Beef Sales at Bar M Ranch

It's that time of year again when we’re selling beef from the farm! This year, we’ve received many questions about the process, so we wanted to share how it works to get our beef boxes to you and what it takes to put them together.

The process begins with raising an Angus steer, which takes about 20–24 months. This means we care for them for nearly two years before they are ready for market. Our steers and cows graze on grass during the warmer months and eat hay while in the barn during the colder months. This makes grass the primary component of their diet, so our cattle are grass-fed.

As a farm selling meat to the public, we’re required to process our steers at a licensed facility. There are only a few in the province, and we’ve been working with a great one in Bridgetown for several years now. However, due to the limited number of facilities, we need to book months in advance. For example, to process steers on January 9, we had to make the reservation back in early October. This requires some thought in advance since we have to hope the steers will be healthy and ready to go on that day. Additionally, we only book processing in the winter since we don’t have a refrigerated truck for transport—cooler outdoor temperatures naturally help keep the meat cold during delivery.

As the market date approaches, the planning intensifies. Here are some key factors we consider before advertising meat for sale:

• Amount of Meat: When we bring cattle to the abattoir, we know their live weight, but we won’t know the finished weight (the total weight of all the cuts) until after processing. This means our advertised availability is an estimate based on previous years’ finished weights.

• Pick-Up Date: We typically have a good idea of when the meat will be ready, but this depends on the butcher’s freezer space. Sometimes we’re asked to pick it up early. This is why we collect customer contact information to keep everyone informed. We’re often asked why we can’t hold or save meat for another day, and the main reason is limited freezer space. As a small farm processing only a few cows every few years, we don’t generate enough revenue to invest in larger freezers.

• Buyer List: Selling our beef is one of the most exciting parts of the process, especially since many of our customers return year after year! However, it’s also the most challenging. We don’t know the exact amount of meat available until the day of pick-up, nor do we have a confirmed pick-up date until closer to the time. Since freezer space is limited, we can only hold meat on the day of delivery. To streamline the process, we started using an online order form this year. It’s been the most efficient way to track orders and ensure everyone gets what they need.

At the heart of it all, we truly love raising the beef we sell. It’s a privilege to provide high-quality, grass-fed beef to our community, and we take pride in the care and effort we put into every step of the process. However, as a small farm, there are unique challenges we face. The limited number of licensed processing facilities, the need to plan months in advance, and the lack of large-scale storage space make distribution particularly challenging.

The way we organize our process—from careful scheduling and estimating availability to using an online order form—has been shaped by these realities. It allows us to manage the complexities of getting our beef from the farm to your table while ensuring we uphold the quality and transparency our customers value. We’re grateful for your support and understanding as we navigate these challenges and continue doing what we love.