Welcome to Finley Farms Beef
Fifth-generation, family-owned & operated beef producer in Gardner, Kansas that specializes in high-quality, grain-finished beef
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Our cattle are raised on our family farm from birth with a focus on responsible animal care, quality nutrition, and low-stress handling. Our cattle enjoy a pasture diet while grasses are in season and are fed hay, corn, and soybeans to keep them healthy and happy in winter months.
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A beef share is a processed portion of a whole beef animal purchased directly from our farm. The animal is processed at a local butcher shop and the beef is divided among customers based on the share size you purchase.
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We offer whole, half, and quarter beef shares. Each option provides a variety of steaks, roasts, and ground beef, with the amount depending on the size of the share you choose.
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A quarter beef order is usually 100-125 lbs of finished beef.
A half beef order is usually 200-250 lbs of finished beef.
A whole beef is usually 400-500 lbs of finished beef.
Actual weights vary depending on the animal and your butcher cut selections.
For a complete breakdown of how much meat a 1,200 lb steer yields, read this article.
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Your share includes a mix of steaks, roasts, ground beef, and other cuts such as brisket, ribs, and stew meat. Check out our sample beef cut sheet on the right of this page to see the full list of options!
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For those ordering a half or whole portion, custom cuts are available. For those ordering a quarter, the current option is called the standard cut which you can see on our sample cut sheet. Use the sample cut sheet (on the right of this page) to choose thickness of steaks, roast count, ground beef packaging size, and other options.
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Consider what cuts of beef you already love cooking with and make sure to ask about them (we love minute steak for chicken fried steak, meat for stew, and fajitas!!). Make sure to ask what you may be compromising for those favorites.
Think about what cuts you don’t want much of- maybe it can be cut another way or made into extra ground beef. For example, we don’t order the ribs and limit the number of roasts we do. In exchange we get extra of the cuts we love (at the very least more ground beef)
Think about how much ground beef you will use! Some families want to limit the ground beef they get because they prefer other cuts- just communicate this with Buaman’s, our local processor.
They will ask you how thick of steaks you want, if you want your brisket in half or whole, how many steaks per package, if you want ground beef made into patties (extra charge), and I’m sure I’m missing a few other questions. Don’t be afraid to ask them to clarify or what they recommend for a first-time order.
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The beef is professionally processed, vacuum sealed or butcher-wrapped, labeled, and frozen by Bauman’s Butcher Block in Ottawa, KS.
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Hanging weight (also called carcass weight) is the weight of the animal after it has been harvested and dressed but before it is cut into individual packages. We price our beef per pound of hanging weight.
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You can reserve a share by placing an order here on our website. Your payment on the website is the deposit, and the remaining balance is due after the beef has been taken to the butcher shop and hanging weights have been recorded. You will be invoiced your remaining portion via email with the option to pay via card, check, or ACH.
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Beef shares are scheduled for processing in the months of January and February. Your beef should be ready for pick up about three weeks after the processing date. We will keep you well-informed through email!
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Beef is picked up directly from Bauman’s Butcher Block in Ottawa, KS once processing is complete. Bauman’s will notify you when it is ready.
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Properly sealed frozen beef can last 12 months or longer in a standard freezer without losing quality.
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Before processing, we shift our steers from pasture to a diet of corn, soybeans, and hay. This final feeding phase boosts flavor, tenderness, and meat quality.
Why This Matters:
• Better Taste & Texture: Corn and soybeans add energy, and create marbling—the fat that makes beef juicy, flavorful, and tender.
• Balanced Health: Hay keeps their digestive systems healthy while they gain weight efficiently.
• Easier to Cook: Grain-finished beef is more forgiving in the kitchen. Grass-fed, on the other hand, can be tricky—it’s leaner and can turn out tough or dry if not cooked carefully (unless you grind it for burgers).
Backed by Research
Kansas State University supports grain finishing for producing well-marbled, high-quality beef.
Why Not Just Grass-Fed?
Grass-fed beef has its place, but many people prefer the richer flavor and tenderness that comes from grain finishing. It’s about delivering a product that’s not only responsibly raised—but also delicious.
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Buying a beef share allows you to:
· Know where your food comes from
· Support a local family farm
· Fill your freezer with high-quality beef
· Often save money compared to retail prices
Frequently Asked Questions