Answer
How much freezer space do I need for a beef share?
At the standard figure of about 35 lbs of frozen food per cubic foot, a Shipley Farms 1/8 share needs about 1.5 cubic feet, a quarter about 2.5, and a half about 5. Plan a little spare, because a freezer's rated capacity is not all usable space. If you do not have the room, buy a smaller share rather than a bigger freezer.
The space each share needs
| Share | Packaged weight | Freezer space |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 Beef Share | 40 to 42 lbs | 1.5 cu ft |
| Quarter Beef Share | about 85 lbs | 2.5 cu ft |
| Half Beef Share | about 175 lbs | 5 cu ft |
These are worked from the farm's own packaged weights at the standard extension figure of about 35 lbs of frozen food per cubic foot of usable space, rounded up to the nearest half foot. Usable is the word doing the work: a freezer's rated capacity includes space the baskets, the walls and the odd-shaped cuts take up, so plan with a little room spare rather than exactly.
What that means in real appliances
A 1/8 share fits in the freezer compartment of a normal fridge-freezer if that compartment is reasonably empty. A quarter wants a small chest freezer or a very clear fridge-freezer. A half wants a dedicated freezer. A whole beef wants a large one, or two households splitting it.
Chest or upright
A chest freezer holds more in the same rated capacity, because an upright loses usable room to its shelves and door, and it loses less cold air each time it is opened. An upright is easier to dig through, which matters more than it sounds when you are looking for one roast among nineteen cuts. Either works. The one requirement is that it holds 0F.
If you are short on space
Buy a smaller share. This is the honest answer and it is the main reason the 1/8 exists. A share you cannot freeze is the only way this purchase goes badly wrong, and buying by the cut or a curated box instead costs you nothing but the bulk saving. Splitting a larger share with another household is the other route, and it is common here.
Key facts
- The standard capacity of a freezer is about 35 lbs of frozen food per cubic foot of usable space.Source: Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home Freezing Equipment (HGIC 3024)
- A Shipley Farms quarter share is about 85 lbs packaged, so it needs roughly 2.5 cubic feet; a half is about 175 lbs, roughly 5 cubic feet.Source: Shipley Farms catalog
- A freezer holding beef needs to maintain 0F.Source: FoodSafety.gov, Cold Food Storage Chart
Common follow-ups
How big a freezer do I need for a quarter of beef?
For a Shipley Farms quarter, about 2.5 cubic feet of usable space. That is a small chest freezer, or a fridge-freezer compartment with very little else in it.
Will a quarter fit in my kitchen freezer?
Sometimes, if it is close to empty. A quarter is about 85 lbs. Most fridge-freezer compartments are 4 to 6 cubic feet in total, so the beef alone wants roughly half of that and you still have to put food in it.
Does a chest freezer hold more than an upright?
In practice yes, for the same rated capacity, because an upright loses usable space to shelves and the door. A chest freezer also loses less cold air when opened. An upright is easier to search through.
Can I split a share with someone to save freezer space?
Yes, and it is common. One person orders and collects the share, then the beef is divided afterwards. The farm sells it as one order.
Keep reading
Compare the sizes in the freezer beef program, or call 828-484-1872 and describe your freezer. Somebody here has had this exact conversation before.