Why Mixer Boxes?
- sourisflatsranchsa
- Mar 28
- 4 min read
by Caitlyn Douglas-Derkson
At Souris Flats Ranch we have been dreaming about selling our beef and lamb directly to the customer for many years because we love keeping food systems local and want people to enjoy farm fresh foods. I’m sure most farmers would love to sell directly to customers, but farm stores are their own job with lots of challenges. We have spent the last year brainstorming, experimenting, and running the numbers to figure out how we can sell our grass-fed lamb and beef to our neighbours and the answer is: Mixer Boxes! Beef and Lamb Mixer boxes allow us to sell small quantities of beef and lamb, reduce waste, and keep a consistent supply of affordable, Canadian made, farm fresh products for our friends and neighbours.
CAN I BUY A HALF OF BEEF?
You may be familiar with the tried-and-true method (that we offer!) of purchasing lamb and beef in large quantities directly off the farm. Typically, ranchers will directly sell ¼ or ½ of a beef because this keeps investment costs of freezers down. Souris Flats Ranch has been selling beef this way for years. However, purchasing this way can come with time commitment, expense, and storage challenges - especially if you live in the city. When you buy a ¼ or a ½ you can expect a 1-2 month wait while we choose the animal, book it in with the butcher, and wait the 30 days it takes to process. Purchasing a ½ or a ¼ is also a large expense, typically at least $2 000.00, and you will need 7 cubic feet of freezer space for the 200 pounds of beef that buys you. ¼ will fit in the freezer drawer of your fridge/freezer – IF the freezer drawer is completely empty. We understand that this is not a practical option for a lot of people.
Souris Flats Ranch 1/4 and 1/2 share quote request
WHY NOT SELL BY THE CUT?
So why don’t we just sell by the cut like the grocery store? The grocery store offers convenience and selection that a farmer cannot compete with. Grocery stores have the resources to package and safely store huge amounts of food that they source from giant centralized operations like feedlots that raise animals to butcher weight rapidly. The reality is that while this is convenient for the customer this whole process leads to huge amounts of food waste! Consider that a single beef once processed is 29% steaks, 27% roasts, 4% short ribs, 18% ground beef, 18% stew meat, and 4% brisket.
To meet a demand for specific cuts - for example short ribs at BBQ season - several beefs will need to be processed with a remaining 96% of each beef left over. To sell by the cut a farmer must process more animals to meet demands and store less popular cuts in their limited freezer space, even though these cuts are of equal or better quality and value. These cuts will be thrown away if they aren't sold in the food safe time window, which is also why grocery stores have so much waste.
This is not sustainable for a small-scale operation like a family farm. By packaging our beef and lamb with a variety of cuts in every box based on the cuts produced from each beef, we can offer small quantities that will fit in your freezer without any waste. It allows us to operate as a small business with limited freezer space and raise our cattle slowly and on pasture, which is good for the earth and good for the animal. It also gives you an opportunity to try new cuts and participate in sustainable agriculture!
WHAT IS A MIXER BOX?
A mixer box is exactly what it sounds like, a box with a mix of different cuts of meat! We have four sizes of mixer boxes: extra small, small, medium, and large. To help you picture it, an extra small beef box starts at 5 pounds and usually includes a roast, a pack of 2 steaks, and a pack of ground beef, ideal for a single person, couple, or someone wanting to try a sample of farm fresh beef.
We aim for consistency, and we package every box fairly. Every box is unique, varying slightly because different cuts have different values. If your box is a little lighter, I bet you have a reaallllllly nice steak inside! We consider quality and quantity to make sure you always get your money’s worth.
By packaging our beef and lamb in mixer boxes we can offer the convenience of a grocery store without compromising the quality and sustainability of a family farm. We are so excited to be offering farm fresh, Canadian raised beef and lamb to the people of Saskatchewan! We are very passionate about the regenerative methods we use to raise our sheep and cattle and believe this creates the best beef and lamb. If you are passionate about supporting small businesses and local farmers, I hope this post shed some light on the process of getting food from farm to table. Grass-f Fed and locally sourced products are worth supporting, and we at Souris Flats Ranch have worked very hard to bring them to you! Click below to checkout our Saskatoon Online Farm Store!
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