The arithmetic
Packaged pounds ÷ 35.
The planning rule here allows 35 pounds of wrapped beef per cubic foot. It is deliberately less than a perfect solid packing: steaks, roasts, baskets, and air gaps occupy space.
The packaged weights come from Brookford Farm’s published half: 197.54 pounds of cuts from 337 hanging pounds, a return of 58.6%. They are a measured example, not a guaranteed yield.
| Share | Packaged beef | Calculated space | Practical reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole | 395.1 lb | 11.3 cu ft | Choose usable empty capacity above 11.3 cu ft; do not count shelves already occupied. |
| Half | 197.5 lb | 5.6 cu ft | Choose usable empty capacity above 5.6 cu ft; do not count shelves already occupied. |
| Quarter | 98.8 lb | 2.8 cu ft | Choose usable empty capacity above 2.8 cu ft; do not count shelves already occupied. |
| Eighth | 49.4 lb | 1.4 cu ft | Choose usable empty capacity above 1.4 cu ft; do not count shelves already occupied. |
Before pickup
Usable space is the constraint.
Measure the empty interior, subtract baskets and anything staying in the freezer, and keep packages grouped loosely enough to find them. A nominal appliance capacity is not the same as the space left on delivery day.
Ask the farm for its expected packaged-pound range and number of boxes. If that answer differs from this worked animal, divide the farm’s figure by 35; the farm’s own estimate should replace ours.