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Buying meat
"on the hoof"

Here, at Emerald Acres Farm, we sell our pork and lamb 'on the hoof'.

What does it mean to sell 'on the hoof'?

          This means is that we sell you a portion of the whole animal. We charge a price per pound of hanging weight (the weight of the animal after the head, internal organs, blood, hide, feet are removed) and the cost that the butcher charges to dispatch the animal and prepare the meat. We then pick up the meat from the butcher, and either deliver to you (local delivery only, within a 20 mile radius of our farm) or arrange pick up on our farm. We pre-sell our animals prior to butcher date and do not sell cuts of meat.

Why do we sell this way?

         We sell this way because it's more economical for our customer and logistically more feasible for our small farm. We use a local butcher that is not USDA inspected but carries all the appropriate state certifications. 

What does it mean to buy a '1/2 or whole'? 

        When you buy a '1/2 or whole' animal you are buying that percentage of ALL of the cuts that come off of that animal (this does not include organs or hides). For example, if you bought 1/2 pig you would be get 1/2 of all the pork chops, loin steaks, hams, roasts, ground pork, bacon that come off that animal. 

Can I customize the meat I get back?

       Yes and no.

       No, in that you can't elect for more bacon or more hams (as there are only so many of each cut per animal and it is divided out from the yield based on what percentage of animal was purchased).

       Yes, in that you can select things like how thick you want your pork chops or lamb steaks, how many pork chops per package, if you want your ham whole or cut into ham steaks, if you elect for smoked or unsmoked bacon, or if you want your ground meat seasoned. Those are just a few of the ways you can customize your cuts for your family. 

        

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