What is "Natural Young Angus Beef"?
Hollin Farms is a four generation family farm near Delaplane, Virginia in northern Fauquier County. Natural Young Angus Beef comes from yearlings that weigh about 750 to 950 pounds as compared to Industrial feedlot steers which weigh about 1200 pounds. “Natural Beef” is from animals that have received no antibiotics in their feed and have no growth implants. In contrast, most beef that you buy in the grocery stores comes from feedlots where the feed is “medicated” with antibiotics and the animals receive estrogen growth implants. “Natural Beef” is also primarily forage-raised beef, high in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Angus is the name of the breed – a black English breed renowned for its beef quality. We have the same cattle as those in the popular Certified Angus Beef program. The animals are raised on pastures and not in the confined feedlots/industrial systems that provide most American beef.
How are Hollin Farms animals raised?
Our steers are raised to about 500 pounds on grass fields with their mothers. At about eight months old they are weaned and put into grass, clover, or millet fields where they graze “free range” as they are rotated from pasture to pasture. For about 3 months before slaughter, we supplement pasture/hay with home-grown corn to help “finish” the animal. This creates some marbling in the beef and enriches the flavor. This corn is a free choice supplement in the pasture and offered for a much shorter period than the six to nine month period common in industrial feed lot beef. These yearling animals are slaughtered at about 750 to 950 pounds which is 400 to 500 pounds less than the weight of industrially raised cattle. Because they are younger and free-range, the beef is generally leaner than feed-lot, “couch potato” kept cattle.
What does Natural Young Angus Beef look like and taste like?
The beef from these young free-range animals is generally leaner than the USDA grade “Choice” in the Supermarket. Because the animals are younger and smaller in size than 1200 pound industrial steers, cuts like steaks are also smaller (same thickness but smaller diameter). Fat in forage fed animals is higher in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. The flavor of forage fed beef is like the idea of “terroir” in wine (the flavor of the earth) – in this case, the flavor of the beautiful Crooked Run Valley on the Eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Many people like it better than the exclusively grain fed taste of industrial beef which is uniform and bland. For a good comparison between forage fed and corn fed beef go to the PBS Frontline Modern Meat web site.
What are the current prices?
Prices (based on a target live weight of 800 pounds) are $8.25 per pound for a quarter, $7.75 per pound for a half, and $7.50 per pound for a whole. Estimated take home amount is (based on an 800 lbs live weight animal) 83 pounds for a quarter, 165 pounds for a half, and 330 pounds for a whole.
HOLLIN FARMS BEEF
Natural Angus Beef from Hollin Farms
Raised on pasture and grain grown right here in the Crooked Run Valley of Virginia.
Now taking orders for May 13th, 2024 slaughter
Please read Question and Answer section below for most common questions.
Place deposit hereNatural Angus Beef from Hollin Farms
Raised on pasture and grain grown here in the Crooked Run Valley of Virginia.
Local “natural” Angus Beef as low as $7.50 per pound for “cut weight”. (“Cut weight” is the beef you take home and our price includes processing)
Pricing at a glance (Based on target live weight of 800 lbs)
| Quarter | Half | Whole | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef | 83 lbs | 165 lbs | 330 lbs |
| $ per lb | $8.25 | $7.75 | $7.50 |
Multiply pounds by “$ per lb” to get a total price estimate.
Hollin Farms
Quality controlled
No implants and no antibiotics. Pastured, free-range animals that are farm bred and raised on Hollin Farms in the historic Crooked Run Valley in Fauquier County, VA.
Selling quarters, sides, or whole beefs only. No shipping.
You pick up in Stephens City, Virginia. Processing dates occur on the second Monday of every month.
Please read Question and Answer section at bottom of this page for additional information.
AWARD INFO
Hollin Farms IS a CONSERVATION FARM
Hollin Farms has been in the family for four generations. Matt earned his master’s degree in agricultural engineering from Cornell. He and his wife Shannon were also the recipients of both the Young Farmer Achievement Award and the Harry Jones Conservation Farmer Award for protecting waterways throughout the Crooked Run valley.
Find Out More- Is Hollin Farms Natural Young Angus Beef organic?
Hollin Farms beef would qualify as organic except that we supplement the grass diet with locally grown corn and barley during the last three months to help “finish” and marble the beef. The grain is not certified organic. No one grows organic grain in our area, and to import it is costly and fossil fuel dependent.
- Will I get raw meaty bones and other treats for my pets?
Yes. Let us know and we can have bones included for your pets. Raw meaty bones are advocated in a pet diet championed by veterinarian Tom Lonsdale. Organs like liver, kidneys, and heart also make healthy treats for dogs and cats. Two books on natural products for pets are “Raw Dog Food Book” and “Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats: The Ultimate Diet.“
- How much or how little beef can I order?
Customers may order a whole, half, or quarter. On their own, some customers have “cow pooled” and bought a whole or a half beef with friends and neighbors and divided it among themselves. In these cases, one person must pay the entire invoice. If there is a whole beef order, the two sides can be cut differently. But any other division is the responsibility of the cow pool group.
- How much beef in a whole, a side (half) or quarter?
Individual animals vary but our estimate on a young beef weighing 800 on the hoof (live weight), is 330 pounds in a whole, 165 pounds in a side, 83 pounds in a quarter (a quarter is not the front or back of a side, but an equally divided side or half). Remember that this is an average. It will vary with the amount of trimming you require. Animals also vary in size and yield. Some people will get a little more and others a little less.
- Do I need a freezer?
Yes, or at least a large refrigerator freezer section. The meat is vacuum packed in one to three pound frozen packages. A quarter of a young beef takes up about 3 cubic feet. You will need to bring your own boxes to Gore’s when you pick up. Vacuum packed beef will last several years in a freezer.
- Where do I pick up the beef?
We slaughter and process at Gore Custom Meats in Stephens City, Virginia. They will age the beef and cut, package, and freeze the meat, and you can pick up there. Gore Custom Meats provides vacuum packaging as a standard service. You need to bring your own boxes when you pick up the cut and packaged beef.
Directions to Gore Custom Meats. - How do I pay?
To keep expenses down, we use a program where you buy the live animal from Hollin Farm and pay Gore Custom Meats to slaughter and package it in your name. Here is how is works:
You will receive two bills. One from us at Hollin Farms (via Square.com) for the on-the-hoof or “live” weight price of the steer you reserved with the deposit.
The other bill is from Gore Custom Meats for slaughter, dressing, cutting and packaging. You pay Gore Meats when you pick up the beef. These two bills added together will be your total price. Divided by our estimate of your pounds of frozen beef, the price should come out to the price per pound quoted at the top of this page. Bear in mind that animals vary in size and this price is calculated on standard cutting instructions and include organs meats and soup bones. If you don’t want organ meats and bones, we give them to other customers. They are not wasted. .We require a $50 deposit per quarter.
- Can I visit the farm and see the animals?
We welcome visitors during the “pick-your-own” seasons. The best times to come are in June during the cherry picking season, in July and August when we have pick-your-own peaches, berries and summer vegetables, and in September and October when we have apples, pumpkins and fall vegetables. We are next to Sky Meadows State Park.
- How do I order? Who do I contact if I have more questions?
We require a $50 deposit per quarter animal. Click here to pay deposit.
We will contact you and ask you to fill out our Cutting Questionnaire.
If you have questions, please e-mail [email protected] or text Tom at 540.419.8748. - When can I expect my beef to be ready?
We take several animals to slaughter per month. The beef is usually ready for pick up two weeks after slaughter. We will advise via phone or e-mail.
Hollin Farms Natural Angus beef is humanely raised and humanely slaughtered. Buyers pick up at the slaughter house, inspect the plant, and get to meet the people who kill and cut their beef. With one exception, the animals are rotationally grazed following the grass fed methods popularized by Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm near Swoope, Virginia. The exception is the corn or other grain that we give them free-choice in addition to the grass during the last 3 months. This adds flavor and marbling to the beef. Our beef is much cheaper than the “natural” or organic beef in high end supermarkets like Whole Foods and Wegmans.
