Will all this meat fit in your freezer? We'll help you figure it out...
We understand that purchasing meat directly off the farm for the first time may seem a little overwhelming. We try to make the experience as similar to having your own personal butcher as possible, but there are components – like the live weight of the animal and the dressing percentage (which ultimately affects the number of pounds in your freezer) – that remain somewhat variable. Read on to learn about how much meat you can store in your freezer and let us introduce you to our bundle options, designed to reduce some of the guesswork with your order.
Let’s talk freezer space. A good rule of thumb is: one cubic foot of freezer space needed for every 30-35 pounds of packaged meat. To put this into perspective, standard top refrigerator/freezers are roughly 4 cubic feet. Bottom drawer freezers may offer 6-7 cubic feet of freezer space, with side-by-side units offering 8-9 cubic feet. Remember that these are guidelines…. How thick your steaks are cut and how many are in a package, what chub size you choose, and the packaging itself will all affect freezer space. And, let’s be honest, packing a freezer all comes down to whether you were paying attention to Tetris in the 80s.
We developed a few "bundle" options to help overcome some of the uncertainty that may be present with purchasing a side. We think of our 50# bundle as our “teaser” because we are sure it will leave you wanting more. This is a great option for first-time buyers or small families to sample our beef without necessitating the purchase of a separate freezer. The bundle includes all your favorite cuts like steaks, roasts, and burger. Steaks are cut to a standard thickness, but you can tell us what size roasts and hamburger chubs you prefer (depending upon current stock/availability). This option will fit comfortably into any size freezer with room to spare.
Whether you opt for the 100# bundle option, or you purchase a quarter beef, plan on the meat fitting into a drawer freezer or a side-by-side. You’ll likely still have room for that carton of ice cream, but don’t expect much else to fit in there. Otherwise, count on it filling half of a small chest freezer or 25% of an upright freezer.
We recommend a half beef for larger families. With this option, you and your family will need to consume 3-5 pounds of beef per week to get through your order in one year. Your meat will fill at least 50% of a large upright or chest freezer.
A whole beef is right for you if beef really is what’s for dinner! You will need almost all the space in a 20 cubic foot large upright or chest freezer and several healthy teenagers to store and devour this order. If a whole beef is the right solution for your family, you can reserve one from our upcoming processing dates - just call for availability.
Remember, with our smaller bundles, as you gain convenience, you give up a little in customization. We reserve animals to fill our bundle orders and have them cut to standard specifications, so the orders are subject to product availability. Our larger bundles and sides (quarters, halves, wholes) are all completely customizable. And we’re here to walk you through that process.