How we raise our beef
Not only is our beef Grass-Fed, but it’s also Grass-Finished! Why do we emphasize this? We feel very strongly that finishing beef on grass is the most important step to creating healthy, wholesome, nutritionally dense, and great-tasting beef, and that cutting corners on this step would diminish the health benefits and/or the tenderness and eating experience.
Rotational grazing is very, very, very important to get a good finish on truly grass-finished cattle, so our cattle get moved to a fresh “salad bar” nearly every day. These daily moves let the plants rest, and then re-grow for at least a month before they are once again re-grazed, improving our soils. The diversity of grass and legume species is also very important, both for the animals and for improving the soil. We work to extend our grazing season as much as possible, by stockpiling pasture and by growing “cover crops” which the cattle can graze at the times when regular pastures are in short supply, either because of drought or the end of the growing season has arrived. Winter feeding is done with high-quality diverse forages, and once again, NO grain, and no GMOs.
We have a quality mineral program. Currently, we use Grand Valley Fortifiers Natures blend of grass-fed minerals, which helps to keep our animals healthy and this combined with healthy forages prevents the need for antibiotic treatments. We do NOT administer hormone implants to any of our cattle – We feel they are unnecessary and our customers (and us) don’t want artificial hormones, making it an easy decision to stay away from implants. The daily moving of our cattle to fresh pastures helps to keep the cattle calm and quiet, which is definitely important to be able to sort and load cattle for the trip to the abattoir with a minimum of stress to the cattle.
What is a Cow Share?
You get a $0.15/lb discount on your bulk beef freezer order. Our Cow Share program is designed to guarantee you have a freezer order of beef with us every year for the length of this 5-year investment opportunity (renewable at the end of the 5 years) without having to worry about getting your order in first! It is also designed to help us, your farmers, to know that we have a market for the beef we are producing and a predictable cash flow.
Why is this a good idea?
You are investing in a farm that is healing the land and environment in your local community, creating a local economy that supports other local businesses, and rewarding you for years to come with healthy nutritious food for your family! This really can be a win-win situation for us all! It shows your neighbors, friends, and family that you are serious about not only protecting but improving the environment and providing safe healthy food for your family. By removing yourself (at least partially) from the industrial food system, it also means that you are no longer supporting the very industry that you may have previously been trying to stop!
This exciting opportunity for you to make an environmentally friendly investment in your community and in your family’s food supply will be repaid to you in Grass-finished beef + you will receive a discount on your beef purchase over the next 5 years! We’ve been proudly offering this program since 2009! If you are happy with your beef and want to keep purchasing some every year, by investing in this Cow Share program you will not have to worry about getting your order in first!
Some families have even purchased more than one Cow Share! One Cow Share means that you have the right to reserve a split half of beef (mixed ¼) for each Cow Share you invest in and you get a $0.15/lb discount on that mixed 1/4. Further details are below.
How it works:
- You buy a beef Cow Share for $500
- Dalew Farms pays you back in beef over 5 years. You receive a split half of beef each year, (approx 120-180lbs hanging weight), but you have $100 less to pay for the total cost of your beef for each of the next 5 years PLUS you get a $0.15/lb discount on your freezer order.
- A $400 payment is due in the spring and the balance is paid on delivery every fall (or summer if you choose to order summer beef).
- The current price is $7.49/lb for 2023 (hanging weight)- $0.15/lb discount= $7.34/lb and cut & wrap is included. So if you are trying to calculate the cost: $7.34/lb x 120lbs(example)= $880 – $100 (cow share credit) – $400 (winter payment)= $380 due on delivery *(this is an example only of a smaller order, weights vary).
Benefits to You!
You know the source of your beef! We raise our beef as a 100% grass-finished product so that you receive the healthiest beef possible. (For more info on the health benefits of grass-fed meats visit www.EatWild.com.) No grain, GMOs, hormones, or antibiotics are given to our cattle. As a Cow Share member, you are first in line to reserve Dalew Farms beef, and you get a discount on your order each year!
Many locavores tend to stress themselves out trying to source their local meats and remembering to order in advance every season for the upcoming year. We help to take the stress out of that because you don’t have to remember to order each year. We will simply contact you to remind you about your order and ask for cutting instructions and payments when they are due!
Benefits to Dalew Farms
We get peace of mind with a predictable income to help us pay for expenses related to raising your beef. We can borrow less money from the bank. And once again; we also know we have a home for the beef we are raising.
To Sign Up
Please fill out this form: Cow Share Signup Form
To summarize, your Cow Share investment will reserve a split-half (1/4) of beef for you for 5 years. Each year, $100.00 will be subtracted from your final beef bill. The value of a Split Half is currently approximately $880 to $1350 depending on the size of the animal (you can let us know if you prefer a larger or smaller ¼). Your initial Cow Share investment and yearly $400 payment helps to break down the cost so you don’t have to pay the full amount all at once when you receive your freezer order!
Do I have to be a Cow Share Member to Order?!
NO! You don’t have to be a member. You can order a freezer order without being a member while supplies last as well as smaller quantities of our beef HERE.
As usual, if you have any questions please feel free to email us!
We look forward to being able to produce healthy & wholesome Grass-finished beef for you and your family for years to come!
