What to Expect

At Farm Country, we believe great outcomes start with clear expectations. Whether this is your 1st animal or your 50th, our goal is to make the process straightforward, transparent, and rooted in care; for your livestock, your product, and your livelihood. 

Below is a step‑by‑step overview of how the process works, along with a bit of insight into why we do things the way we do. 

1. Scheduling Your Slaughter Date 

Scheduling is your first point of contact with us and sets everything else in motion. 

  • Schedule by phone, text, or email. 
  • A $25/head refundable booking fee secures your spot.  
  • Cancellations must be made at least 14 days in advance to receive a refund. 
  • You’ll receive a confirmation with your scheduled date, delivery details, and any special notes. 
  • A reminder is sent prior to your delivery date. 

Why this matters: Our calendar fills quickly, and each slot represents labor, cooler space, and USDA coordination. The booking fee helps ensure fairness and reliability for all producers. 

2. Animal Delivery & Check‑In 

On your scheduled day: 

  • Animals arrive between 7:00 am – 4:00 pm, unless arranged otherwise. 
  • Check in at the office to receive your pen assignment. 
  • Confirm any special requests such as:  
    • Head or hide saving 
    • Organ requests 
    • Complete a pen card with animal identification details. 

    Important: Heads and hides must be picked up the day of slaughter. If they are not collected, they will be discarded. Heads and hides left for more than 24 hrs begin to rot, stink, and attract flies. 

    Why this matters: Clear identification and upfront communication prevent errors and ensure your animal is handled exactly as requested. 

    3. Cutting Instructions 

    Your cutting instructions are the blueprint for how your animal becomes finished product. 

    • Submit FCB‑approved cutting instruction forms only (digital or hard copy). 
    • Instructions must be completed before leaving the property. 
    • If instructions are not received in time, Butcher’s Choice will be applied. 
    • Our team reviews all instructions carefully. 
    • If something is unclear, we will make every reasonable attempt to contact you. 

    Why this matters: Using a standardized format reduces avoidable mistakes and keeps everyone - from the kill floor to the cutting room - working from the same playbook. 

    If you’re unsure how you want your animal cut, we’re happy to help walk you through the options. 

    4. Slaughter Process & Inspection 

    • Humane field harvest or facility harvest is performed following FCB protocols. 
    • Each carcass is tagged for full traceability. 
    • Requested heads, hides, and organs are labeled and staged for pickup. 


          USDA Inspection & Condemnation 

          If a carcass or portion of a carcass shows signs of disease, contamination, or other food‑safety concerns, a USDA inspector may partially or fully condemn it. 

          • You will be notified immediately. 
          • Condemned product cannot be processed, returned, or salvaged. 
          • Applicable slaughter fees still apply. 

          Why this matters: Food safety and public trust are non‑negotiable. USDA oversight protects both producers and end consumers. 

          5. Carcass Hanging & Aging 

          Proper aging improves tenderness and eating quality. 

          • Beef, bison, elk: 5–7 days 
          • Pork, lamb, goat: 3–5 days
          • Shortened or extended hang times may be requested for an additional fee, subject to availability.  

          Why this matters: Hang time is a delicate balance between yield and eating experience. Aging allows natural enzymes to do their work, improving flavor and texture. Our standard hang times provide a good balance of each. Extended aging is trending but does come with it’s offsets, for example, the longer the hang, the drier the carcass, the less saleable weight. Aging is healthy to understand in order to make the best decision for your business. 

          6. Cutting, Packaging & Freezing 

          • Carcasses are cut according to your instructions. 
          • Steaks and roasts are cut to requested thickness. 
          • Ground and trim are processed last to ensure full yield capture. 
          • All products are:  
            • Clearly labeled 
            • Vacuum Sealed 
          • All products are boxed in new boxes and clearly labeled with product contents, lot code, customer name, and box count. 
          • Finished product enters a blast freezer for a minimum of 24 hours to freeze. 

            Why this matters: Methodical sequencing and labeling protect yield accuracy, food safety, and traceability. It's also very efficient for pick up and storage. 

            7. Smoked Products (If Applicable) 

            Items such as bacon, ham, sausage, or jerky are sent to our smokehouse. 

            • Lead times vary by product, but please expect approximately 3–6 weeks from the time of cutting. 
            • You’ll be notified when smoked items are finished and ready for pickup. 

              If you’re traveling a long distance, let us know. In many cases, we can coordinate holding fresh cuts so everything can be picked up in one trip. 

              Why this matters: Smoking is one of the most complex steps in custom processing. To move faster, many processors combine product from multiple customers. We do not. Every smoked order is kept customer-specific and fully traceable from start to finish. That commitment requires smaller batches, precise scheduling, and more hands-on oversight, which takes more time, but preserves integrity. The result is a smoked product you can trust to be yours, made carefully and without shortcuts. 

              8. Pickup & Order Completion 

              • You’ll be notified when your order is ready. 
              • Please pick up within 14 days of notification. 
              • Storage fees apply after 14 days: $7 per box, per month. 

              At pickup: 

              • Our team reviews your order with you. 
              • Box counts are confirmed to ensure nothing is missed. 
              • Payment is finalized if not prepaid. 

              9. Our Commitment to Making It Right 

              We have multiple checks and balances in place, but we’re human and mistakes can happen. 

              If something isn’t right: 

              • We ask that you let us know. 
              • We commit to owning the issue and working toward a fair solution. 
              • While some things can’t be undone, we’ll do our very best to make it right. 

              Our goal isn’t just a completed order, it’s a long‑term partnership built on trust. 

              Feedback & Thanks 

              If you have ideas on how we can improve your experience, we welcome your feedback and promise to give it thoughtful consideration. 

              If you’ve had a good experience, a Google review on our Farm Country Butchery page is one of the greatest compliments you can give. Your words carry far more weight than ours ever could. 

              To new customers: thank you for the opportunity to earn your business.