Save money, support local.
Buy in bulk!
Purchasing in bulk is the most economical way to feed your family locally- and sustainably-raised meat, while supporting a small business, our local food system, and keeping your money in the local economy. Bulk meat purchases during the winter months help local farms during a slower time of the year and help stabilize income.
We offer a range of options providing generous selections of pastured pork, beef, and rose veal to meet your household needs and fill your freezer.
About bulk purchases
If your questions are not answered here contact us directly at ORDERS@CRICKETCREEKFARM.COM
Order: Choose the package that works best for you, then email us!
Bulk packages are typically available for pickup within a week of ordering, based on availability. Sometimes we do not have enough variety in stock to do every kind of bulk package, in this situation packages can be reserved in advance with a deposit.
Occasionally, we need to make substitutions based on availability and will discuss with you prior to pick up if this is the case.
When selecting your package, please consider the amount of freezer space you have available. Meat comes frozen in vacuum sealed packages and is packed in boxes that measure 19in x 13in x 9.5in. These boxes fit into most chest freezers, but can of course, be unpacked at home.
Payment: Final cost will be provided prior to pick up and is calculated by weight; typically, the final price is quite close to the approximate total cost listed for each package. Bulk meat packages must be paid for with cash or check (as a small business, credit card and cash app fees have an impact our budget).
Pick up: We will work with you to schedule a pick up time. Packages must be picked up in full.
All our meat is processed & packaged at Eagle Bridge Custom Meats & Smokehouse, a USDA certified facility in Eagle Bridge, NY. We work with them because of their humane processing practices and their high quality work.
Bulk packages are priced per pound and the total price will be calculated based on the exact quantity you will receive.
Sausage comes in packages that are approximately 1lb. All ground meat will be in 1 lb packages; 2 lb packages for ground beef may be requested, but are not always available.
All meat comes frozen and vacuum sealed.
The largest bulk packages are based on 1/2 or 1/4 animal shares. Because all of our meat is processed at a USDA facility and packaged for retail, the bulk packages fit in better with our retail sales. If you are interested in modifying a bulk package, please be in touch with us at orders@cricketcreekfarm.com to inquire about pre-ordering a package.
Typically, we cannot accommodate modifications to packages, as the prices are based on the variety of cuts included. Please review all of our packages to see if any of the options would suit your needs. If none do, please be in touch and we will see what we can do!
All of our beef is 96-100% grass-fed. Ground beef and sausage are not available with 100% grass-fed beef. We understand that some customers are interested in exclusively 100% grass-fed beef; with advance notice and a 15% premium on the package selected, you may purchase a beef bundle that includes 100% grass-fed beef cuts. The 15% premium helps to cover the additional labor costs of verifying that cuts are from 100% grass-fed animals.
Our Ethos + Practices
Learn more about what makes our meat so special.
We are not certified organic but adhere to many organic
practices.
The most significant reason we are not organic is that we believe our primary responsibility is to the well-being of our animals. We use antibiotics and other non-organic medications sparingly and there are cases when the best treatment for a sick animal is a conventional medication. For example, metritis (infection of the uterus after calving) will often result in a systemically ill animal in significant distress but is quickly and effectively treated with an antibiotic. We work closely with our vet to ensure appropriate treatments and follow all labeled meat and milk withholds to prevent any medication residue in the food.
At the end of the day we will not watch an animal suffer
if we have a tool available to properly care for her.
GRASS! All of our cows — in our beef and dairy herds — eat primarily perennial grasses and plants. We do not grow and harvest corn or other warm season annuals. During the grazing season (May – November) the cows are outside on pasture around the clock with the exception of the dairy herd, which comes in for milking before heading back out.
In the winter, all the cows eat stored feed in the form of balayage, haylage, and dry hay. The former two are both fermented grass. This feed is a combination of feed harvested from our land and purchased from two other local farms – Ioka Valley Farm in Hancock and Fairfield Dairy Farm in Williamstown.
Our dairy cows do get a small amount of cornmeal and molasses to support their systems during the rigors of lactation and pregnancy. These make up no more than 4% of their daily feed intake. We have experimented with not feeding any supplemental carbohydrates but many of our cows have struggled to maintain body condition and top health. The decision to feed cornmeal and molasses is based on animal health, not production volume. Our hope is that our breeding program will result in a herd that is more suited for a 100% grass-based diet and that we may transition there in the future.
Our young stock and beef herd receive no grain of any kind.
We have an eclectic bunch of bovines. We started with pure Brown Swiss and Jersey cows but have done quite a bit of cross-breeding. We now have Milking Devon, Normande, New Zealand Friesian and Kiwi Cross genetics in the herd. Our breeding program focuses on overall holistic health metrics with a particular weight given to grazing success. The mix of breeds results in some of the most delicious milk!
Our veal calves are raised in the same manner as all our other calves, including the replacement heifers (female calves who will eventually join the dairy herd). Many of our calves are raised on nurse cows – dairy cows who have been selected to raise up to three calves. In the summer, we run a separate grazing group for the Nurse cows so if you drive down Oblong Road you may see a group of three to four cows with up to a dozen calves frolicking in the pasture. This means the calves graze as well as drink milk and have plenty of space to run free.
Some of our calves are also bottle raised, in which case we feed them whole milk and they have free choice access to hay and balayage. We always raise calves in groups so they have friends and plenty of space.
Veal calves are not tiny babies. Our veal is usually 4-6 months old, which in cow terms is well out of the “calf” stage of life. Most of our veal weight more than 300lbs at the time of processing.
Our pig herd started with Tamworths – a reddish brown heritage breed. We have since ended up with a wide variety of primarily heritage genetics, including Duroc, Berkshire Old Spot and Red Waddle. We breed and raise pigs on the farm.
We started raising pigs to make good use of the whey produced from cheesemaking in our creamery. During times when we have not produced cheese, our pigs are fed a wet mash of grain from a local granary in Lanesborough, MA. The pigs also help us to reduce waste by enjoying cheese ends and cheese that is edible but not fit for sale or donation. They pigs are particularly happy when they get to enjoy milk, which typically happens if milk for the store does not sell.
The pigs eat leftover vegetable scraps from staff and neighbors and the leftover organic popcorn from Images Cinema in Williamstown.
All our meat is processed & packaged at Eagle Bridge Custom Meats & Smokehouse, a USDA certified facility in Eagle Bridge, NY. We work with them based on their humane processing practices.