Here at Foothill Frolic Farm, we take our harvest dates very seriously and book our dates specifically a year in advance to make sure we are able to get the special dates we prefer.  We let the moon and the stars help guide us by picking the absolute best dates throughout a given harvest season.  Harvesting "by the signs" is an ancient tradition that has been carried out throughout the ages.  The thought behind harvesting in the right moon phase and when the moon is in the best signs helps meat when cooked to release its stored fat more readily, and this release of fat will give one a more tender meat.  Also, meat will be nice and firm allowing minimal shrinkage when cooked.  Our forebears passed down these beliefs and so did two old timers by the name of Jack R. Pyle and Taylor Reese in their great book titled Raising With the Moon.  ​We use the North American Biodynamic Almanac as our guide and reference to the current placement and rotations of the planets and the moon. 

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​For 2025, Foothill Frolic Farm is fortunate to have 11 distributed bookings with Russell Meat Packing in Castlewood, VA.  This means that from March 2025 through February 2026 we will have custom beef shares to offer.  For customers, that means that custom beef shares can be pre-ordered for a regular supply throughout the 2025 farming season, or pre-ordered all at once to fill your freezer once for a lasting supply.  Whichever route is chosen, the main point to remember is that orders have to be placed before the processing  dates below and before all our live animal custom shares are sold out. 

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 As I have spoken about already in a Farm Journal Post, Russell Meat Packing is a great family business, owned and operated by The Couch family.  Russell Meat Packing is a VDACS PERMITTED CUSTOM SLAUGHTER OPERATION.  I have witnessed them work first hand when we had our first steer slaughtered and butchered.  We also talk directly with them, either Matthew or Elizabeth, every time we take our shareholder beefs in for slaughter/processing and when we pick up shareholder's custom beef shares.  They are involved directly in every step of their processing and take much pride and care in the wonderful service they provide.   We are very thankful for their processing and butchering services. 

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This list will help customers see when a custom ordered live animal will be taken off the farm and hauled by us to Russell Meat Packing for processing.  On Farm Pick Ups of a particular animal's custom beef share/shares are ready about 2 & 1/2 weeks after a beef animal is taken for processing & butcher.  We will always be in touch with pertinent shareholder dates and info, once once has placed an order and become a Foothill Frolic Farm Custom Beef Shareholder.  

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2025 harvest/processing/dry aged hanging/butcher dates:

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March 25th... ( 2 Beef animals )

April 22nd... (1 Beef Animals)

June 19th...(6 Beef Animals)

July 17th...(6 Beef Animals)

August 13th...(6 Beef Animals)

September 9th...(6 Beef Animals)

October 7th...(6 Beef Animals)

November 25th...(6 Beef Animals)

December 22nd...(6 Beef Animals)

January 2026 TBA...(6 Beef Animals)

February 2026 TBA...(6 Beef Animals)

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