Ordering grass-fed beef and raw milk directly from local farms is one of the best ways you can support the health of your family. But it’s not like heading down to the grocery store to pick up a pound of beef or a gallon of milk whenever you want.
Economies of scale change the way you will need to handle the beef and dairy portions of your budget and routine. That’s why it pays to know a little something about the farm to table experience before you start.
Pay Attention to Your Farm’s Procedures
Every farm has different procedures. Those procedures may even change depending on what’s in stock, what kinds of business partnerships are active, and what season you’re in.
They can touch on the following:
- Order limits – Sometimes stock is limited, so you may not be able to take home as much beef, dairy, or eggs as you might be used to.
- Special days for ordering or pick-up
- Delivery area limits (see below)
- Order-ahead schedules
For example, here at Blessings Ranch we have a partnership with a local co-op for sourcing our raw milk. That means raw milk is never available for an immediate pick-up, nor are any other raw dairy products we carry. Instead, we’re on a two week schedule. After you order, you’ll be contacted with your next pick-up date. That means ordering your milk two weeks before you need it.
If you want to keep a steady stream of raw milk coming, you’ll have to order as much as you need every two weeks, and be ready to handle the pick-up times when they come.
Plan Ahead
When you’re buying raw beef, you put down a deposit and schedule a cut date. Sometimes those cut dates fill up very fast. Consider figuring out how much you can store and then putting down your deposit and your order as early as possible.
You might have to buy meat a la carte until your bulk beef order comes in. Sometimes you can wait months.
See also: How to Store and Prepare Bulk Beef Orders for Maximum Freshness
Watch Social Media
Items that go out of stock quickly, like our eggs or our primal ground beef, can be hard to catch while checking the website at random or while popping in and out of our farm store to catch as catch can.
If you really want those items, subscribing to our social media feed is one of the best ways to secure them. We’ll tell you when we’ve got loads of eggs to share or when your favorite cheeses are in stock.
Know Your Delivery Area
Everyone loves the convenience of delivery, but most farms do have a delivery radius they can reasonably achieve. There’s also usually a minimum purchase that must be made before delivery is worth it.
Here at Blessings Ranch, we provide free delivery on all orders over $150 and will deliver within 50 miles of our location. We don’t ship beef, and so if you live any farther than that you’ll need to come to us. If you feel the drive is too far, you might want to investigate other farms that are closer to home.
Make Farm Visits Part of Your Routine
Who doesn’t love wandering around our lovely farm store, picking out cuts of beef and other fun products? We’re open Thursday through Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM. Make a weekend trip to the farm part of your routine, and you’ll find it easy to keep your farm stocked with the highest quality grass-fed beef and raw milk.
There are so many benefits to buying your beef and dairy from your local farm. Why not stop by our farm at 20000 Bauer Hockley Road in Tomball today?