Answer
How much beef is in half a beef?
Half Beef Share from Shipley Farms is about 175 lbs of packaged beef across 26 cuts, frozen and labelled. Pickup only. It is a cross-section of one animal, so it carries steaks, roasts, ground beef and the slower cuts together. A half a beef suits a household that cooks beef most weeks, or two families splitting one share.
What you actually get
A half a beef from Shipley Farms is about 175 lbs, packaged, labelled and frozen, spread across 26 different cuts. That is steaks, roasts, ground beef and the stew and bone cuts from the same animal, not a box of one thing. Pickup only.
How the shares compare
| Share | Packaged weight | Cuts | Collection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 Beef Share | 40 to 42 lbs | 19 cuts | Ships frozen, or collect it at the butcher. |
| Quarter Beef Share | about 85 lbs | 23 cuts | Pickup only. |
| Half Beef Share | about 175 lbs | 26 cuts | Pickup only. |
The cut count rises with the share because a larger share takes whole primals that a smaller one cannot be divided into.
Who each share fits
A half a beef suits a household that cooks beef most weeks, or two families splitting one share. The other two sizes exist because freezer space and how often a household cooks beef vary more than anything else about this decision.
When a share is the wrong buy
A share is not the right purchase for everyone, and it is worth saying so plainly. If you do not have the freezer space, if you want to try the beef before committing to a share of it, or if you want particular cuts rather than a whole animal's worth, buy by the cut instead. The curated boxes and the full catalog exist for exactly that, and they ship nationwide where the larger shares are pickup only.
Picking it up
Shares are collected at one of three High Country points: the farm in Vilas, Train4Life in Boone, or FA Fitness in Blowing Rock. Pick-up is free. Addresses and days are on the pick-up page.
Key facts
- A Half Beef Share is about 175 lbs of packaged beef across 26 cuts.Source: Shipley Farms catalog
- Shipley Farms has raised and sold beef in Vilas, North Carolina since 1872.Source: Shipley Farms
- The cattle are English breeds, Hereford, Red and Black Angus, and South Devon, raised on pasture and never in confinement.Source: Shipley Farms FAQs
- Pick-up is free at three High Country locations: the farm in Vilas, Boone, and Blowing Rock.Source: Shipley Farms pick-up locations
Common follow-ups
How many cuts are in a half beef share?
26 cuts. Each share is a cross-section of the animal, so it carries steaks, roasts, ground beef and the slower cuts together rather than a single category.
Can a half beef share be shipped?
No. This share is pickup only, at the farm in Vilas, Boone or Blowing Rock. If you need beef shipped, order by the cut or choose a curated box instead, both of which ship anywhere in the United States.
Can the beef be dry-aged?
Yes. Every share size has a dry-aged version alongside the standard one, listed separately in the freezer beef program.
What does a half beef share cost?
Current pricing is on the half beef share page. Prices change with the season and the animal, so they are kept on the product page rather than repeated here, where they would go stale.
Keep reading
See the Half Beef Share, or compare every size in the freezer beef program. Questions go to beef@shipleyfarmsbeef.com or 828-484-1872.