Bulk Beef - Half Steer - Deposit

Thank you for carefully considering your decision to purchase our grass-fed beef. Once this deposit is processed, your quarter steer will be secured. Remaining amount owing will be due upon pickup of your beef in September/October.

Here are details regarding our beef orders:

Price?

We will be selling in bulk, not by individual cut. It will be $11.50/lbs, meat wrapped & frozen by individual cuts (steaks are done in packs of 2-4, roasts individually, ground beef in small packs for east thawing, etc). Since we don't know the final weight of each of our steers, we can't say the final price for certain. We have given an estimate of each, with quarters ranging from $2070 - $2760.

Amount of meat?

You will be provided with a variety of cuts, plus ground beef. Quarters will range from 180 - 240lbs of beef (typically 10 cu ft freezer space).

Types of cuts included?

Our beef is done up in a standard mix of cuts, heavier on the steaks, with roasts, Korean-style short ribs & of course plenty of ground beef. Plus, organs, bones & oxtail. Our butcher wraps each beef cut in paper & with a label. Steaks are 2-4 per pack depending on the cut.

Deposit required?

Yes, we will require a deposit to be paid immediately to hold your half or quarter order. Since we are only harvesting 6 steers at this time, there is a limit to what will be available. $500 will need to be paid for the deposit for a half. The deposit will be removed from the total owing, once the weights come in. You will need to pay the balance remaining before the meat is picked up or delivered to you.

Can we change our mind after the slaughter date?

No. In fact, changing your mind once a deposit is paid, will be difficult. We are choosing to enact our On-Farm Slaughter Permit to harvest these steers. More info below on why & how it works, but simply put, you are actually purchasing a quarter or half of the live animal. Yes, you are purchasing the animal, not the meat. Which means, once the paper work goes through, that part of the animal is yours. If you change your mind, no one else can purchase or consume that meat, not even us as the farmers. None of this is meant to scare you off, on the contrary, we hope it shows the seriousness of local food production. Please consider your decision carefully.

Slaughter dates?

August 29, 2024

September 12, 2024

Meat Available for pickup?

You'll need to have your freezers ready at the end of September (for August slaughter dates) & mid-October (for September slaughter). The beef will hang for 4 weeks following slaughter & butcher.

What does "on-farm slaughter" mean ?

 This was made available during COVID to help farmers have their livestock slaughtered on-site at their farms. There are many limitations to the permit, but it does allow us to chose the most humane and calm death for our livestock. We have hired a provincially licensed slaughter operator & butcher to carry out the task. He will move the meat to his facility for hanging, parting, and packaging. Each package will say the scary words "Uninspected Meat - Not For Sale". Again you are purchasing the live animal, not the butchered meat, so none of us can re-sell the meat, it needs to be consumed by the household that purchases the animal.

To us, this is the most humane & low-stress death that we can give our beloved steers. They do not have to be trailered & trucked away for hours to a facility & people they are unfamiliar with. We are present at every death & make ceremony around the day to give peace to our livestock & ourselves.

We know that food production regulations can be confusing. It's our business to navigate them, so if you have more questions, we are happy to discuss it with you! Email us:

farming@happinessbytheacre.ca

Storage, Handling, and Food Safety

Proper storage and handling of meat is an important part of food safety. You should always keep your meats in a refrigerator at or below 4C, or in a freezer below -18C

Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods, and wash your hands and all cooking surfaces and implements after handling raw meats with soap and water.

Cook foods properly to a safe internal temerature, see the recommendations by Health Canada here: https://www.canada.ca/en/healt...

Keep hot food hot (over 60C) and cold food cold (4C or colder), and store leftovers (or discard) immediately.