What farms publish
Published schedules vary.
“Deliveries for this share batch begin end of August through September 2026”
“Sides of beef referenced as ready for "fall 2024" in current site copy (page appears stale/not recently updated).”
“Harvest only spring through fall, while cattle are on fresh grass (never harvested/sent to butcher in winter); beef available only when fully finished, so inventory/cuts fluctuate and can run low.”
“Slaughtered in October, hung three weeks, delivered in November (from the farm's own About page)”
“Processed in the fall, for distribution over the winter (primary shares); grillable cuts from the same processing are packaged for summer shares distributed in June and August.”
“Beef is usually available all year now (expanded via subcontractor farm), but "we always sell out so supply is limited."”
“Shipping schedule noted on homepage: 'Shipping Monthly - Order Deadline SEPT. 12th' with a next ship date of Sept 15 shown at time of crawl; ships weekly fall/winter/early spring, monthly in summer.”
“2026 harvest is sold out at time of crawl; historically anticipated for pickup in late fall or early winter; 2027 ordering expected to open in late winter/early spring 2027 per the sold-out notice.”
“Slaughter dates are pre-assigned at time of purchase; buyer is told the month their meat will be ready for pickup, then contacted with the exact date/time as it nears.”
“Whole/half/quarter beef butchered in October, picked up on scheduled Wednesdays; whole-cow ground beef restocked in June and again in early December”
“Not a fixed schedule; specific products noted as seasonally sold out (e.g., 'Mixed Meat Box: Sold out until July', 'Fresh Chicken July 11'), implying a rolling, season-dependent restock rather than one annual harvest date for beef specifically.”
“Steer available for sale in October and November each year”
“Cracked corn feeding begins 3 months before harvest, implying a planned harvest schedule, but no specific month/season stated”
“Cattle processed at 16-20 months of age, on demand (tied to order volume/processing schedule rather than a single calendar date); orders taken year-round.”
“Beef shares available for pickup May through October 2026; pork shares for late September/early October 2026; whole roaster chickens for June 2026.”
“Sells out annually; as of this crawl (accessed 2026-08-25) described as 'nearly sold out for this year' with limited remaining supply, implying an annual/seasonal harvest cycle.”
“Cattle are sent to the butcher year-round, 12 months out of the year, on a rolling basis (not a single seasonal harvest)”
“Processing timing varies; farm advises contacting them for the current schedule; meat ready for pickup about 3 weeks after the butcher date”
“Animals processed locally from July to October each year”
“Beef are harvested at 14-16 months of age; the farm holds monthly slots with its local processor so farm-raised beef is available year-round, and customers choose which month to receive their beef.”
Some farms sell year-round, some reserve animals months ahead, and others open orders around specific harvest dates. A schedule is useful only for that farm and that offering.
Four dates to confirm
Put these on your calendar.
- Reservation
- When the deposit is due and whether it holds a specific animal, share size, or place in line.
- Price
- Whether the quoted rate is fixed at reservation or can change before harvest, and what processing costs are separate.
- Cut instructions
- When steak thickness, roast size, ground-beef package size, bones, and organs must be selected.
- Pickup or delivery
- The expected window, number of boxes, location, payment balance, and how quickly frozen beef must reach your freezer.
The practical answer
Start asking before your freezer is empty.
Contact farms early enough to compare share sizes and understand the lead time. Before paying a deposit, get the expected hanging-weight range, price basis, processing terms, and pickup window in writing.