Big Hickory Farms
Lula
5.0(4)Northeast Georgia grass-fed beef. No steroids, hormones or antibiotics. Sold in half or whole cow quantities.
Half a cow in Georgia costs $2,700-3,000 ($12.00-13.00/lb take-home). There are 48 local suppliers to choose from. Best time to buy: May-June. Both grass-fed and grain-finished options available.
Jump to the 48 suppliers ↓See the full half a cow price breakdown →Georgia's beef industry is undergoing structural transformation from a cow-calf export model to robust direct-to-consumer finishing. Historically, calves were exported to Midwest feedlots; now, rising consumer demand and supply chain volatility incentivize 'retained ownership.' The state's $38 billion poultry industry creates a unique nutrient cycle—chicken litter fertilizes pastures, linking beef quality to poultry production. The Fall Line divides Georgia into the 'Fescue Belt' (north) and 'Bermudagrass Belt' (coastal plain), each with distinct forage systems and beef characteristics. Silvopasture (cattle grazing under pecan trees) offers heat abatement and dual-income land use.
Half cow: $2,700-3,000
Hanging weight: $5.75-7.00/lb
Take-home: $12.00-13.00/lb
Peak season: May-June
Late Spring (May-June) is the gold standard—cattle finished on winter annuals (ryegrass/clover) during cool spring produce highest marbling and tenderness. Late Fall (November-December) is a secondary peak. Avoid the 'Summer Slump' (late August-September) when heat stress and lignified Bermudagrass produce leaner, tougher beef. Fescue toxicity peaks June-August in North Georgia; winter-grazed fescue (post-frost) is safe and nutritious.
Black Angus, Brangus, Braford, Senepol, Pineywoods (heritage)
Typical practice: Mixed (pasture-raised, grain-finished)
Ask about fescue management if buying from North Georgia—properly managed fescue/clover pastures or novel-endophyte varieties avoid toxicosis issues. The yellow fat on grass-fed beef comes from beta-carotene in green forages—it's a sign of nutrient density and vitamin A content. For Atlanta suburbanites in HOAs, delivery services like TRUC bring farm-to-freezer convenience. A half-beef requires 8-10 cubic feet of dedicated freezer space.
Let us find you a farm in Georgia
We'll connect you with a nearby farm, butcher, or co-op selling quarter, half, or whole beef. Free, no accounts, and only one farm gets your contact details.
These farms have half a beef for sale in Georgia — most also sell 1/2 and 1/4 cow shares direct from the farm, priced by hanging weight.
Lula
5.0(4)Northeast Georgia grass-fed beef. No steroids, hormones or antibiotics. Sold in half or whole cow quantities.
Cairo
5.0(2)Red Devon genetics (heritage breed). Certified Grassfed.
Monroe
5.0(146)Monroe, Georgia purebred Wagyu and Prime Registered Angus beef. Offers 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and whole cow portions. Price includes USDA processing, dry-aging, vacuum-sealing.
Whigham
5.0(4)100% Grass-fed Angus with AGW certification in Southwest Georgia.
Canton
5.0(19)Regenerative farm with organic fed, non-GMO practices in Canton.
Ellijay
5.0(4)North Georgia mountains Angus beef from Ellijay. Quality beef with no hormones or antibiotics. Family farm operation.
Clarkesville
5.0(51)USDA inspected with flat-rate pricing ($6.25/lb HW) and delivery to Atlanta metro drop points.
Lexington
5.0(4)Lexington, Georgia farm offering grass-fed and grass-fed grain-finished beef. All cattle born and raised in Georgia with no hormones added. Serves Atlanta and North Georgia.
Hampton
4.9(17)Grass-finished beef and pastured pork in Hampton.
Canton
4.8(44)Pasture-raised beef close to North Metro Atlanta. ~$5.99/lb HW.
Avondale Estates
4.8(71)Whole-animal butcher shop in Avondale Estates serving Atlanta.
Brooklet
4.7(122)Grass-fed retail and bulk beef near Savannah.
Forsyth
4.7(15)3rd generation cattleman offering grass-fed beef. Sells to Macon restaurants.
Bluffton
4.6(749)Six generation, 158-year-old Georgia farm. Regenerative land management and humane animal husbandry. Grassfed beef and pastured poultry.
Atlanta
4.5(148)Atlanta charcuterie and fresh cuts shop sourcing local.
Dawsonville
3 Thorns Farm to Table offers quarter, half and whole grass-fed, grain-finished beef. Orders are pickup only, and farm visits require an appointment. The map shows the approximate Dawsonville area; the current share notice advertises January pickup without specifying the year.
Ellenwood
Atlanta Harvest lists quarter-cow beef pre-orders through its farm market in Ellenwood. The linked store currently says it is not accepting online orders, so contact the farm to arrange a reservation and pickup.
Gainesville
Big Oak Beef offers quarter, half and whole grass-fed, grass-finished beef from the Nix family farm. Whole and half orders allow custom cuts, while quarters use a set selection. Delivery is offered within 50 miles of Gainesville; contact the farm to arrange collection or delivery and confirm the next processing date.
Quitman
Family farm offering eighth, quarter and half beef shares, with farm pickup and recurring local delivery including Tallahassee. Confirm harvest timing and share contents: some packages include ground blends with pork or beef organs.
Eatonton
Briarpatch Farm offers half and whole pasture-raised, grain-finished beef with custom cutting. Buyers reserve with a deposit and pick up from C&B Meat Market in Milledgeville by appointment. The farm is taking orders for spring 2027.
Concord
Caldwell Farms Beef offers quarter, half and whole beef with a deposit. Orders are picked up at the farm by appointment, with halves and wholes advertised for October 2026. The mapped location is the approximate Concord area.
Eatonton
Carhan Farm offers quarter, half and whole grass-fed beef, vacuum sealed after 14 days of dry aging. Share orders are picked up at the farm in Eatonton; contact the farm about the next available processing date.
Chattahoochee Hills
Chaguanas Black Angus offers grass-fed, grass-finished quarter beef bundles and multiple-quarter orders. Buyers can arrange farm pickup or delivery within 50 miles of Palmetto; bulk beef is not always available. The mapped location is the approximate Chattahoochee Hills area.
Ringgold
Devil Dawg Farms offers a quarter-beef reservation and raises its cattle on pasture with grain finishing. Contact the farm to confirm the next share and arrange pickup or delivery. The map shows the approximate Ringgold area.
Social Circle
Diamond P Cattle Co. offers eighth, quarter, half and whole grass-fed, grass-finished beef. Contact the farm to arrange collection or check local delivery for the share and address you want. Shares require advance payment.
McDonough
Family Roots Farm offers quarter, half and whole beef through advance orders and a waitlist. Arrange pickup or delivery with the farm before reserving; the mapped location is the approximate McDonough area.
Ball Ground
Farm Fresh Beef and Produce offers quarter, half and whole beef, processed to order with a cut sheet. Contact Robin to arrange the processing date and pickup or delivery details through the Ball Ground store.
Suches
Georgia Mountain Wagyu offers half-beef reservations from its grass-fed, grain-finished Wagyu herd near Suches. Contact the farm to arrange the next half and pickup date; the map shows the approximate Suches area. Its September half notice is seasonal, so a current allocation needs confirmation.
Tunnel Hill
Hillside Farm offers quarter, half and whole pasture-raised, grain-finished beef. Buyers can collect at the processor or arrange free delivery to interstate pickup points along I-75 between Chattanooga and Kennesaw. The farm is based in the Tunnel Hill area, shown approximately on the map, and its FAQ advises that orders are usually three to four months out.
Calhoun
JAB Cattle offers quarter, half and whole grass-fed, corn-finished beef from its Calhoun farm. Half and whole orders can be cut to the buyer’s preferences. Contact the farm to confirm timing and arrange pickup or delivery; the map shows the approximate Calhoun area.
Carrollton
Key Farms Meats & Mercantile offers a quarter-cow beef box with a standard selection of cuts. Arrange store pickup or check local delivery for your address; the quarter-cow product is currently out of stock.
Gainesville
Marble Creek Farms offers quarter, half and whole beef with either grass finishing or grain finishing. Email the farm to schedule a share and arrange pickup or delivery; published pickup locations are still to be determined for 2027. The map shows the approximate Gainesville area.
Monroe
Marlowe Farms offers quarter, half and whole grass-fed, grass-finished beef with monthly processing dates. Call the farm to reserve a share and arrange pickup or delivery; its site describes a typical wait of about 30 days. The mapped location is the approximate Monroe area.
Sylvester
Family beef producer offering reservations for February through June 2027. Eighth, quarter and half shares can be shipped by arrangement; whole beef is pickup only in Sylvester. The mapped address is the published business and collection location. Confirm allocation and the pickup or shipping week.
Greenville
Oak Hill Cattle Company offers grain-finished half and whole beef, with quarters available when another buyer takes the other quarter. Buyers reserve with a deposit and arrange collection with Jeffers Meat Processing in Tallapoosa. The mapped location is the approximate Greenville area.
Clermont
P&K Family Farms offers quarter, half and whole grass-finished beef from a partner farm in northern Mississippi. Arrange Clermont-area pickup or local delivery directly with the farm; the map shows the approximate town area. The share page publishes seasonal harvests, with October 2026 harvest listed for pickup or delivery at the end of November.
Jefferson
Potts Bros Farm sells half and whole Angus beef through Potts Family Meats in Jefferson. Buyers reserve by phone or email and can choose their cuts. Arrange the collection date with the store at 161 Elliot Smith Road.
Calhoun
Powell Farms Beef offers quarter, half and whole shares of pasture-raised, grain-finished beef. Buyers select a processing date with the farm before reserving, then collect their frozen beef from the farm by appointment about two weeks after processing.
Watkinsville
Precise Cattle offers eighth, quarter, half and whole grain-finished beef, plus seasonal grass-fed, grass-finished halves and wholes. Buyers reserve with a deposit and collect at the farm’s drive-through barn by appointment. Confirm the next processing date for the feeding program you choose.
Culloden
Silo Springs Ranch offers quarter, half and whole grass-fed, grass-finished beef year-round. Shares are picked up at its general store in Culloden by arrangement. The mapped location is the approximate Culloden area.
Clarkesville
Soque River Farms offers half and whole beef cut to the buyer’s specifications. Buyers collect the frozen meat at Blue Ridge Meats, the farm’s preferred processor, about two weeks after processing. The map shows the approximate Clarkesville area; confirm the processing date and pickup location with the farm.
Family-owned butcher and meat market operated by Rick and Leanne Hopper. Offers locally raised half and whole beef reservations, cut and packaged to customer preferences. Arrange availability and collection at the Pitts facility. A reservation does not establish a pickup date.
Dawsonville
The Steel Buffalo Butchery sells half and whole beef with grass-finished and grain-fed choices. Buyers reserve directly with the shop and select their cuts. Arrange pickup at the Dawsonville store; its share page estimates about four weeks depending on availability.
Gillsville
Turk Farm Beef offers quarter, half and whole pasture-raised, grain-finished beef. The farm arranges pickup about three weeks after the selected harvest and does not ship shares. The map shows the approximate Gillsville area; confirm the next available share because product pages display mixed availability labels.
Waynesboro
Humanely raised grass-fed beef near Augusta.
Watkinsville
Wagon Wheel Ranch has a half and whole grass-fed, grass-finished beef program in Watkinsville. Its website currently says it is not accepting bulk half or whole orders because of inventory. Contact the ranch about future share availability and arrange collection.
Barnesville
Walters Farms offers quarter, half and whole beef with a deposit and order form. The farm coordinates pickup after processing, with about two weeks described from processing to collection. The mapped location is the approximate Barnesville area.
Cumming
Warbington Farms offers quarter, half and whole beef in addition to smaller meat boxes. Contact the farm to confirm a share reservation and arrange pickup or delivery. The farm store follows seasonal hours, so confirm the collection appointment before visiting.
Explore suppliers in neighboring states - many offer delivery or are worth the drive.
A half cow in Georgia costs $2,700-3,000 total. At $6.00/lb hanging weight (375 lbs), you pay the farmer ~$2,250, plus $50 kill fee (half share) and $1.25/lb processing (~$470), totaling ~$2,770. Your take-home yield is about 220 lbs, making effective cost approximately $12.59/lb. While this seems high, it includes Filet Mignon and Ribeyes that retail for $20-40/lb.
The yellow tint comes from beta-carotene abundant in the lush winter annuals (ryegrass, oats, clover) used for finishing. Unlike grain (low in beta-carotene), these green grasses transfer the pigment to the animal's fat. It indicates high Vitamin A content and confirms the animal was actively gaining weight on quality green forage. It's a mark of quality, not spoilage.
Georgia's $38 billion poultry industry produces massive quantities of chicken litter—a 'black gold' fertilizer for pastures. This litter provides nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter that improves soil and grows nutrient-dense grass without expensive synthetic fertilizers. The nutrient cycling keeps beef production costs manageable while improving soil health. Georgia beef quality is literally linked to the poultry sector.
North Georgia's dominant forage, Tall Fescue, contains a fungal endophyte that produces ergot alkaloids toxic to livestock. These toxins cause vasoconstriction, preventing cattle from cooling themselves in summer heat—leading to 'summer slump' with lower weight gains and potentially tougher meat. Ask producers about fescue management: clover dilution, novel-endophyte varieties, or winter stockpile grazing (toxicity drops after frost).
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