Frequently Asked Questions about purchasing our Natural Beef raised in Tennessee

2. How do I place deposits and pay for my natural beef?
Click on our "Purchase by the Side" page to pay with your credit card, or send us a money order to our mailing address listed on our contact page. If you mail a money order we will mail you a receipt. You may use your credit card to place a deposit for your meat and your receipt is delivered to you immediately via e-mail. Your deposit will be credited towards your final purchase price. You will also be able to pay for the balance of your order using your credit card or with a money order.

3. If I purchase beef by the side or by the whole how will it be cut?
Our butcher will work with you to fill out a “cut sheet.” The cut sheet will show you the various types of cuts that can come from each section of the cow, and you will choose how you want your meat cut and wrapped. You will also be able to indicate approximate sizes you prefer for roasts, if you want boneless or bone-in cuts, approximate thickness of steaks and how many pounds/package for your ground beef.

All of our meat is delivered frozen and shrink wrapped, and labeled with the cut of meat and the weight on each package.

4. What if I think a whole side will be too much meat?
We have many customers who purchase meat by the side and share the meat and the cost with friends and/or family. You may also click on our "Purchase Retail Cuts" page to see options for purchasing small quantities at retail locations.

5. How is your beef raised?
Our beef is raised “guilt free!” Our cattle live on grass in large fields 24/7/365 as they are supposed to. We do not administer antibiotics in the feed (which is a standard feedlot approach) or growth hormones.

6. When will I receive my natural beef?
We work with a USDA processor to butcher and prepare your meat. Meat is available approximately four to six weeks after being delivered to the butcher. Once at the butcher the meat has to dry age, then it is cut, wrapped and frozen. We determine the order of delivery to our customers by delivering in the order in which we received deposits. You will have approximately four to six weeks of notice that your meat will be ready.

7. What is the difference between the hanging weight and the weight of the meat in my freezer?

The amount of weight you take home and put in your freezer will be less than the hanging weight. The degree of difference depends on several factors. Some moisture is lost during the dry-aging process and the meat shrinks some as the moisture evaporates. The biggest variable comes from how the meat is cut. We sell by the hanging weight to allow you to own the entire side, so it is completely up to you how much of the side makes it into your freezer. If you choose all boneless cuts, no stew meat, no soup bones and none of the internal organs (such as the liver) you will not keep nearly as much of your side as someone who chooses bone-in cuts, stew meat, soup bones and internal organs. Depending on how you choose to have your meat cut the difference between the hanging weight and the weight of the meat in your freezer will vary on average in the range of 25% - 45%.

8. What is a side of meat? What is the "hanging weight?"
A side of beef is quite literally one side, or half, of a cow. Each side of beef has a whole rump, whole round, whole loin and complete set of ribs
Hanging weight is defined as what remains after the internal organs, hide, head and feet are removed. The hanging weight of each animal will vary, so until the meat is actually hanging at our USDA processor we cannot tell you what the exact weight will be. The average hanging weight of one of our sides is approximately 275-325 pounds. Please keep in mind this is just an average, not an exact guess, so your side may be higher or lower than this range. The total weight of the meat placed in your freezer will be less than the hanging weight as explained in question number seven above.