Filling Out a Cut Sheet for a Half Hog
Filling out a cut sheet is one of the most daunting pieces in the the process of buying a wholesale pig, especially if you've never done it. We know - this is a lot to read, but it will help answer almost all of your questions and help you fill out the cut sheet - promise! Here, we break down the cut sheet for a Hayfield Farm half hog in simple terms so you can get it filled out quickly and reserve that Butcher Date. When you're ready, fill out the cut sheet form and pay the deposit.
Visit our How Much Meat is in a Wholesale Hog page to read more about how much pork to expect and to see some examples of what half hog customers have received in the past, plus what they paid.
Let's Get Started
Open up our Half Hog Cut Sheet to follow along with this article. Getting a whole hog? Head on over to our Filling Out a Cut Sheet for a Whole Hog page.
Working with our Processor
Our local butcher, Fauquier's Finest, only allows a certain number of selections per section. Our butcher will only cut pork according to what is listed on the Half Hog Cut Sheet and there are no alterations. Requests beyond what is listed on the cut sheet will not be honored. The exact number of cuts or amount of pork you get depends on what your specific hog yields. Sausage selections require a 15lb minimum, please follow the directions closely. All cuts are vacuum packed and labeled.
Pick up will be directly from the processor - Fauquier's Finest 11746 Ag Industrial Drive Bealeton VA. Please note, they are open Monday-Friday 9am-4pm. We do not ship or deliver.
Pricing + Processing Fee
We require a $250 non-refundable deposit for wholesale pork. Our wholesale pork is $2.95/lb on the hanging (carcass) weight. Our half hogs typically hang at 100lbs. Processing fees are not included since smoking, curing, sausage options, the hanging weight, weight of the meat itself, and how that meat is processed can fluctuate the processing fee greatly.
Smoking and curing is $2.50/lb on the weight of the section you choose to smoke and cure.
Sausage options range from $0.20/lb for loose seasonings all the way up to $2.50/lb for breakfast patties and links.
The processing fee is determined by the butcher upon pork completion. *We do not give estimates on processing fees before the pork is complete*.
Once your pork is complete, we will email you the details for pick up and will send over the remaining balance invoice.
Ok, here we go!
First, fill out your contact info.
Chop Thickness: If you choose to get chop cuts in the loin selection, the butcher will follow your thickness specification here. If you've had our pork chops before, they are 3/4". If you don't want chops, check the box at the bottom: "I do not want chop". If you want chops, be sure to select them when you get to the "Loin" section.
Roast Weight: We recommend 3/4lb to 1lb per adult. Whole shoulders can sometimes weigh in at 10lbs or more. If you don't want roasts, check the box at the bottom: "I do not want roasts". If you want roasts, be sure to select them in the shoulder or ham section.
Steak Thickness: If you choose to get any steaks cuts, the butcher will follow your selection. We recommend 3/4" for steaks. If you don't want steaks, check the box at the bottom. If you want steaks, be sure to select them in the shoulder, loin, or ham section.
Bacon Thickness: Your choice! The thicker the slices, the less bacon total. If you do not want bacon *gasp* or you want the belly left in a whole slab, select that respective option.
Ground Pork & Sausage Packaging: Your ground pork/sausage consists of all the trimmings and anything you choose to grind. Choose one option here.
Bones and Fat: Keep the dog occupied for a while or make pork stock with the bones, render down the fat into lard for a healthy bioavailable oil and flaky biscuits.
Shoulder: Grind it to add to your ground pork/sausage pile, get it into roasts for pulled pork, or try some shoulder steaks. Grinding this section AND your Ham section below gives you one additional sausage selection.
Ham: Grind it to add to your ground pork/sausage pile. Ham roasts will follow the Roast Weight you selected above. Bone in ham steaks and center cut ham steaks can be prepared any way, we prefer fresh. Half hams are approximately 10-12lbs each and ready for your holiday table. Smoked and uncured means no nitrates or nitrites, it's a brown sugar and sea salt cure instead. Grinding this section AND your Shoulder section above gives you one additional sausage selection.
Loin: You can choose to grind this, leave it as a roast, cut it into bone-in or boneless chops. If you choose a boneless roast or boneless chop option, you will get the baby back rib and tenderloin. If you choose a bone-in roast or bone-in chop option, the baby back rib and tenderloin will be attached to your cuts.
Rib: The rib rack. Choose one option.
Pork Belly: BACON! Leave it as a whole slab or get it sliced according to your desired thickness above. You can leave it fresh, have it cured and smoked, or have it smoked with no nitrates or nitrites - it's a brown sugar and sea salt cure instead. Don't you dare grind this!
Sausage Selections: Sausage is made from the trimmings and anything you chose to grind. The butcher requires a 15lb minimum to make sausage. If you did not grind anything, there is a good chance you will be under that 15lb minimum and the butcher automatically keeps your trimmings as ground pork - still delicious! Here are the rules:
1. If you did not choose to grind anything, choose only one sausage option.
2. If you chose to grind only the shoulder, only the ham, only the loin, or only the rib. Choose only one sausage option.
3. If you chose to grind the shoulder AND the ham, choose two sausage options.
Done! Prove you're not a robot and hit submit. Wait a few seconds to be automatically redirected to pay the deposit.
If you need to make a change after submission, please fill out another cut sheet and contact us to let us know.
Once we have your cut sheet and deposit, you are booked for our next available butcher date! Check out Wholesale Page for our next available butcher dates.
Please remember, pork takes approximately 2-3 weeks to complete from your butcher date, you will be contacted as soon as it is complete and ready for pick up.
Filling Out a Cut Sheet for a Whole Hog
Filling out a cut sheet is one of the most daunting pieces in the the process of buying a wholesale pig, especially if you've never done it. We know - this is a lot to read, but it will help answer almost all of your questions and help you fill out the cut sheet - promise! Here, we break down the cut sheet for a Hayfield Farm whole hog in simple terms so you can get it filled out quickly and reserve that Butcher Date. When you're ready, fill out the cut sheet and pay the $250 deposit.
Visit our How Much Meat is in a Wholesale Hog page to read more about how much pork to expect and to see some examples of what whole hog customers have received in the past, plus what they paid.
Let's Get Started
Open up our Whole Hog Cut Sheet to follow along with this article. Getting a half hog? Head on over to our Filling Out a Cut Sheet for a Half Hog page.
Working with our Processor
Our local butcher, Fauquier's Finest, only allows a certain number of selections per section. Our butcher will only cut pork according to what is listed on the Whole Hog Cut Sheet. Requests beyond what is listed on the cut sheet will not be honored. The exact number of cuts or amount of pork you get depends on what your specific hog yields. Sausage selections require a 15lb minimum, please follow the directions closely. All cuts are vacuum packed and labeled. Pick up will be directly from the processor - Fauquier's Finest 11746 Ag Industrial Drive Bealeton VA. Please note, they are open Monday-Friday 9am-4pm. We do not ship or deliver.
Pricing
We require a $250 non-refundable deposit for wholesale pork. Our wholesale pork is $2.95/lb on the hanging (carcass) weight. Our whole hogs typically hang at 200lbs. Processing fees are not included since smoking, curing, sausage options, hanging weight, weight of the meat, and how that meat is processed can fluctuate the processing fee greatly. Smoking and curing is $2.50/lb on the weight of the section you choose to smoke and cure. Sausage options range from $0.00/lb for loose seasonings all the way up to $1.65/lb for breakfast patties and links. The processing fee is determined by the butcher upon pork completion. We do not give estimates on processing fees. Once your pork is complete, we will email you the details for pick up and will send over the remaining balance invoice.
Ok, here we go!
First, fill out your contact info.
Chop Thickness: If you choose to get any chop cuts, the butcher will follow your selection. If you've had our pork chops before, they are 3/4". If you don't want chops, check the box at the bottom. If you want chops, be sure to select them in the Loin section.
Roast Weight: We recommend 3/4lb to 1lb per adult. Whole shoulders can sometimes weigh in at 10lbs or more. If you don't want roasts, check the box at the bottom. If you want roasts, be sure to select them in the shoulder or ham section.
Steak Thickness: If you choose to get any steaks cuts, the butcher will follow your selection. We recommend 3/4" for steaks. If you don't want steaks, check the box at the bottom. If you want steaks, be sure to select them in the shoulder or ham section.
Bacon Thickness: Your choice! The thicker the slices, the less bacon total. If you do not want bacon *gasp* or you want the belly left in a whole slab, select that option.
Ground Pork & Sausage Packaging: Your ground pork/sausage consists of all the trimmings and anything you choose to grind. Choose one option.
Bones and Fat: Keep the dog occupied for a while or make pork stock with the bones, render down the fat into lard for a healthy bioavailable oil and flaky biscuits.
Shoulder: Grind it to add to your ground pork/sausage pile, get it into roasts for pulled pork, or try some shoulder steaks. Or choose two options! If you chose to only grind this entire section, you can choose one additional sausage selection.
Ham: Grind it to add to your ground pork/sausage pile. Ham roasts will follow the Roast Weight you selected above. Bone in ham steaks and center cut ham steaks can be prepared any way, we prefer fresh. Half hams are approximately 10-12lbs each and ready for your holiday table. Smoked and uncured means no nitrates or nitrites, it's a brown sugar and sea salt cure instead. You can select up to two options! If you chose to only grind this entire section, you can choose one additional sausage selection.
Loin: You can choose to grind this, leave it as a roast, cut it into bone-in or boneless chops. If you choose a boneless roast or boneless chop option, you will get the baby back rib and tenderloin. If you choose a bone-in roast or bone-in chop option, the baby back rib and tenderloin will be attached to your cuts. You can select up to two options here!
Rib: The rib rack. Choose one or two options!
Pork Belly: BACON! Leave it as a whole slab or get it sliced according to your desired thickness above. You can leave it fresh, have it cured and smoked, or have it smoked with no nitrates or nitrites - it's a brown sugar and sea salt cure instead. Don't you dare grind this! Choose up to two options!
Sausage Selections: Sausage is made from the trimmings and anything you chose to grind. The butcher requires a 15lb minimum to make another sausage type.
Here are the rules:
1. If you did not choose to grind anything, choose only one sausage option.
2. If you chose to grind the entire shoulder, choose another sausage option.
3. If you chose to grind the entire ham, choose one additional sausage option.
Max options: 3
All sausage/ground pork will be split into thirds, 50/50, or one, depending on how many you choose.
Done! Prove you're not a robot and hit submit. Wait to be automatically redirected to pay the $250 deposit.
If you need to make a change after submission, please fill out another cut sheet and contact us to let us know.
Once we have your cut sheet and deposit, you are booked for our next available butcher date!
Please remember, pork takes approximately 2-3 weeks to complete from your butcher date. We will contact you immediately when your pork is ready for pick up.
How Much Meat is in a Whole + Half Hog?
If you're not a farmer or a butcher, how are you supposed to know how much meat is in a whole (or half) hog? How many chop cuts should you expect? More importantly, how much bacon will you be getting?
First things first. While we, as the farmers, have target weights, hogs are not perfect clones of each other. How much meat you get in a whole (or half) hog depends on what that specific animal yields. Additionally, when buying a whole or half hog, each section is custom cut by the customer's specifications. All examples provided here are just that, examples of what past customers have chosen.
At Hayfield Farm, our pricing for wholesale pork is based on the hanging weight, plus the processing fee. Most farms price their bulk meat this way. Hanging weight is the weight of the carcass, after it is cleaned and on the hook in the cold room. How much a half hog or whole hog hangs at varies from farm to farm. It depends on the breed, age, and feeding practices.
At Hayfield Farm, our whole hogs hang at approximately 210 pounds and our half hogs hang at approximately 105 pounds. Whole hogs yield approximately 140 pounds in meat, half hogs yield approximately 80 pounds in meat.
The difference in the hanging weight and the weight of the meat, or finish weight, is the parts of the carcass that are not made into product. This would be the bones that aren't included in cuts, organs if they are not chosen, extra fat, tendons, and other trimmings that are not ideal for eating.
Below are a few inventory sheets from previous whole and half pork orders. These examples will give you an idea for how much meat you can expect from a half pork or whole pork. Since customers get to choose their own cuts, you'll see some variances.
Get started with reserving your whole hog on our Wholesale Page!
Curious about the entire process? We cover the wholesale hog process from paddock to plate.
Whole Hog
4 Boston Butt Roasts, 4-5lbs each
4 Picnic Roasts, 4-5lbs each
6 Ham Roasts, cured & smoked, 4-5lbs each
34 Bone-in pork chops, 3/4", two chops per pack.
20 packs of bacon, smoked with no nitrates, sliced medium
17 packs of loose sage sausage, 1lb each
The processing fee for this whole hog was $396.78
Whole Hog
2 packs of leaf fat
2 packs of back fat
4 Boston Butts, 4-5lbs
4 Picnic Roasts, 4-5lbs
2 cured and smoked whole hams
2 baby back rib racks
27 packs of boneless pork cops, 3/4", two chops per pack.
2 tenderloins
2 spare ribs
23 packs of bacon, cured and smoked, sliced medium
17 packs of loose sage sausage, 1lb packs
19 packs of loose ground pork, 1lb packs
2 packs of heart
2 cured and smoked jowls
1 pack of kidney
1 pack of tongue
The processing fee for this whole hog was $282.64.
Half Hog
2 Boston Butts, 4-5lbs
2 Picnic Roasts, 4-5lbs
15 Bone-in pork chops, 3/4", two chops per pack.
1 spare rib rack
11 packs of bacon, cured and smoked, sliced medium
17 packs of loose chorizo sausage, 1lb packs
16 packs of loose sage sausage, 1lb packs
The processing fee for this half hog was $153.85
Half Hog
1 pack of leaf fat
3 packs of bones, 3lbs each
3 Boston Butts, 2-3lbs
3 Picnic Roasts, 2-3lbs
2 Whole Hams, cured & smoked
1 tenderloin
1 baby back rib rack
5 Boneless Loin Roasts, 2-3lbs
12 packs of bacon, cured and smoked, sliced medium
11 packs of loose sage sausage, 1lb packs
The processing fee for this half hog was $197.15
From Paddock to Plate: The Process, Pricing, and Timeline of Buying a Whole + Half Hog
Custom Whole + Half Pork
the process of buying pork, from paddock to plate
First things first...
Read over this blog and check out the Wholesale Page in the Resources section about how much meat to expect and sample inventory sheets, how much cooler space you'll need for pick up, how much freezer space you'll need for storage, and our guides for filling out the cut sheets.
The Timeline and Butcher Date
The butcher date is the day that we, Hayfield Farm, take the live hog to the butcher shop. We all know what happens there. This is the date customers book with us. This is not the pick up date. Pork processing takes approximately three weeks to complete from the butcher date to pick up.
Our Wholesale Page shows the approximate next available butcher date, so you can get a ballpark idea on a timeline. When you fill out your cut sheet and pay your deposit, we will email you your exact butcher date based on our schedule. We must have your cut sheet and deposit to reserve your butcher date for you.
The Cut Sheet
One of the most intimidating pieces of the bulk meat process is the cut sheet. The cut sheet is your custom specifications of how you want each section of the hog to be cut and packaged. Luckily! We have made the cut sheet forms easy to fill out.
Half Pork Cut Sheet // Whole Pork Cut Sheet
Behind the Scenes at the Butcher Shop
Each farm that works with our local butcher, Fauquier's Finest, is scheduled at the beginning of the year for their butcher slots. At Hayfield Farm, we send multiple livestock to the butcher each and every month.
Why do you care about that?
#1 ...because it gives you an idea on timing if you aren't ready to book just yet. If our Wholesale Page says that our next available butcher date for pork is early this month, you would be correct in assuming that we have open, unreserved butcher dates for later this month, all next month, and so on.
#2 ...because some farms only butcher a certain time of year - but not us! We are lucky enough (thanks to you!) to have a customer base that requires us to raise hogs and steers all year round.
Our butcher is USDA-inspected. This means that from livestock drop-off to customer pick up, the butcher shop is required to maintain extremely strict humane and cleanliness standards under the constant supervision of a USDA-inspector.
We deliver the livestock, the butcher takes your cut sheet and dresses, cuts, packs, weighs, labels, and flash freezes all of your pork cuts, according to your specifications. The butcher first breaks down the hog into primal cuts. Shoulders, midsection, hindquarter (ham), etc.
The butcher then cuts off the roasts, loins, hams, ribs, and other sections. Using your cut sheet specifications, the butcher hand trims all of your cuts - this is not done by machine. All of the trimmings go into a pile to be ground for ground pork/sausage. If roasts are desired, they are cut to your specifications. Chops are sliced, ribs are trimmed, the bacon is sliced, cured, and sent to the smokehouse (if that's what you've chosen). You get the idea.
Once the meat is all cut, the sausage is made, the bacon is sliced, and everything is vacuum packed with commercial grade packaging, labeled with the name of the cuts and weight, and flash frozen. Bone guards are used for bone-in cuts to protect packaging from piercing. With proper handling and storage, this grade of vacuum seal keeps pork cuts for over two years. You will not be able to get your pork unfrozen, as this is against USDA standards.
Pricing
A non-refundable $250.00 deposit is required to reserve a butcher date with us and is paid directly after completing the cut sheet. Please do not complete the cut sheet if you are not prepared to be automatically redirected to pay the $250 deposit immediately afterward. Cut sheets submitted without a deposit are automatically deleted and you will need to fill out and submit a new sheet (and pay the deposit) to book with us. This deposit goes toward your total pork cost.
Our pork pricing is broken down into two categories: the hanging weight cost and the processing fee. All payments are made to us, Hayfield Farm. The deposit is paid when you complete the cut sheet. The remaining balance (hanging weight cost and processing fee, plus tax) is paid via invoice when your pork is complete, before pick up.
The hanging weight is the weight of the hog's carcass when it is on the hook in the cold room. This is typically how farms price bulk meats.
The hanging weight cost is $2.95 per pound. The typical hanging weight of a Hayfield Farm whole hog is 200lbs. The typical hanging weight of a Hayfield Farm half hog is 100lbs. Please note that hanging weights can vary greatly from farm to farm.
The processing fee is the cost of the butcher's work. Due to the variances in smoking, curing, and sausage options and prices, this is a separate fee. The processing fee is determined by the butcher once the pork is complete and is dependent on the weight of the hog, the weight of the meat, smoking, curing, and sausage options and weights of those sections, etc. We are unable to give you an exact price of your processing fee, as it is dependent on the weight of the meat. Smoking, curing, griller casings, link casing, and patty forming come with additional costs and we will say that the more of these options you choose, the higher your processing fee will be.
Check out our article about how much meat to expect to see sample inventory sheets, with costs included.
Half hog customers can typically expect their processing fee to be $150-250, depending on selections. Whole hog customers can typically expect their processing fee to be $250-400, depending on selections.
With a 100lb hanging weight on a half hog, customers can expect to spend $450-$550, plus tax, total. With a 200lb hanging weight on a whole hog, customers can expect to spend $900-$1,200, plus tax, total. Curing, smoking, and sausage selections will fluctuate this price. Please note these hanging weights and pricing are approximate.
Pick Up
Once your pork is complete, the butcher notifies us. We will email you immediately with pick up details and send the remaining balance invoice to your email immediately after.
- The butcher shop does not give order status updates to us. They will only notify us when your pork is ready for pick up.
- Customers are required to pay the remaining balance invoice prior to pick up
- Customers are required to pick up their meat from the butcher shop within seven (7) business days of notification.
The butcher shop, Fauquier's Finest, is located at 11746 Ag Industrial Drive, Bealeton VA. Pick up hours are Monday-Friday 9am-4pm.
When you arrive, check in at the front office by letting them know you are picking up pork for *your last name* under Hayfield Farm. You do not owe the butcher any payment. The staff will hand you an inventory sheet and direct you to the loading dock. They will roll out your cart filled with pork and you will load up your coolers before heading home to stock your freezer with natural, local, delicious pork!
Thank you so much for supporting your local farmer!
How Much Meat in a Half Cow?
How Much Meat in a Half Cow?
If you're not a farmer or a butcher, how are you supposed to know how much meat is in a half cow?
How much meat is in a half cow? How many steak cuts should you expect? Are you going to be drowning in ground beef?
First things first. While farmers have target weights, cattle are not perfect clones of each other. The amount of meat you will receive in a half cow (or whole cow) depends on what that specific animal yields. Additionally, when buying a whole or half cow, each section is custom cut by the customer's specifications. All examples provided here are just that, examples of what past customers have chosen.
Hanging Weight
At Hayfield Farm, our pricing for half/whole beef is based on the hanging weight. Most farms price their bulk meat this way. Our post, Hanging Weight: Explained, goes into detail about what the hanging weight is and why bulk meat is often priced by the hanging weight.
Total Pounds of Meat to Expect
Our whole beef hang at approximately 800 pounds and our half beef hang at approximately 400 pounds. You can expect approximately 600-650 pounds of meat from a whole cow and 250-300 pounds of meat from a half cow.
Sample Inventory Sheets
Below are a few inventory sheets from previous whole and half beef orders. These examples will give you an idea for how much meat you can expect from a half cow or whole cow. Since customers get to choose their own cuts, you'll see some variances.
See our Beef Resources page for everything you need to know about buying beef in bulk.
Whole Beef
13 packs of stew meat
2 packs of marrow bones
129 pounds of ground beef, 1lb packs
4 half untrimmed briskets
8 packs of korean style ribs
3 packs of 2" short ribs
11 packs of osso bucco
31 bone-in ribeye, 1"
51 pounds of ground chuck, 1lb packs
5 boneless chuck roast, 3-4lbs
12 flat irons
10 chuck eye
2 whole flanks
7 porterhouses, 1"
7 T-bones, 1"
22 boneless filet, 1"
14 NY strip, 1"
32 boneless petite sirloin strips, 1"
4 half eye round roasts
4 top round roasts, 3-4lbs
8 london broil
3 bottom round roasts, 3-4lbs
8 packs of cube steaks
7 sirloin tip roasts, 3-4lbs
2 whole tri tip
1 tongue
2 skirt steaks
3 packs of ox tail
1 hanging tender
14 packs of liver
4 packs of heart
2 packs of kidney
Half Beef
9 packs of stew meat
17 packs of 1/3 burger patties
29 pounds of ground beef, 1lb packs
1 whole trimmed brisket
4 packs of 2" short ribs
4 packs of osso bucco
16 3/4" boneless delmonico
50 pounds of ground chuck, 1lb packs
10 ranch steaks
6 flat irons
11 boneless filet, 3/4"
20 NY strip, 3/4"
7 bone-in sirloin steaks, 3/4"
3 packs of kabob meat
7 london broil
4 bottom round roast, 2-3lbs
1 whole tri tip
1 tongue
1 skirt steak
1 hanging tender
10 packs of liver
2 packs of kidney
Half Beef
10 packs of stew meat
3 packs of marrow bones
8 packs of beef fat
32 pounds of ground beef, 1lb packs
2 untrimmed half briskets
6 packs of soup bones
12 bone-in ribeye, 1"
44 pounds of ground chuck, 1lb packs
6 flat irons
4 chuck eye steaks
1 whole flank
12 boneless filet, 1"
9 NY strip, 1"
12 boneless petite sirloin strips, 1"
2 half eye round roasts
3 top round roasts, 3-4lbs
2 bottom round roasts, 3-4lbs
3 sirloin tip roasts, 3-4lbs
1 whole tri tip
From Field to Freezer: The Process, Pricing, and Timeline of Buying a Whole + Half Cow
Custom Whole + Half Beef
the process of buying beef, from field to freezer
First things first...
Read over this blog and check out the Halves + Wholes Page in the Resources section about how much meat to expect and sample inventory sheets, how much cooler space you'll need for pick up, how much freezer space you'll need for storage, and our guides for filling out the cut sheets. You are about to make an investment - please be sure to learn everything you can using these resources we've provided.
The Timeline and Butcher Date
The butcher date is the day that we, Hayfield Farm, take the live steer to the butcher shop. We all know what happens there. This is the date customers book with us. This is not the pick up date. Beef processing takes approximately four weeks to complete from the butcher date to pick up.
Our Halves + Wholes Page shows the approximate next available butcher date, so you can get a ballpark idea on a timeline. When you fill out your cut sheet and pay your deposit, we will email you your exact butcher date based on our schedule. We must have your cut sheet and deposit to reserve your butcher date for you.
The Cut Sheet
One of the most intimidating pieces of the bulk meat process is the cut sheet. The cut sheet is your custom specifications of how you want each section of the steer to be cut and packaged. Luckily! We have made the cut sheet forms easy to fill out.
Half Beef Cut Sheet // Whole Beef Cut Sheet
Behind the Scenes at the Butcher Shop
Each farm that works with our local butcher, Fauquier's Finest, is scheduled at the beginning of the year for their butcher slots. At Hayfield Farm, we send multiple livestock to the butcher each and every month.
Why do you care about that?
#1 ...because it gives you an idea on timing if you aren't ready to book just yet. If our Halves + Wholes Page says that our next available butcher date for beef is early this month, you would be correct in assuming that we have open, unreserved butcher dates for later this month, all next month, and so on.
#2 ...because some farms only butcher a certain time of year - but not us! We are lucky enough (thanks to you!) to have a customer base that requires us to raise hogs and steers all year round.
Our butcher is USDA-inspected. This means that from livestock drop-off to customer pick up, the butcher shop is required to maintain extremely strict humane and cleanliness standards under the constant supervision of a USDA-inspector.
We deliver the livestock, the butcher takes your cut sheet and dresses, cuts, packs, weighs, labels, and flash freezes all of your beef cuts, according to your specifications. The butcher first breaks down the beef into primal cuts. Chuck (shoulder), midsection, hindquarter (round), etc.
The butcher then cuts off the roasts, loins, ribs, and other sections. Using your cut sheet specifications, the butcher hand trims all of your cuts - this is not done by machine. All of the trimmings go into a pile to be ground for ground beef. If roasts are desired, they are cut to your weight specifications. Steaks are sliced, ribs are trimmed, rounds are shaved (if you desired). You get the idea.
Once all of the meat is cut, everything is vacuum packed with commercial grade packaging, labeled with the name of the cuts and weight, and flash frozen. Bone guards are used for bone-in cuts to protect packaging from piercing. With proper handling and storage, this grade of vacuum seal keeps beef cuts for over two years. You will not be able to get your beef unfrozen, as this is against USDA standards.
Pricing
A non-refundable $500.00 deposit is required to reserve a butcher date with us and is paid directly after completing the cut sheet. Please do not complete the cut sheet if you are not prepared to be automatically redirected to pay the $500 deposit immediately afterward. Cut sheets submitted without a deposit are automatically deleted and you will need to fill out and submit a new sheet (and pay the deposit) to book with us. This deposit goes toward your total beef cost.
The cost is $4.75 per pound on the hanging weight, with all processing fees included. Typical hanging weight on a Hayfield Farm whole beef is 800lbs. Typical hanging weight on a Hayfield Farm half beef is 400lbs. These weights are approximate.
With a 400lb hanging weight on a half beef, customers can expect to pay $1,900, plus tax, total. With an 800lb hanging weight on a whole beef, customers can expect to pay $3,800, plus tax, total. Please remember hanging weights vary from steer to steer. These weights and pricing are approximate.
All payments are made to us, Hayfield Farm. The deposit is paid when you complete the cut sheet. The remaining balance is paid via invoice when your beef is complete, before pick up.
A note from the farmer about hanging weights:
Hanging weights can vary greatly from farm to farm. A farm's feeding practices, breed selection, live/hanging/finish weight goals, finishing prioritization, etc. all have a great impact on the hanging weight of cattle. At Hayfield Farm, we have very specific goals for our steer's live weight, hanging weight, and finish weight (the weight of the meat). We prioritize finishing our angus and angus-cross steers at the optimal age of 18-24 months old (that's a long time!) and at a live weight of 1,200-1,300lbs. Finishing simply means that the steer has gained enough weight and has developed the body composition that make it ideal for market, which means it will produce the amount of beef and quality of beef that is expected from the producer (farmer).
Improper finishing or sending steers to market too early is like painting a wall without primer. Yes, it will work, you will get a painted wall at the end of the day - but is it really the quality that it should be? No. Are you giving respect to the animal that you just raised for meat by not letting it reach its full potential? We don't think so. We invest time, money, and effort into our steers to be sure that they have reached their full potential, at the appropriate age and ideal weight, and will produce the amount of beef and quality of beef that is expected by us and our customers.
This long-term commitment to our steers pays out in premium beef.
Pick Up
Once your beef is complete, the butcher notifies us. We will email you immediately with pick up details and send the remaining balance invoice to your email shortly after.
- The butcher shop does not give order status updates to us. They will only notify us when your beef is ready for pick up.
- Customers are required to pay the remaining balance invoice prior to pick up
- Pick up is at the butcher shop - not at Hayfield Farm.
- Customers are required to pick up their meat from the butcher shop within seven (7) business days of notification.
The butcher shop, Fauquier's Finest, is located at 11746 Ag Industrial Drive, Bealeton VA. Pick up hours are Monday-Friday 9am-4pm.
When you arrive, check in at the front office by letting them know you are picking up beef for *your last name* under Hayfield Farm. You do not owe the butcher any payment. The staff will hand you an inventory sheet and direct you to the loading dock. They will roll out your cart filled with beef and you will load up your coolers before heading home to stock your freezer with natural, local, delicious beef!
Thank you so much for supporting your local farmer!
Filling Out a Cut Sheet for a Whole Cow
Whole Cow Cut Sheet
Here, we break down the cut sheet for a whole cow in simple terms so you can get it filled out quickly and reserve that Butcher Date.
When you're ready to get started - fill out the Whole Beef Cut Sheet. Helpful tip - pull this page and the cut sheet up at the same time.
Want information about the butcher date, pricing, and timeline? Visit our full guide on the process.
Want info on how much meat to expect, how much freezer space you'll need, and more? Visit the Resources section on our Beef Page.
Prefer a half cow? The cut sheets are different. Head on over to our Filling Out a Cut Sheet for a Half Cow.
Ok, here we go!
First, fill out the boxes with your contact information.
Steak Thickness: Totally your preference. If you've had our steaks before, we do 1 inch. The thicker your steaks are, the less steaks you will have. The thinner your steaks are, the more steaks you will have. The butcher will cut all steaks to your selected thickness.
Roast Weight: A good rule of thumb is 3/4lb-1lb of meat per adult.
Ground Beef: Your preference on how large you would like your ground beef packs.
Your ground beef consists of any trimmings and any section you choose to "Grind". The "Grind" selection in each section of your cut sheet means that the meat from that section goes into your bulk ground beef pile and is ground together. Ground Chuck, Ground Sirloin, and Ground Round mean that the butcher takes that section, grinds the meat, and packages/labels it separately from your Ground Beef. Our cattle typically yield a 90/10 ground beef lean to fat ratio. If you choose to grind fatty sections, like the chuck or ribs, your fat percentage will increase. If you choose to grind lean sections, like the round, your fat percentage will decrease.
Ground Beef Patties
25 pounds maximum. Select your preferred patty size and how many pounds total you would like in patties. If you have had our ground beef patties before, we do 1/4lb patties and they come four to a pack. The patties have butcher paper in between.
Stew Meat
Stew Meat in this section (it will appear again in another section later) is the trimmings of the beef that are just a little too good to go with your bulk ground beef. Stew Meat is small hunks of meat packaged in ~1lb packs.
Beef Fat
3-4lb packages. Mix in with venison or render it down for tallow.
Bones
2-4 bones per package. Select "Yes" if you would like all bones. If you would like just marrow bones, select "Yes" and make a note at the bottom of the cut sheet that says "marrow bones only".
Front Quarter - Brisket
From the chest section. There is only one brisket per half cow. If it is trimmed, the butcher will take all of the fat off, leaving you with a whole trimmed brisket at 5-6 pounds. If it is untrimmed, the butcher will take off the large hump of fat connected to this cut, but leave the rest of the fat intact. A whole untrimmed brisket weighs about 12-14 pounds. Our briskets in the Farm Shop are cut in half, untrimmed. If you plan to smoke your briskets, leave it untrimmed. Two selections allowed.
Front Quarter - Rib Plate
The rib cage. 2-inch short ribs are standard beef ribs and come four ribs to a package. Korean style ribs are thin cross-cut short ribs. A whole rib plate is about 10-12lbs. Grinding this section will make the fat percentage on your ground beef go up. Two selections allowed.
Front Quarter - Rib
A bone-in rib roast is prime rib. On a half beef, there will be one four-bone rib roast and one three-bone rib roast or you can c. You can also choose bone-in rib steaks (bone-in ribeye) or boneless ribeyes, aka Delmonicos. Two selections allowed.
Front Quarter - Shank
This section is from the knee to the ankle; the shin. Osso Bucco is the shank cut horizontal in 1.5" discs, with the bone in the middle and the meat around it. Soup bones are cut the same way, but in 1" discs. A whole shank is approximately 7-8 pounds. Two selections allowed.
Front Quarter - Chuck
The shoulder; fatty and flavorful. Ground Chuck is where the butcher grinds the chuck section and packages it separately. Ground Chuck has more fat in the lean to fat ratio, closer to 80/20, and is perfect for forming meatballs, meatloaf, or your own patties. Two selections allowed.
Front Quarter - Boneless Chuck Steaks
Choose as many of these as you'd like. This is a separate section from the chuck. Ranch and Denver steaks are heavily marbled, very small steaks. Flat irons are thin and tender. Chuck eyes are about the size of a NY strip but have the fat distribution similar to a ribeye - one of the most underrated cuts. Our recommendation is to get all of them!
Hind Quarter - Flank
There is only one flank per half a cow. Great to marinate and throw on the grill. Two selections allowed.
Hind Quarter - Short Loin
Everyone's favorite. The only wrong choice is to grind it. Two selections allowed.
Hind Quarter - Sirloin
Ground Sirloin is where the butcher grinds the sirloin section and packages it separately. Ground Sirloin is lean and has a lean to fat ratio closer to 95/5. Bone-in sirloin steaks can weigh over a pound. If you've ever had our sirloin strips, they are the petite top strip. Two selections allowed.
Hind Quarter - Eye Round
A lean, tougher section. Great for low and slow recipes. There is only one eye round roast per half beef. Kabob meat is hunks of meat packaged in roughly one pound packages, similar to stew meat. Two selections allowed.
Hind Quarter - Top Round
Customers choose round round for a leaner ground beef option. Shaved beef is thinly sliced, perfect for cheesesteaks or stir fry. Fajita meat is thinly sliced strips for, you guessed it, fajitas! Two selections allowed.
Hind Quarter - Bottom Round
Similar options to the top round, but you can choose kabob meat or cube steak. Two selections allowed.
Hind Quarter - Sirloin Tip
Small section, which is closest section of the hind quarter to the center. Usually two or so roasts per half. Sirloin tip steaks are larger, leaner steaks. Two selections allowed.
Hind Quarter - Tri Tip
Only one tri tip per half cow. Very marbled, great for the grill. Two selections allowed.
Organs
You may choose as many of these as you'd like. We always recommend keeping the skirt and hanging tender, as they are great steak cuts. Keep the rest if you are an adventurous cook, have neighbors that will take it, or for your favorite pooch!
YOU'RE DONE FILLING OUT YOUR WHOLE COW CUT SHEET!
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Filling Out a Cut Sheet for a Half Cow
Filling Out a Cut Sheet for a Half Cow
Filling out a cut sheet is one of the most daunting pieces in the process of buying half a cow. Here, we break it down in simple terms straight from the farmer.
Open up our Half Beef Cut Sheet Form to follow along with this article as you fill it out.
Want to learn more? Visit our Beef Page for many articles about purchasing beef in bulk.
A few things to keep in mind...
Our butcher, Fauquier's Finest, only allows a certain number of selections per section on the half. Most sections will only allow you to select one option. Our butcher will only cut beef according to the cut sheet. Requests beyond what is listed on the cut sheet will not be honored.
Secondly, the amount of beef you get depends on what your specific steer yields. Visit our How Much Meat is in Half a Cow? page to read more about what to expect and to see some examples of what half beef customers have received in the past.
Lastly, these decisions are up to you! Keep in mind what your family eats throughout the week and what you may want for any events. To see how cuts are packaged and how things look, visit our Farm Shop - we carry most of the cuts available here.
Ok, here we go!
First, fill out the boxes with your contact info.
Steak Thickness: Totally your preference. If you've had our steaks before, we do 1 inch. The thicker your steaks are, the less steaks you will have. The thinner your steaks are, the more steaks you will have. The butcher will cut all steaks to your selected thickness.
Roast Weight: A good rule of thumb is 3/4lb-1lb of meat per adult.
Ground Beef: Your preference on the weight of your ground beef packs.
Your ground beef consists of any trimmings and any section you choose to "Grind". The "Grind" selection in each section of your cut sheet means that the meat from that section goes into your bulk ground beef pile and is ground together. Ground Chuck, Ground Sirloin, and Ground Round mean that the butcher takes that section, grinds the meat, and packages/labels it separately from your Ground Beef. Our cattle typically yield a 90/10 ground beef lean to fat ratio. If you do not select to "Grind" any section on the cut sheet, you will receive approximately 40lbs of ground beef from the trimmings.
Ground Beef Patties
25 pounds maximum. Select your preferred patty size and how many pounds total you would like in patties. If you have had our ground beef patties before, we do 1/4lb patties and they come four to a pack. The patties have butcher paper in between. Our butcher packs four (4) patties per pack.
Stew Meat
Stew Meat in this section (it will appear again in another section later) is the trimmings of the beef that are just a little too good to go with your bulk ground beef and is small hunks of meat packaged in ~1lb packs.
Beef Fat
3-4lb packages. Mix in with venison or render it down for tallow.
Bones
3-4lbs of bones per package. If you choose all, you will get all of the bones. This included knuckles, shank, marrow, and more. You will need more cooler space than what is recommended if you get all of the bones. If you would like marrow bones only, you will get 2-3 packages of marrow bones.
Brisket
From the chest section. There is only one brisket per half cow. If it is trimmed, the butcher will take all of the fat off. If it is untrimmed, the butcher will take off the large hump of fat connected to this cut, but leave the rest of the fat intact. A whole untrimmed brisket weighs about 12-14 pounds. We typically carry briskets that are cut in half and untrimmed, which can be 5-9lbs.
Rib Plate
The rib cage. 2inch short ribs are standard beef ribs and come approximately four ribs to a package. Korean style ribs are thin cross-cut short ribs. If you don't want either, grind it.
Shank
This section is from the knee to the ankle; the shin. Osso Bucco is the shank cut horizontal in 1.5" discs, with the bone in the middle and the meat around it - there will be 2-4 bones per package. Soup bones are cut the same way, but in 1" discs.
Rib
Prime rib is an impressive cut for holiday meals. On a half beef, the prime rib will follow your roast weight selection or you can select the whole roast. You can also choose bone-in rib steaks (bone-in ribeye) or boneless ribeyes, aka Delmonicos.
Chuck
The shoulder; fatty and flavorful. Ground Chuck is where the butcher grinds the chuck section and packages it separately. Ground Chuck has more fat in the lean to fat ratio, closer to 80/20, and is perfect for forming meatballs, meatloaf, or your own patties. You can also choose between chuck steak options, bone-in chuck roast, or stew meat. If you were going to keep any roast, this is the one to keep!
Boneless Chuck Steaks
Choose as many of these as you'd like. This is a separate section from the chuck. Ranch and Denver steaks are heavily marbled, very small steaks. Flat irons are thin and tender. Chuck eyes are about the size of a NY strip but have the fat distribution similar to a ribeye - one of the most underrated cuts. Our recommendation is to get all of them!
Flank
There is only one flank per half a cow. Great to marinate and throw on the grill.
Short Loin
Everyone's favorite section. No wrong choices here.
Sirloin
Ground Sirloin is where the butcher grinds the sirloin section and packages it separately. Ground Sirloin is lean and has a lean to fat ratio closer to 95/5. Bone-in sirloin steaks can weigh over a pound. If you've ever had our sirloin strips, they are the petite top strip, a traditional sirloin strip. Top strips are slightly larger than the petite.
Eye Round
From the lean round section. Great for low and slow recipes. There is only one eye round roast per half beef. Kabob meat is hunks of meat packaged in roughly one pound packages, similar to stew meat.
Top Round
Customers choose ground round for a leaner ground beef option. Shaved beef is thinly sliced, perfect for cheesesteaks or stir fry. Fajita meat is thinly sliced strips for, you guessed it, fajitas! London broils are a smaller roast style.
Bottom Round
Similar options to the top round, but you can choose kabob meat or cube steak. Cube steak is double tenderized.
Sirloin Tip
Small section, which is closest section of the hind quarter to the center. Usually two or so roasts per half. Sirloin tip steaks are larger, leaner steaks.
Tri Tip
Only one tri tip per half cow. Very marbled, great for the grill.
Inside Steaks
The skirt and hanger. There is only one of each per half, but they are worth it. Due to restrictions by our processor, inside steaks are only available to one side of the beef. If getting these is very important to you, please make a note in the notebox at checkout when you pay your deposit. This may mean we have to move your reservation to the next butcher date to ensure you get these if there is already a reservation for the "inside steak half" of your prospective butcher date. If you can take them or leave them, make your selection, but don't put a note.
Organs
You may choose as many of these as you'd like. We do recommend keeping the skirt and hanging tender, as they are great steak cuts. Keep the rest of you are an adventurous cook or for your favorite pooch! Due to restrictions by our processor, organs are only available to one side of the beef. If getting these is very important to you, please make a note in the notebox at checkout when you pay your deposit. This may mean we have to move your reservation to the next butcher date to ensure you get these if there is already a reservation for the "organs half" of your prospective butcher date. If you can take them or leave them, make your selection, but don't put a note.
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How Much Freezer Space For A Half Cow?
How Much Freezer Space Do I Need For a Half Cow?
When determining how much freezer space you'll need for your half cow, please note that the amount of beef you will get from a half or whole cow or pig varies from farm to farm. Please do not use these calculations for other farm's beef unless you know the hanging weight/finish weight will be similar.
If you select to receive all of the bones, fat, and organs in your half beef, you should anticipate needing more than the recommended amount of space below.
Half Cow Freezer and Cooler Space
The beef from a half cow from Hayfield Farm fills approximately 300 quarts of cooler space 10 cubic feet of freezer space , minimum.
Whole Cow Freezer and Cooler Space
The beef from a whole cow from Hayfield Farm fills approximately 600 quarts of cooler space or 20 cubic feet of freezer space, minimum.
A Few More Tips
- It is much better to have more space and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
- Life is much easier if you have your freezer space cleared out before you pick up your beef.
- Keep your inventory sheet on the door and mark off items as you go. That way, you'll know which cuts you have left and you can make notes to know what you liked and didn't like for your next half beef.
- Keep in mind that the recommended space above are round numbers to make determining how much cooler and freezer space you need easy!
Snag your half or whole beef or check out articles for everything you need to know about purchasing bulk beef on our Beef Page!
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