow. However, variations can occur, and we cannot guarantee that every animal will fall within this exact range.
To help customers plan ahead, we provide estimated hanging weights and finished yields so you have a good idea of the expected cost and freezer space needed. After harvest, the exact hanging weight is known, and your final cost for the animal can be calculated.
Example Pricing & Freezer Space (Estimate)
For 750 lbs Hanging Weight
Cost of the Animal
At $5.00 per lb hanging weight:
750 lbs × $5.00 = $3,750
Your $500 whole-beef deposit is applied toward this total.
Estimated Processing Cost
Based on Trackside Butcher Shoppe's current standard cattle processing fees:
$45 kill fee
750 lbs × $0.86 = $645 processing
Estimated standard processing cost: $690
Optional services and specialty processing are additional and will vary depending on your selections.
Estimated Total Investment
$3,750 for the animal
+ $690 estimated standard processing
= Approximately $4,440 total
This estimate does not include optional processing upgrades or any additional delivery costs that may apply outside our standard delivery area.
Finished Meat Yield
After processing, you can expect approximately 60–70% of the hanging weight as finished meat.
If the yield is 60%, the finished meat is approximately 450 lbs.
If the yield is 70%, the finished meat is approximately 525 lbs.
Approximate Cost Per Finished Pound
Using the estimated $4,440 total investment for the animal and standard processing:
At a 60% yield, approximately:
$4,440 ÷ 450 lbs = $9.87 per finished lb
At a 70% yield, approximately:
$4,440 ÷ 525 lbs = $8.46 per finished lb
Optional processing services may increase these estimates.
Freezer Space
For approximately 450 lbs of meat, you will need about 22.5–31.5 cubic feet of freezer space.
For approximately 525 lbs of meat, you will need about 26.25–36.75 cubic feet of freezer space.
Cut Sheet & Customization:
For whole and half custom beef orders, Trackside Butcher Shoppe will send you a cut sheet at the time of harvest, allowing you to choose your cutting preferences, including steak thickness, number of steaks per package, bone-in or boneless options, and other available selections.
Our standard quarter beef is processed according to our established standard cut sheet and does not require you to complete a custom cut sheet.
If you have questions about the cut sheet or your options, we’re happy to help guide you through the process.
Our goal is to provide high-quality, farm-raised beef with transparent pricing and no surprises. By clearly separating the cost of the animal from processing, we hope to make purchasing custom beef straightforward and easy to understand.