From Hanging Weight to Freezer: Understanding the Cost of Bulk Beef
1. Start Small, Grow as You're Ready
At Benoit Family Farmstead, the price is the same whether you buy a quarter, half, or whole beef. We don't charge extra for smaller amounts because we believe families should start where they're comfortable.
A quarter beef is a wonderful way to:
Learn how to plan meals from the freezer
Discover which cuts your family loves best
See how long a share lasts in your household
As you get more comfortable, you may choose a larger share in the future — but you'll be making that choice with confidence, not pressure to save more money.
2. Understanding the $6.25/lb Price
When you reserve a beef share, your cost is based on the hanging weight (the beef after harvest, before trimming).
The total cost averages $6.25 per pound hanging weight, but that payment is split into two parts:
Deposit (paid at reservation)
$250 for a quarter
$500 for a half
$1,000 for a whole This deposit is applied toward your final farm balance.
Farm Payment ($5.25/lb hanging weight)
This is the amount you pay us for the beef itself.
Your deposit is subtracted from this balance when the hanging weights are known.
Locker Payment (~$1/lb hanging weight)
Paid directly to Center Locker at pickup.
Covers butchering, cutting, wrapping, and grinding.
3. Hanging Weight vs. Packaged Beef
When you buy beef, your cost is based on the hanging weight. This is the weight of the animal after harvest but before cutting, trimming, and deboning.
Once your beef is cut and packaged, you'll take home about 55% of the hanging weight as packaged meat. The other 45% is made up of:
Bones
Fat
Moisture loss during the dry aging process
👉 But here's the good news: you don't have to let that value go to waste. If you'd like, you can ask the locker for:
Bones → Roast them in the oven and simmer into rich, homemade bone broth.
Fat → Melt it down in a crockpot and strain into clean jars for beef tallow (perfect for cooking, frying, or even soap-making).
So while the weight in your freezer will always be less than the hanging weight, you can still use those "extras" if you want them to get the most from your beef. Don't forget your pets too — save those bones as treats and organs to give on occasion.
How Payment Works (Example: Quarter Beef)
Deposit (to reserve your beef): You pay $250 up front to secure your quarter beef.
Farm Payment (to us):
Hanging weight = 216 lbs
Beef price = 216 × $5.25 = $1,134.00
Minus your $250 deposit = $884.00 due at final billing (paid to the farm; you'll get an invoice on the butcher date)
Locker Payment (to Center Locker):
Processing fee = 216 × $1 = $216
Paid separately to the locker when you pick up your beef, or over the phone to the locker if we pick up for you.
Final Total:
Farm ($1,134.00) + Locker ($216) = $1,350.00
Packaged beef: ~120 lbs
True freezer cost: about $11.25/lb
Keep in mind that the weights are all based on average. You are welcome to ask for the biggest or smallest one we have going to the locker. Or you can tell me your budget and I will get the weight that best fits. We truly want to see you succeed in shopping local and filling your freezer.