🥩 Planning to Sell Beef? Here’s What We’re Learning

Hey y’all,

We’ve talked about grazing Dexters, fencing, and handling gear — now it’s time to talk about the next step we’re working toward: selling beef.

We haven’t sold any yet, but we’re actively considering doing so. We’ve been learning from other farmers, watching the market, and planning how to do it right when the time comes.

🧠 Why We’re Taking Our Time

Dexters are a smaller heritage breed, which makes them great for freezer beef — especially for families that don’t want 300+ pounds of meat all at once.

But before jumping into sales, we want to make sure we’ve got:

• Enough pasture to raise them properly

• Good genetics for healthy, grass-finished beef

• A consistent system for grazing and care

• Relationships with a local USDA or custom butcher

🔍 What We’re Researching Now

Here’s what we’re focused on before we sell our first beef:

• 📦 How to sell by the whole, half, or quarter

• 📆 Booking a processor months in advance

• 🧾 Understanding cut sheets and labeling

• 💵 Pricing by hanging weight vs. by the cut

• 🧊 Freezer space and storage logistics

• 🧑‍⚖️ Texas regulations for direct-to-consumer beef sales

We’re also watching what other small farms are doing — what’s working for them, and what customers seem to want most.

📣 What We’ll Try When We’re Ready

• Share our farm’s story and how we raise our beef

• Offer smaller options (like a quarter beef) for first-time buyers

• Use this newsletter and Instagram to let folks know when beef is available

• Provide helpful info like recipes, how to cook grass-fed beef, and what to expect from the cuts

If you’re thinking about selling beef in the future too, we’re right there with you — figuring it out step-by-step. I’ll be sharing more updates as we decide if we are.

Next Week:
We’ll look at what we’d do differently if we were starting our Dexter herd again — from picking the right animals to setting up the pastures.

Got a question about the selling process or want to see the resources we’ve found so far? Hit reply and I’ll send ‘em over!

– Tim Parker
Start My Homestead
@startmyhomestead | @heritage_springs_farm