Start with the pounds that go in the freezer
Example half
About 198 lbEstimated packaged weight, not hanging weight.
Packing assumption
35 lb / cu ftAn illustrative allowance; package shapes and freezer type vary.
Calculated space
About 5.6 cu ftLeave extra usable space and ask the farm how many boxes to expect.
Based on Brookford Farm's published example. The estimated take-home yield is about 59%; actual animals and orders vary.
The arithmetic
Packaged pounds ÷ 35.
The planning rule here allows 35 pounds of wrapped beef per cubic foot. It is an assumption, not a guaranteed capacity: steaks, roasts, baskets, and air gaps occupy space. For a more spacious comparison, University of Minnesota Extension allows at least 4.5 chest-freezer cubic feet or 5.5 upright cubic feet for 142 pounds of beef. Ask your farm about package dimensions.
The packaged weights come from Brookford Farm’s published half: about 198 pounds of cuts from 337 hanging pounds, an estimated return of 58.6%. The farm described these pounds as approximate; they are not a measured yield or a guarantee.
Farm’s published weight example · Checked Aug 25, 2026.
A 10 lb pack would use about 0.3 cubic feet under the same assumption, before allowing extra room for its packaging. If a share exceeds your usable space, compare smaller packs and monthly boxes; a subscription still needs room for each delivery and any beef left from the last one.
| Share | Packaged beef | Calculated space | Practical reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole | 395.1 lb | 11.3 cu ft | Choose usable empty capacity above 11.3 cu ft; do not count shelves already occupied. |
| Half | 197.5 lb | 5.6 cu ft | Choose usable empty capacity above 5.6 cu ft; do not count shelves already occupied. |
| Quarter | 98.8 lb | 2.8 cu ft | Choose usable empty capacity above 2.8 cu ft; do not count shelves already occupied. |
| Eighth | 49.4 lb | 1.4 cu ft | Choose usable empty capacity above 1.4 cu ft; do not count shelves already occupied. |
Before pickup
Usable space is the constraint.
Measure the empty interior, subtract baskets and anything staying in the freezer, and keep packages grouped loosely enough to find them. A nominal appliance capacity is not the same as the space left on delivery day.
Ask the farm for its expected packaged-pound range and number of boxes. If that answer differs from this worked animal, divide the farm’s figure by 35; the farm’s own estimate should replace ours.
Run your own numbers or compare yield, cost, and household duration for each share.