THEY ARE SCAMMING US

[SL2010]

I cant not understand how wal-mart and other local grocery stores think that they can charge the prices that they are for beef, pork, and chicken.Most of the meat is crappy and full of steroids and growth hormones. form this day on only straight from the farm i have been checking the area and  there is still  some local non-corparte farmers left out there

[Habanero Smoker]

Bad timing for me to read this post. :)

I just picked up a 3.5 pounds of beef cheeks for WalMart. I sorta know how you feel. It's strange I have a WalMart that sells whole briskets, and they are nothing but fat, but a Sam's Club 40 miles in the other direction sells better meats then most of the local supermarkets, but your choices at Sam's is limited.

I have a few local farmers in my area that raise and slaughter their own and sell it to the general public, but the cost is much higher then the price at a supermarket.

[SL2010]

I agree bout the price Sam's does give some the best deals i just got home from wally world was really ticked off when i posted that i will be at Sam's tomorrow looking for some whole pork sirloins  to smoke and cook on Monday I am not trying to come off as some nut job coming on here to preach i was just a little P.O. bout the the selection round here in north western pennsil-tukey

[Habanero Smoker]

No! You didn't portray yourself in any of the ways you've implied. There have been days I've said something similar about WalMart and local stores, such as the time I purchased a whole brisket and it was nothing but fat. If the prices were not so high, I would purchase from the local farmers, but their prices are something you pay for special occasions.

[SL2010]

I found a great deal on a side of beef but i aint got the 800 dollars to be spending on beef right now But it would save a ton money in the long run.I will being over to the town that has sams in it and in the town in one BBQ shack in the area i will being buying from them since my freezer is m-t. I wish my wife and I would of relocated down south bout 20 years ago that way there would be  a BBQ shack in every little town Where we are now there is only two

[classicrockgriller]

Most of the Walmarts do not have "Meat Deptments" any more.

The meat is cut somewhere else and pkg and shipped to individual Walmarts.

There may be a few Wally Worlds that do cut meat, but ours locally is a "Pkg"

store. I have stopped buying "fresh" meat from Walmart when they stopped cutting

the meat at each store. I will buy deli, frozen meat, and cry-o-vac pkg meat, but I

don't do that very often.

[squirtthecat]

You almost need to divvy up the side with 4 friends.   A side of beef takes up an incredible amount of room..

We got the hind-quarter once, and that was a load in our little upright freezer.

[SL2010]

i bought a upright freezer the year we bought our first side locally grown beef rocks I am thinking of getting a front quarter they are bout 125 to 150 pounds at 1.89 a pound cut and wrapped. i saw that giant eagle got whole pork loins for for1.99 gonna go check out

[Smoking Duck]

Where you live at SL?  I grew up in that area and am very familiar with Giant Eagles.  I'm lucky that I have 4 butchers in my area.  I generally only use one for all beef and pork and one other for yardbirds and fish.  Having 4 butchers really helps keep the price low and I can pay the same at the butcher that I can at the supermarket, so guess where I go?  ;)

[Mailman]

I have 3 butcher shops in town plus numeruos small towns close with there own lockers. Fresh cuts every where, Fresh is best. Bought that 14 lbs brisket for $34.00. I have a turkey I shot this spring. Think its itching to jump on the smoker.

[Tenpoint5]

I have 3 butcher shops in town plus numeruos small towns close with there own lockers. Fresh cuts every where, Fresh is best. Bought that 14 lbs brisket for $34.00. I have a turkey I shot this spring. Think its itching to jump on the smoker.

Watch out for Edgewood they are kinda pricey. But if your going to make your own bacon it is worth the price to get their fresh bellies from their own stock of hogs. Trust me on this one or just ask Smokeitall

[Habanero Smoker]

There is a family run slaughterhouse nine miles from me. The smallest quantity he will sell is 1/4 side, but he prefers to sell half or whole steers or hogs. The family raises them on their farm. He will sell me whole slabs of pork belly.

The other small farms in the area (we call them boutique farms) around me, sell organic raise meats, someone else slaughter's and fabricates the animals for them, and then the farms will sell it. Maybe that brings up the price of the final product, but the meat is expensive. Also the area is full of weekenders from New York City and it's suburbs, so the local farmers are able to make a descent living.

[SL2010]

North of the "Burgh" i couldn't help but notice puppies were " BLACK AND GOLD"

[Smoking Duck]

I was south of the Burgh but spent some time up near the Clarion and Punxy area as well.  It was not a coincidence the pups were black and gold  ;)

[Caribou]

I cant not understand how wal-mart and other local grocery stores think that they can charge the prices that they are for beef, pork, and chicken.Most of the meat is crappy and full of steroids and growth hormones. form this day on only straight from the farm i have been checking the area and  there is still  some local non-corparte farmers left out there

The price of beef on the hoof has increased well over 25% since last year.
I don't see how that cannot be passed down to the consumer at some point.
I agree it is best to buy beef from small farms, though.
Carolyn