Questions

Beef will typically last up to a year in the freezer without any adverse effects to its usage. Lamb and poultry will last up to 6 months and pork lasts up to 3-4 months. It is best if the freezer is set to 10 degrees or colder.

Supply farmers for buyacow.net feed their animals nutrient-rich hay or dried grass in the winter and some will further supplement with grain such as oats or corn. You can buy your meat in the late winter/ early spring fresh at which time it will be on a supplemental diet or wait until the prime buying season for grass-fed beef begins in earnest in July lasting through November. By that time the animals have been "finished" on grass pastures and no longer have grain as part of their diet.

Corn-fed and grass-fed are terms that relate to the diet of the beef animals as they are raised for food use. The majority of beef animals raised in this country are raised with corn-fed diets. (See more in the “Other Information and Industry Issues” for a history of corn-fed and grass-fed beef.) Since a cow has a stomach that relies upon converting roughage sources such as grass and hay to nutrients, grass is the natural food source for cows. However, a large diet of corn will help the animal grow more quickly for market and provides a significant element of “marbling” in the meat that enhances the taste of the meat. Marbling is when there is increased fat content inside the meat itself, not just on the edges. Throughout history fat has been appreciated for providing tenderness, juiciness, and flavor to meat and this century is no different. Grass-fed beef, on the other hand, is enjoying a renaissance in popularity and connoisseurs of the product enjoy the natural flavor and the lean but tasteful experience that isn‘t reliant of fat.