What's a share?
A portion of one whole animal: a quarter, half or whole beef, a half or whole hog, a whole lamb or goat. A little of everything: steaks, roasts, ground and specialty cuts.
Fill Your Freezer
New to buying in bulk? Start here.
You found your farm.
Grocery store meat isn't the answer anymore, and you know it. Buying a quarter or half from a ranch feels big and a little scary. We'll walk you through all of it. No question is off the table.
A real Rivas Ranch beef share, packed and ready.
What you've been figuring out is true. And that's some BS.
If you've been reading labels, watching recalls and wondering what's really in that pack of ground beef, you're not being dramatic. You're paying attention.
85%
of the steers and heifers bought in the U.S. go to just four meatpackers.
400
cattle can end up in one batch of commercial ground beef.
Weekly
new meat and poultry recalls posted by USDA FSIS.
Sources: USDA ERS, Northeastern University, USDA FSIS recalls.
The system
A few giants hold your buying power.
When a handful of companies control most of the meat, you lose choices and small ranchers lose the ability to reach you. When something goes wrong in a batch that big, good luck tracing it.
I've spent my career in food safety as an educator, inspector and industry advocate, and before that I was a chef. I've seen how the big system works from the inside.
April Rivas
Rivas Ranch
Here, you know exactly where it came from.
- Single origin, never co-mingled. Every package in your share comes from one animal we raised.
- One animal at a time. A local, family-owned, USDA-inspected processor. Every cut vacuum sealed and labeled.
- Raised right. Grass-fed, grass-finished beef. Hogs, lambs, goats and birds on pasture.
- Your money stays on a family farm. Take a little of your buying power back.
Bulk buying, explained like a friend would.
When does it come?
We process monthly. Your deposit holds your spot, and your meat is ready about 2 to 3 weeks after processing, once it hangs, gets cut and gets packed.
Who helps me?
We do. For custom shares, we call a few days before processing and walk through your cut sheet together. You won't be guessing alone.
How much should a first-timer get?
| Share | What you take home | Freezer space | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set-Price Box, quarter | At least 75 lb of beef | ~3 cu ft | 1 to 3 people, or a first try |
| Half beef, by the pound | ~300–325 lb hanging weight | ~8–10 cu ft | A family of four for most of a year |
| Half hog | ~60–90 lb of pork | ~3 cu ft | Chops, roasts, ribs, sausage and bacon |
| Whole lamb or goat | Every cut from one animal | ~1–2 cu ft | Roasts, kabobs, stews and celebrations |
| Chicken bundle | 18–24 lb, whole or cut | ~1 cu ft | Weeknight dinners and stock |
Rule of thumb: about 25 to 30 lb of packaged meat fits in 1 cubic foot. Each share comes from one animal, so you always know where every package came from.
Hanging vs. packaged
Why the number drops.
You pay on hanging weight, the carcass weight the processor takes before aging, cutting and trimming. What comes home in packages is usually about 55 to 65% of that. So a 300 lb half brings home roughly 165 to 195 lb of beef.
That isn't missing meat. Beef hangs to get tender, and it loses water while it does. Fat trim, bones and your cut choices do the rest.
Build your freezer around what your family eats.
You don't have to go all beef. Most families mix. Start with what's already on your table every week, then fill in around it. Each piece below is its own reservation, and you can pick them all up together.
Small freezer
Burgers, tacos & spaghetti night
About $490
40 lb ground beef box + Whole Chicken Bundle. About 60 lb, fits in a fridge-top freezer. No cut sheet, no big commitment.
Shop boxes →
Beef + pork
Half & half
About $2,000–2,300
Set-Price Box quarter + half hog. Steaks, roasts and ground beef, plus pork chops, ribs, a shoulder and sausage or bacon. About 135–165 lb, a small chest freezer.
Shop pork →
Grill ready
The grill family
$1,629
Grill Set-Price Box quarter + Cut Chicken Bundle. Thick steaks, kabob and fajita beef, short ribs, plus breasts, thighs and wings ready for the grill.
See the Grill box →
Halal available
Big table, big holidays
Priced by hanging weight
Half beef + whole lamb or goat. For families who cook for a crowd: brisket, roasts, leg of lamb, chops and plenty for kabobs and stews. Standard or halal.
Shop lamb & goat →Prices are estimates. Set-Price Boxes and ground beef boxes are set prices. Half beef, hogs, lamb and goat are priced by hanging weight, so we confirm your final total when your animal goes into processing. Sausage and bacon on a hog cost extra.
Not sure how much you need? Our free Freezer Mix Planner is a 10-minute worksheet that turns a normal week of dinners into pounds and freezer space.
How many people are at your table?
Tell us who you're feeding and we'll point you to the right share. Priced by hanging weight, the traditional way to buy bulk beef and the best value. Then enter your ZIP in the reservation form and it tells you how you can get it: pickup, our delivery route, or shipped to your door.
Quarter
1 to 3 people
$9.25/lb hanging weight · $500 deposit
Quarter. Or your first time buying bulk. About 150 to 175 lb hanging weight, cut to our standard cut sheet. Fits in a small chest freezer.
Reserve a quarter →
Half
4 to 6 people
$8.75/lb hanging weight · $950 deposit
Half. A family of four for most of a year. About 300 to 325 lb hanging weight, and you pick the cuts. We walk you through the cut sheet on the phone.
Reserve a half →
Whole
7 or more
$8.25/lb hanging weight · $1,200 deposit
Whole. Big families, or split it with friends or family. About 600 to 650 lb hanging weight, and every cut is your call.
Reserve a whole →Rather we pick the cuts? Set-Price Box: Quarter $1,399 or Half $2,699, one set price. Too far for our routes? Our Shipped Quarter is a preset 70 lb box, $1,500 with shipping included.
How the pricing works, side by side
| By-the-Pound Share The traditional way · best value |
Set-Price Box | Shipped Quarter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who picks the cuts | You do, with us on the phone. Quarters get our standard cuts. Halves and wholes are cut your way. | We do. You pick a cooking style: Family, Grill or Rancher + Chef. | We do. Heavy on steaks and roasts. |
| How the price works | By the pound, on the hanging weight: $9.25 quarter, $8.75 half, $8.25 whole. Your final bill comes when your beef goes into processing. | One set price. Quarter $1,399. Half $2,699. It never changes. | One set price. $1,500, shipping included. |
| What comes home | About 55 to 65% of the hanging weight. Bones and organs if you ask for them. | At least 75 lb (quarter) or 150 lb (half) of packaged meat. No extra bones, organs or fat. | 70 lb of packaged beef. No soup bones or organs. |
| Sizes | Quarter, half or whole | Quarter or half | Quarter |
| Paying | Deposit now ($500 / $950 / $1,200). Balance due 3 days after we invoice. | In full, or half now and half at processing | In full |
| Getting it | Pickup, or a free stop on our Ranch Route | Pickup, or a free stop on our Ranch Route | Shipped frozen to the lower 48 and DC |
| Pick this if | You want the best value per pound, the traditional way. Halves and wholes give you a say in every cut. | You want it easy and want to know the price and pounds up front. | You live outside our area. |
Not ready for a share? Try a ground beef or freezer box first.
How it works, start to finish.
Pick it
Animal, size, halal or not, and pickup, route or shipping.
Hold your spot
Deposit by card or Venmo, or Cash App, cash, wire or cashier's check within 48 hours.
Cut sheet call
We walk through it together a few days before processing.
Final invoice
Hanging weight times your rate, minus deposit. Due in 3 days.
Fill your freezer
We tell you it's ready and get it to you.
Pick your animal.
Free Beef Cut Guide
Buying beef for the first time? Get the free guide.
Our 9-page Beef Cut Guide walks you through share size, freezer space and exactly what to circle on your cut sheet. Written by a chef, free to download.
The questions everybody's afraid to ask.
Is buying in bulk actually cheaper?
Per pound, usually yes. You pay one price for steaks, roasts and ground instead of steak prices for steak. Compare us to grass-fed, grass-finished beef at the store, not the cheapest pack on sale.
How much freezer space do I need?
Quarter: about 5 cu ft (a fridge-top freezer plus a little). Half: about 10 cu ft, a small chest freezer. Whole: about 20 cu ft.
How long does it keep?
Every cut is vacuum sealed. Eat it within 12 to 18 months for the best quality. Kept frozen at 0°F, it stays safe.
I don't know what a cut sheet is.
That's our job. A few days before processing we get on a call, walk through it with you and write up the directions for the butcher. Quarters use our standard cuts. With a Set-Price Box, we pick the cuts for you.
What's hanging weight?
The carcass weight after harvest, before cutting and trimming. The processor weighs it, so it's the fairest way to price a whole animal. You take home less, since bone, fat and trim come off. More on weights.
Why does beef hang before it's cut?
Aging makes it tender and gives it more flavor. Natural enzymes start breaking down the muscle while a little moisture evaporates. That water loss is part of why take-home weight is lower than hanging weight. It's normal, not missing beef.
Can I split a share with someone?
Yes. One person reserves and pays, and you divide it at pickup. Lots of first-timers do this.
What if I only want steaks?
One animal only has so many steaks. Look at the Shipped Quarter (more steaks and roasts), or ask for thicker steaks and fewer roasts on your cut sheet call.
I've never cooked a chuck roast or shank.
We'll teach you. Cook This Cut has recipes by cut, with safe temperatures.
Do you offer halal?
Yes. Answer "Must this be halal processed?" with Yes and the form only shows halal dates. Beef bacon and beef sausage aren't available halal.
When do I pay the rest, and how?
By-the-Pound Share: we invoice the balance from the actual hanging weight once your animal goes into processing, due within 3 days. Set-Price Box: in full, or half now and half at processing. Card or Venmo at checkout, or Cash App, cash, wire or cashier's check within 48 hours.
How do I get my meat?
You choose when you reserve: pickup or a free stop on our Ranch Route. Outside our area, beef ships as our Shipped Quarter, shipping included. Door-to-door delivery may have a fee. Deposits, delivery and shipping are non-refundable. Details.
What if plans change?
Read the refund policy before you reserve so you know where you stand.
We're your farm now.
Feeling uncertain about food is something a lot of families across the country share right now. You don't have to figure it out alone. We raise it, we'll help you choose it, and we'll teach you to cook every cut.
Photo credits: Texas State Archives.; Jonathan Thacker, CC BY-SA 2.0.; Jessica Reeder, CC BY-SA 2.0.
