Buying Bulk Beef - How to guide

As Land Basket Farm specializes in pastured poultry and forest-raised pork, we partner with two master beef producers here in Hamblen County: Kipland Ridge in Talbott and Sunswept Farms in Whitesburg.

Kipland Ridge is a young family farm, but they have been in the beef business for close to 10 years. Kelly Goble runs cattle on both her own ground and leased ground, finishing them on a custom grain mix from Clear Creek Mill in Tazewell. Kelly follows strict protocols regarding antibiotics and vaccines. I’ve been buying beef from the Goble family for years.

Sunswept Farms, run by Gary Free, is a century farm in the county and a third-generation operation. Gary owns significant acreage and specializes in a silage-finishing process. His beef never disappoints.

How Do We Sell Beef?

Unlike most farms, we do not require a deposit on bulk beef.

We sell beef based on cut-and-pack weight, which makes this a very straightforward transaction—no back-and-forth and no guesswork. We shake hands, I go to work, and I call you when your beef is ready. All business is settled at the end. From agreement to pickup, the typical lead time is about one month.

How Does It Work?

Initial discussion. Start by adding the $1 beef commitment to your cart, or call/text to discuss and ask questions. If you add it to your cart, I will call you. We’ll talk about timing, freezer space, and any questions you have. Our method is somewhat unique*, but we believe it’s the most transparent.

Animal is selected and scheduled for a USDA processing date.

Animal is harvested and hangs in cool storage for 10–14 days. Hanging weight is provided to the customer.

Cut instructions are discussed between customer and farmer. The hanging weight helps inform these decisions.

Carcass is butchered, packaged, and frozen.

Meat is picked up by the farmer, inventoried, and final numbers are sent to the customer.

Customer picks up at the farm and pays the invoice. Meat is typically packed in 4–5 small Home Depot moving boxes.

* Note: Most bulk beef purchases involve custom butchers and pricing based on live weight or hanging weight, with the customer paying both the farmer and the butcher separately. Our cut-and-pack method simplifies the process. Land Basket Farm handles everything on behalf of the customer—no yield calculations, no multiple payments, no guessing what you’ll receive. Monetarily, both methods usually work out about the same; we simply believe ours is more straightforward and transparent.

How Much Do You Get?

Live weights typically range from 1,200–1,400 lbs. This yields a carcass weight of approximately 700–900 lbs. A half beef yields about 200 lbs cut-and-pack weight  (typical range: 180–220 lbs).

Of that ~200 lbs: Roughly 50% is steaks and cuts,  Roughly 50% is ground beef.

Typical breakdown from a ~725 lb carcass (half beef): ~75 lbs steaks and cuts, ~30 lbs roasts, ~115 lbs ground beef, ~10 lbs fat and bone.

How Much Does It Cost?

Beef is priced at $10.50 per pound, cut-and-pack weight (the actual pounds that go into your freezer).

A 200-lb half beef costs approximately $2,100

Typical range: 180 lbs → $1,890 ; 220 lbs → $2,310