# Beef Share Finder

> Buy a quarter, half or whole cow direct from the farm. Florida and Michigan farms selling quarter, half and whole beef shares, checked against each farm's own website. Run by Drop Group, LLC. Every farm fact comes from the farm's own website, with a source URL and last-verified date. Fields the farm doesn't state are marked "unknown". Last full check: 2026-10-27.

Key facts (Florida, checked 2026-10-27):
- 41 Florida farms/ranches list quarter, half and/or whole beef shares on their own websites.
- Most flat-priced half shares: about $2,750–$3,750, processing included. Hanging-weight prices: $4.50–$8.00/lb, some including processing.
- Take-home beef is about 60–70% of hanging weight, per Florida farms. Freezer space is about 1 cu ft per 35–40 lb (University of Maine Extension).

Key facts (Michigan, checked 2026-10-27):
- 33 Michigan farms/ranches list quarter, half and/or whole beef shares on their own websites, in 7 regions.
- How many farms sell beef shares in Michigan? We found 33 Michigan farms and ranches that list quarter, half or whole beef shares on their own websites, checked on Oct 27, 2026. By region: Upper Peninsula 3, Northern Lower Peninsula 6, West Michigan 5, Mid-Michigan 5, Thumb 4, Southwest Michigan 4, Southeast & South Central 5, region not stated 1.
- Which Michigan farms have beef shares available now? On Oct 27, 2026, 8 farms said on their own website that shares were open: Anavery Fine Foods, BP Farms, Buiter Beef, Horning's Farm Shop (Horning Farms), Kaminski Farms, Koebel Farm (J & A Koebel Farms), McElroy Farms, Roseland Organic Farms. 8 said current shares were sold out, and 17 didn't state a status. Availability changes, so confirm with the farm.
- How much does a beef share cost per pound in Michigan? 21 Michigan farms post a per-pound hanging-weight price. Posted prices run from $3.00/lb (Firefly Meadow Farms) to $10.00/lb (Whispering Pines Ranch). The median of each farm's lowest posted price is $4.50/lb. Processing is usually extra: 21 farms say it is paid separately, 2 say it is included, and the rest don't say.
- Can I buy a quarter cow in Michigan? Yes. Of the 33 farms, 32 list quarter shares, 31 list halves, 24 list whole beef and 4 list eighths, per their own websites on Oct 27, 2026.

## Directory
- [Florida beef share farms](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/florida/): filterable list of all 41 farms
- [Open data (JSON)](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/data/farms-florida.json): name, city, county, share sizes, posted prices with date seen, price basis, processing, processor, deposit, source URLs, last verified
- [Open data (CSV)](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/data/farms-florida.csv)
- [Michigan beef share farms](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/michigan/): filterable list of all 33 farms, 8 say shares are open now (per their own sites, 2026-10-27)
- [Michigan open data (JSON)](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/data/farms-michigan.json) · [CSV](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/data/farms-michigan.csv): same fields plus shares_status (open / sold out / unknown, as stated by the farm)

## Guides
- [How much does half a cow cost in Florida?](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/guides/how-much-does-half-a-cow-cost-florida/): Florida farms list a half beef at about $2,750–$3,750 flat, or $4.50–$8.00 per lb hanging weight. Real prices from Florida farm websites, checked Oct 27, 2026.
- [Hanging weight vs. take-home weight](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/guides/hanging-weight-vs-take-home-weight/): Hanging weight is the carcass weight before cutting. Take-home weight is what goes in your freezer, often about 60–70% of hanging weight. Here's how to compare Florida farm quotes.
- [How much freezer space do you need for a quarter cow?](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/guides/freezer-space-for-a-quarter-cow/): Plan about 4–5 cubic feet for a quarter cow, about 8–10 for a half and 15–20 for a whole. Extension rule: 1 cubic foot holds 35–40 lb of beef.
- [Beef cut sheet explained](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/guides/beef-cut-sheet-explained/): A cut sheet tells the processor how to cut your share: steak thickness, roast size, package size, bone-in or boneless, and what to grind. Here's a plain-English walkthrough.
- [How to find a beef processor in Florida](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/guides/find-a-beef-processor-in-florida/): Florida has no state meat inspection program; USDA FSIS covers the state. Learn custom-exempt vs. USDA-inspected processing and how farms book processors for beef shares.
- [Questions to ask a farm before buying a beef share](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/guides/questions-to-ask-a-farm-before-buying-beef/): Before you pay a deposit on a quarter or half cow, ask about price basis, processing fees, deposit refunds, processing date, cut choices and pickup. Examples from Florida farms.
- [Quarter vs. half vs. whole cow](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/guides/quarter-vs-half-vs-whole-cow/): A quarter is about 100–115 lb of beef, a half about 200–230 lb, and a whole about 400–460 lb, per Florida farms. Compare price, freezer space and cut choice.

## About
- [About and methods](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/about/)
- [List your farm / corrections](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/list-your-farm/)
- [Photo credits](https://beefsharefinder.pages.dev/credits/)