How meat shares work

A meat share is part of one animal, bought straight from the farm that raised it. You pay a deposit, the farm books a butcher, and a few weeks later you collect your share cut, wrapped and frozen.

What you can buy

Most farms near Toronto sell beef as a quarter, a half or a whole animal, and pork as a half or a whole pig. Some also sell smaller mixed boxes if you don't have room for a share.

A quarter of beef usually comes as a mix of steaks, roasts, ground beef and stewing beef. Some farms let you choose how it's cut. Others sell a standard box, so ask before you order.

Hanging weight and what you take home

Many farms price shares by hanging weight: the weight of the carcass after slaughter, before it's cut. You take home less than that, often around 60 to 70 per cent of it, once bones, fat and trim come off and the meat has lost moisture as it ages.

Other farms price by the weight of the finished cuts. Neither is better, but compare like with like: a lower price per pound of hanging weight isn't a lower price per pound of steak.

How much freezer space you need

As a rough guide, a cubic foot of freezer holds about 30 to 35 pounds (14 to 16 kg) of wrapped cuts.

• An eighth of beef, about 45 to 65 pounds, needs around 2 cubic feet.
• A quarter, about 90 to 130 pounds, fits in a small 4 to 5 cubic foot chest freezer.
• A half needs a 7 to 9 cubic foot chest freezer to itself.

Shares vary with the animal, so ask the farm for its own estimate.

Where the meat is processed

In Ontario, meat sold to the public has to come from an animal slaughtered at a provincially or federally licensed plant. Ask the farm which plant it uses.

Grass-fed, grass-finished and pasture-raised

These words describe how an animal was fed and kept. Grass-fed cattle eat mostly grass and hay, but some are finished on grain for their last months. Grass-finished cattle eat grass and hay right to the end. On Every Farm these are always Farmer-reported: the farm's own words, with where we found them and when we checked.

What to ask before you pay a deposit

• Is the price by hanging weight or by the cut, and does it include cutting, wrapping and delivery?
• How big is the deposit, and can you get it back if plans change?
• When is the next pickup, and does the meat come frozen?
• Can you choose your cuts?
• Which plant does the slaughter?
• How were the animals raised and fed?

Not ready for a whole quarter?

We're starting Split a cow, so neighbours can share one animal and each pay less per pound. Join the waitlist and we'll email you when a share opens near you.