Beef FAQ

Everything you need to know about buying bulk beef direct from our Driftless Area family farm.

Why choose Champlin’s Sugar Creek Farm?

We're a local family farm, raising beef on pasture year-round. Our beef is 100% grass-fed and grass-finished, and we take our time to produce well-marbled beef and then dry-age it for the best results.

• Provide better food for your family
• Keep your money in the local economy
• Support small farms for the next generation

Read more about how we farm.

What’s available in 2024?

NOTE:  We are currently sold out of our bulk beef products for 2024.   We will be posting our dates to reserve bulk beef for 2025 very soon.   In the meantime we do have small bundles and individual cuts in stock now for pickup in La Crosse, Wisconsin. 

We currently sell our grass-fed beef by the ¼, ½, and whole animal. Check the drop-down (product options) for each product to reserve bulk beef for a given time period. Our bulk beef is available for both pickup at our butcher is Soldiers Grove, WI and for home delivery. Enter your zip code to see if we deliver to you!

Individual cuts are now also available for purchase through our website, only for pickup in La Crosse, WI at the Coulee Region Business Center. Make sure to select your delivery preference to "Pickup in La Crosse, WI (orders for cuts only)" to see browse and shop individual cuts. While individual cuts are currently only available for pickup at this location, we may offer home delivery in the future.

How does the buying in bulk (quarter, half, whole) process work?

First, select the meat availability time frame by using the Select Option drop-down button on your chosen bulk beef product's page.

Then, checkout to reserve your bulk meat for the future:

• Pay deposit up front / balance due when the meat is ready 
• Update your pickup/delivery options if needed (Note: delivery fees will be billed at time of delivery)

You'll receive a processing e-mail 2-3 weeks before the meat will be ready.

You'll receive an additional e-mail when meat is ready to pickup or be delivered:

• If you selected payment through credit or debit card, the same card you used for the deposit will be billed.
• If you selected other payment options, you will receive an invoice via and pay accordingly.

Delivery / Pickup

• If you selected the "Home Delivery (bulk orders only)" option, you'll receive an e-mail to arrange a delivery date/time within 14-days of meat being ready. 
• If you selected the "Pickup in Soldiers Grove, WI (bulk orders only)" option, you'll have 2 weekends after your order is ready to pick up your meat.
• NOTE: If delivery or pickup doesn't happen within about 2 weeks, you may incur additional frozen storage costs. Contact us if the timing will be a problem and we'll figure something out. 

Should I reserve my bulk beef early? 

You should reserve early. We have a very loyal customer base that buys each year, and while we are expanding our production each year, we have a waiting list at times for new availability. 

Why don’t I see a delivery option when I checkout? 

If you don’t see a delivery option, it’s because you live outside of our standard delivery area. Our farm does provide some longer distance deliveries within 200 miles of the Driftless area, so please contact us to inquire about whether you may live in one of these areas. 

Do you deliver and/or offer different pickup locations? 

For bulk beef orders (1/4, 1/2, whole of beef):

1. Home delivery within the Driftless region of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota based on certain zip codes which you enter at time of order. (Delivery has a fee of $75-100, based on your zip code). Enter your zip code to see if we deliver to you!
2. Pickup in Soldiers Grove, WI, at our butcher Solar Meats

For orders of individual cuts:

1. Pickup in La Crosse, WI at our freezer storage location at the Coulee Region Business Center  
2. NOTE: We may offer home delivery for individual cuts and smaller bundles in the future.

How does delivery / pickup work for larger quantities of beef like the bulk beef options (1/4, 1/2, whole)?

In 2024, you have the option to pick up bulk beef orders (1/4, 1/2, whole) at the butcher for free or have it delivered for a fee. Our family farm currently provides personal delivery to parts of the Driftless region in Southwest Wisconsin, Northeast Iowa, and Southeast Minnesota. Check your zip code to see if we deliver to you!

If you choose to pick up, you’ll pick up at our longtime trusted butcher, Solar Meats at 101 Sunbeam Blvd E, Soldiers Grove, WI. You will be notified by us when it’s ready for pickup. Solar Meats may also reach out as a reminder as well. 

You will have 2 weekends in order to pickup your meat from when we notify you. Storage space is in demand, so if you don’t pick up within 2 weekends of notification, you will be billed $2/tray per day after the second weekend for freezer storage.

This storage fee will be billed to you by the butcher and must be paid upon pickup of the meat or you will not be able to take your meat home.

For a quarter of beef you will typically have 3-4 trays.

NOTE: There is a chance we may have to use a different butcher due to processing dates/availability. If that is the case we will let you know of the change for pickup.

Do you ship grass-fed beef outside of your area?

We currently don’t offer any shipping (e.g. FedEx or UPS) options outside our "Home Delivery (bulk orders only)" area. 

When will my order be ready?

We have processing dates throughout the year. You can choose from upcoming available dates (typically months) when selecting your bulk beef option on the store at time of purchase.   The specific timeframe with that month, about 2-3 weeks before the beef is ready, will be sent to you in an email.  If you would like something more specific earlier please contact us.  

Can I completely customize my packaging/cuts versus one of your pre-set bulk beef packages? 

Starting in 2023, we have created standardized packages with specific packaging and cuts included based on the typical ordering preferences we see from our customers, to simplify things for you and us when ordering. If you really don’t find something that works for you and would like to tweak one of the existing packages, please reach out to us, and we’ll discuss what we can do to meet your needs. 

Is your beef aged?

Yes! Our grass-fed beef is dry-aged for at least 3 weeks, which enhances the beef flavor and tenderness. This is an important part of creating great grass-fed beef and majority of the beef in our area is not dry-aged because there are very few butchers that have the ability to do this.

How is your beef priced?  

Most package prices are based on pre-processing weight of the carcass, or what is commonly called the hanging weight. We price this way because you get the true quarter/half/whole of an animal, and they all vary by weight. We are not creating a fixed weight package that is just called a “quarter or half” where the weight doesn’t really vary. 

Individual cuts / small bundles are based on take home weight of the meat.  

See the products for details. 

When will payment be due, and what are payment options? 

The deposit is due upon reserving your order, and must be paid via our website using a credit or debit card. 

Payment for the remainder is due upon receipt of the invoice or upon delivery of the meat, and you can choose to pay via ACH, Credit/Debit Card, PayPal, Venmo — or if you selected delivery, you can also pay via cash or check.

When will I know the total cost of my order (individual cuts)?

Upon ordering, you will see an order summary with an estimated cost based on average weights of the packages of meat you chose. Once the order is processed, you will receive a notification and be charged for the total cost based on the actual weight of the meat.

When will I know the total cost of my order (bulk beef)? 

Upon ordering, you will be charged a deposit for bulk beef. Once the animal is processed, you will receive a notification and be charged for the total cost based on the actual weight of the meat. The amount of the deposit paid will be taken out of the total cost.  See the section below for estimated weights and total costs.

How much and what quantity of meat will I get? 

This will vary based on the sex, makeup, and weight of the animal, and which package you choose to purchase. However, here is some general information to help: 

• Avg Weight of Live Beef Animal: 1,000 – 1,350 lbs 
• Avg Hanging Weight (whole): 650 – 875 lbs 
• Avg Take Home Weight (quarter): 90 – 125 lbs 
• Estimated total cost (quarter): $800 – $1,200

If I buy a quarter of grass-fed beef, approximately what can I expect to get? 

• Roughly 90-125lbs of take-home meat 
• 6-8 Ribeyes
• 3-4 Sirloin Steaks
• 6-8 NY Strip/Tenderloin Filets (or T-Bones/Porterhouses) 
• 2-3 Arm Roasts
• 4-6 Chuck Roasts
• 2-3 Rump Roasts
• 1-2 Sirloin Tip Roasts
• 3 packs of 2 Short Ribs
• 2-3 packs of 2 soup bones
• 12-14 lbs. of round (steaks, burger, etc.)
• 30-75 lbs. of ground beef 

This varies based on which package you order. You may not receive some of the items listed above depending on which package you order. This is just a rough idea. The fewer steaks/roasts in the package, the more ground beef you’ll receive. 

Where can I find out more about the different cuts of beef?

Learn more about the cuts of beef, how to cook them correctly, and additional recipes: beefitswhatsfordinner.com/cuts

How much freezer space will I need?

Check out this handy breakdown from the Good Meat Project: goodmeatbreakdown.org