Connecticut Preparedness

[Hermes]

I recently found out about people doing this, and am interested in getting a cow share together, if people are interested. Basically, a bunch of us pool our money and buy a side (or a whole cow, if there's enough) direct from a farmer. It's high quality beef, and reasonably priced.

A side of beef is anywhere from 200-300 pounds. As a single guy, I figure in 6 months I'll probably go through about 50 pounds of beef.

Also, if anyone lives near Meriden, I have a large upright freezer in my basement (~10 cu. ft.) so you're welcome to store the beef there and come by to get some every now and then.

Anyone interested? I found a local farmer which sounds really nice:

Savage Hill Cattle Co. at Matson Farm is located in the geographic heart of Connecticut. We sell free range grass-and-hay-fed beef by the side.

We utilize Black Angus cattle crossbred with Wagyu cattle (Wagyu cattle produce the meat more commonly known as Kobe beef). This allows us to take advantage of the superior hybrid vigor traits or heterosis of a crossbred animal which makes them more hearty, healthy and naturally productive. As a result, all of our animals are kept outdoors in a low stress environment year round, sometimes with the exception of a young calf and mother in very inclement weather. Producing quality grass-fed beef is no easy task; we have found the introduction of Wagyu genetics into our operation has made an enormous impact on the flavor and tenderness of our beef. We are now able to produce an even better grass-fed product without compromising the quality you would expect from a great steak!

We are a small operation that values old fashion farming techniques and humane treatment of all our animals. We DO NOT use any synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides anywhere on our property, in turn this allows a diverse group of soil microbes to improve nutrient cycling and deliver more trace minerals through the food chain and eventually to you. We pledge that we will never use artificial growth hormones, antibiotics or other drugs in our cattle.

All of the beef that we sell from our farm comes from cattle that have been born and raised on our farm in accordance with our strict husbandry practices. This eliminates the possibility of introducing animals that can be sick, diseased or not raised to our standards.

Currently our beef can only be purchased by the whole side. A typical side of beef weighs approximately 300 lbs. There is an approximate 10 day to 2 week lead time required and a 50% deposit as animals are processed on a per order basis for maximum quality.

All of our meat is processed in USDA inspected facilities. The current price of a side is $5.00 per lb. hanging weight for a half and $4.50 per lb. for a whole cow; this includes custom cutting to customer specifications (if desired) and vacuum sealing, however prices are subject to change as prices fluctuate.

Give us a call or send an e-mail today to place your order, we will give you a call as soon as it is ready and you can pick it up directly from the processor. When you buy from us you get the best piece of beef and peace of mind.

Savage Hill Cattle Co. at Matson Farm, Ryan Matson, 369 Savage Hill Road, Berlin CT 06037. (860) 655-0958.
E-mail: [email protected].