Buy Whole Animals Direct From Us

In 2018 we are raising pork, beef, veal, & lamb.

If you have purchased whole animals before then please contact us to place your order.

If you have NOT purchased whole animals before, here’s how it works…

First of all, thank you for thinking this way. Purchasing animals directly from us is one of the best ways to know exactly where your food comes from and how it is raised. We encourage you to come out to the farm and personally see how your meat is being raised and how good farming practices are good for you and the environment. Selling animals by the custom side is a great way for us to do business because we like to know the people who eat the food we raise, we like to know the whole animal is enjoyed, and bulk purchasing saves us time, something we are always short on!

So what do I need to know about buying a whole animal?

You may not be buying a whole animal. Maybe half, a quarter, 1/8, or just a couple steaks from your friend. Generally this is a bulk meat purchase that is made thinking of what you normally like to eat, the storage you have, and how much you wish to spend.

And buying a whole animal from us means a big guarantee that all the meat you eat at home will be non-GMO, organic and soy-free.

We encourage you to jump in and contact us but mostly it does take some time to learn about and organize if you have not done it before. We will help you through it.

 

How does it work with Misty Brook? Exactly what do I do?

  1. Contact us about the animal you are wanting to purchase and when
  2. Send a deposit (usually $200) to reserve your animal
  3. Provide butchering direction (types of cuts you wish to have, what package sizes, etc.)
  4. Pick it up from the farm and pay for it – groups organize distributions to individuals
  5. Enjoy!

 

What is the approximate timeline start to finish to work with you?

A few months depending on when you contact us and what’s going on in the season. The sooner you let us know what you are looking for the better we can plan to have it for you at the time you need it!

What do the costs look like and how do we figure that out?

The hanging weight is the whole (or half) carcass weight, bones and all, before the animal is broken down into the pieces you want to eat. The actual weight you get will depend on the cutting instructions you give the butcher.

The slaughter and butcher costs are for the preparation of the animal and packaging of the cuts.

 

How do I know how I want it slaughtered?

Buying an animal directly from us you get to choose if you want it treated in a specific way according to religion or preference. Our animals are usually taken to Herring Brothers in Guilford that is a custom and USDA inspected butcher, but we are open to sending them to a slaughterhouse of your choice (perhaps you want halal or kosher?).

 

What does it mean to tell you how I want it butchered? I just buy steaks at the market.

This is hard because there’s so many ways we want to eat meat when we are given those choices. Smoked bacon or pork belly? Hot or breakfast sausage? Chops? Ribs? Steaks? Roasts? Ground? Stew? A combination? If you are one person or family buying a side, you will be able to enjoy everything. If you are sharing a side as a group you’ll want to plan your cuts so that they can be easily divided. Or plan to eat together, which is great too!

What does pickup look like and what I should I be prepared with?

Bring a cooler. Probably a few of them. 🙂

A blanket or two works great too for keeping your meat frozen on the way home, or maybe you’ll want to leave a few cuts out to thaw!

 

Fun resources:

https://www.hirschsmeats.com/cuts-of-meat

http://afarmishkindoflife.com/cuts-of-meat/