At Lake Joy Farmstead we take great pride in how we raise our animals. We believe in a holistic approach that is beneficial to the earth, the animal and of course the ultimate destination, the family dinner table.
Currently we raise (primarily) Angus beef and Gloucestershire Old Spot (GOS) pigs, Cornish Cross Chickens and occasionally turkeys. If you want to read up on how we feed them, check this podcast out that we did with our feed supplier.
We sell portions of the beef and pork and pre ordered pastured poultry (chicken and turkey) to customers from the farm. We typically collect a deposit upfront to help with the cost of the feed and it is credited when the final weights are tallied at butcher time.
Your total price is based upon the hanging weight of the portion purchased when received at the butcher before cutting and wrapping and is charged per pound. The price includes the cost of the meat from us, plus the cost of having the butcher come to the farm to slaughter the animal, age it in the cooler, and then cut and wrap it per your instructions (see sample “cuts” below).
When this is completed, the customer is called by the butcher to pick up the frozen, wrapped meat from the shop. We can sometimes be available to pick up and deliver. On our farm, to simplify the process you pay one price that includes both the price for meat and the butcher fees for the slaughter, cutting, wrapping and freezing.
THE BEEF AT LAKE JOY FARMSTEAD
At Lake Joy Farmstead we take great care of our cows. Our cows are 100% grass-fed and grass finished. We use the very best haylage and alfalfa from throughout Washington state. They are primarily Angus beef and score between USDA Choice and Prime.
When you select your portion, we work closely with the butcher to cut your animal to meet your family’s needs. We estimate the hanging weight of the pork to be 650-800 lbs. per carcass (many factors make this a wide estimate) putting a share (1/2 beef) between 325-400 lbs. A quarter share is cut in half of this number.
Grass Fed/Finished vs. Grain Finished
The cows that we butcher are raised until they are 18-24 months old and we do NOT finish with grain. Many other cattle farmers finish their beef in the last 90-120 days on grain at feed lots. We do not, which means slightly leaner finished product but better for you according to most experts. This produces meat that taste like the best steaks you get at the store but with the knowledge that these cows have not been given hormones, fed antibiotics, or harshly treated.
Live Weight vs. Hanging Weight
Let’s assume an average sized 20 to 24-month-old animal weighs approximately 1,200-1400 lbs.; that weight is called the “live weight.” Once the animal is slaughtered, the skin, head, non-usable organs, and hooves are removed, and the carcass is split down the middle. This part of the process is done at the farm. The two sides are then tagged and transported to the butcher shop. At the butcher shop, the two halves are weighed, giving the butcher the “hanging” or “carcass weight,” which is usually around 60% of the live weight. This weight is then used to determine the cost of the portion purchased. The carcass is then hung in a cooler for 10-15 days to dry age. This improves tenderness, enhances flavor, and further reduces weight due to evaporation.
Hanging Weight vs. Boxed Weight
After dry aging, each side is processed into individual retail cuts based upon the instructions given to the butcher by the customer. The weight after this process is called the “boxed,” “take home,” or “retail” weight. It’s important to know that after butchering, the boxed weight will be significantly less than the hanging weight. The percentage of the hanging weight that remains is called the “yield” for short and is generally around 55% of hanging weight. This percentage varies based on a number of factors, including:
- Bone-in vs. boneless – Removing cuts from the bones will dramatically affect the remaining weight; it will not significantly affect the actual amount of meat you receive.
- The amount of fat remaining on the meat cuts – The yield will vary based on how much surface fat the butcher leaves on the cuts, trims off or adds to the hamburger.
- Leanness of ground beef – If the ground beef is made very lean the yield will be less than if the ground beef is made with a higher percentage of fat from the animal added back in.
Freezer Space and Shelf Life
The rule of thumb is 1 cubic foot of freezer space for every 35-40 lbs. of cut and wrapped meat. Generally, the chest freezers offered at the big box stores will hold a half of beef. Wrapped cuts of beef have a freezer shelf life of one year. After that, the flavor begins to diminish.
We designed a neat infographic based on consulting with our butcher and University Ag programs. You are welcome to save and share!
THE TYPICAL CUTS
- Sirloin Steaks – great for fajitas, carne asada, and any meal that needs good strips of beef.
- Rib Steaks – your classic ribeye, either bone in or boneless and thickness at your preference.
- T-bone Steaks – the Porterhouse and the T-bone come from the same basic part of the cow where technically the difference is in the thickness, 1.25 inch for porterhouse and anything else a T-bone. When you choose T-bone you are saying no to the tenderloin and New York steaks, as those are the two parts that make up each side of the “T”
- New York Steaks – If you say no to the T-bone then you are saying yes to the New York steaks. You get to pick the thickness.
- Tenderloin – same as the New York, but you get to choose whether you want it as a filet (intact) or into medallions.
- Chuck Roasts – the best of the roasts. Great for roast beef or smoked as pulled beef.
- Sirloin Tip Roast – usually tied with butcher twine and can be cooked as roast beef. We like pan seared and smoked, chilled and sliced thin.
- Top Round Roast – great for jerky or sliced thin and then pan seared.
- Bottom Round Steak – great for jerky or same as the top round.
- Short Ribs – you can have these cut as long, short, halved or flanken (which is the classic Korean-style short rib at 1.2 inch thickness)
- Stew Meat or Kabob
- Tri Tip – very popular, especially on the West Coast, you can leave whole and sear and smoke slice thin for an excellent meal.
- Brisket – great for Texas-style smoked, corned beef and pastrami
- Burger – whatever is left over from all of the trimmings becomes the grind. These are portioned into 1 pound tubes for easy storage and use.
- Soup Bones – for soup, with a little meat on them.
- Bones – for stock/broth, no meat on them and full of marrow which is great for gelatinous stock.
- Bones – for dogs
- Other – this includes oxtail, special cuts like organs.
THE PORK AT LAKE JOY FARMSTEAD
We raise Gloucestershire Old Spot (GOS) pigs in a pasture environment and feed augmented with non-GMO feed that does not contain soy or corn.
At Lake Joy Farmstead we take great care of our pigs. Our “pastured pork” is free to graze all day, every day and we supplement their grazing with 100% organic, non-GMO, Washington based pig feed.
When you select your portion, we work closely with the butcher to cut your animal to meet your family’s needs. We estimate the hanging weight of the pork to be 140-250 lbs. per carcass (many factors make this a wide estimate) putting a share (1/2 pig) between 70-135 lbs. A quarter share is cut in half of this number.
THE TYPICAL CUTS
- Pork Roasts – great for slow roasted pork, rolled in herbs and served as a Sunday dinner.
- Shoulder Butt – sometimes called Boston Butt (named after the “butt containers” that pork was shipped in). These can typically be made into steaks, country-style spareribs or roasts. Country-style steaks and roasts are excellent for pulled pork. Country-style steaks are where tasso ham of Cajun fame comes from.
- Pork Chops – come from the loin of the hog and can be selected as bone in or boneless.
- Pork Ribs – spareribs are a part of every order. If you do not want them, they will be rendered into grind. If you choose boneless chops, you will get baby back ribs as well.
- Ham – average ham is 10-16 lbs. Serve it brined and smoked and have lunch meat for days or roast it for Easter and Christmas.
- Bacon – Bacon comes from the belly of the pig. Average bacon is 4-8 lbs. Bellies can be cured and then smoked and cut on demand for virtually any meal. The Italian-style bacon is called pancetta and although takes a few more steps, is an uber rich way to use bacon for your pastas and salumi boards.
- Bones – for broth (although not as common as chicken or beef stock, pork bones are used in many Asian-style broths like Ramen and Pho)
- Back Fat – Back fat can be cured and made into lardo or can be rendered, along with leaf lard to fill up several containers of lard for various cooking purposes.
- Other – this includes jowls (for guanciale), hocks, half head.
- The Grind – all of the trim and any other cuts you designate to be made into sausage becomes the Grind. You can take all or part of the trim and turn into ground pork. Form there turn into mild, medium or spicy breakfast sausage and/or sweet or hot Italian-style sausage.
Pastured Poultry at Lake Joy Farmstead
We believe in pastured poultry plain and simple. We know it is good for the land and is good for us when raised well, with special attention to what we feed them. Non GMO, no corn and no soy feed is what we do and we won’t do it any other way.
We are raising large batches of pastured poultry several times per year and are happy to raise them for you and your family! These include the Cornish Cross (what you would find in the case at Costco) and turkey. The price is set per pound after the feathers and innards are removed. You are welcome to the organs, gizzards and even feet if you like!
Pricing – 2024
As of 2024 our pricing is as follows:
Beef: $10.25 per pound and includes butcher fee, cut and wrap, your cut list and possible delivery.
Pork: $8.25 per pound and includes butcher fee, cut and wrap, your cut list and possible delivery.
Chicken: whole birds priced per pound.
Turkey: whole birds priced at $9 per pound.
A deposit is collected upfront ($200 per animal share of beef and pork reserves your spot. $50 deposit on chickens and turkey reservations reserves your spot). All deposits credited upon final hanging weight calculations.
Make checks payable to Lake Joy Farmstead and send to 10528 344th Ave NE Carnation, WA 98014.
There will be a $30 fee charged for all returned checks.
Card processing available with a 3.5% card processing fee.
If you are interested in our livestock program to fill your freezer with quality, responsibly raised beef, pork, and pastured poultry contact us!
