I always wait until I find it on sale (B/S chicken for $1.99/lb) and then buy 20-25lbs... split chicken I wait til it's $0.99/lb and buy 50lbs.. the guys in the meat always give me funny looks when I tell them I want a case. "A whole case? you know that's around 50lbs?" Yes, a case. I know it's 50lbs. I have 3 freezers (2 stand up, 1 on the fridge). and then I don't have to stock up for months :)

But as of the past couple of months, NOTHING's been on sale that I am willing to spend!! Bleh! Thinking about moving further up north in the metro so I can get a couple of acres so I can grow up a piggie & do it that way. Getting tired of paying $2.99/$4.99 / lb!! I'm cheap! And chicken is no better. Although it'll soon be chick season.. gonna grow up some hybrid cornish for myself along with the orpintons. Wish I had the acreage for a cow, though.. but they take too much work! to Dave for being able to do this!

After a couple of experiences with ground beef that was slimy and gross we started buying it at a local old-fashioned butcher shop/small grocery -- they have specials on 10-lb bags fairly often and it's no more expensive than the supermarket stuff that way.

I think I've read that a lot of meat is packaged with carbon monoxide to keep it red and fresh looking, which would probably explain the burger that is nice and pink outside and brown inside; I've encountered that, too. I'm thinking we should maybe buy a quarter or half a beef from someone locally, but then we'd need another freezer, and really don't have a great place to put one...

watch out for that wicked mastitis

Clever!

Remarkable!

Trust Dirt to see things in a different perspective.

Any cow updates for this year, @dave?

Nothing really new or exciting. We're still doing it!

I've read this whole thread today, and it's been the best thread I've read here! I'm so impressed at all you do, and at the superb way you are raising your family. I learned a lot since I've never been around slaughtering farm animals. I'm sure your meat is far more nutritious than the store meats. Keep up the good work, and I'd love to see some updates if you or Trish have the time.

Old thread but good memories.

I get a chuckle out of your term 'harvesting' a cow, whereas my cattle raising neighbor refers to cutting down alders for firewood as 'slaughtering' -- kind of interchangeable terms I guess. Whatever one calls it, best practices for sustainability.