starter share · Hunt County

Buying a quarter cow near Greenville, TX

A quarter cow is the smallest bulk beef share Jensen Beef sells from Celeste (Hunt County) — pasture-raised beef reserved with a $200 deposit on their store, not the full price upfront. This page is starter-size math for Greenville-area families; checkout stays on jensenbeef.com.

What a quarter cow is (and who it fits)

A quarter is one-fourth of a steer after harvest — not a single primal cut from a grocery case. You get a mixed box: ground beef, roasts, stew meat, and some steaks, depending on your cut sheet. It is the usual entry point for a family trying bulk beef without committing to a half or whole, or for two adults who cook beef a few nights a week.

Search results for “quarter cow Greenville TX” are often Facebook posts, directories, or generic city pages that list every share size on one URL. Few explain deposit math, how long a quarter lasts on a normal mixed-protein week, or how much freezer to buy first. Jensen runs a deposit model from Celeste, northwest of Greenville in Hunt County.

Need more beef after you learn the rhythm? Compare the half cow near Greenville guide for larger hang weights and freezer planning.

What a quarter cow costs: deposit → hang weight → balance

Jensen’s quarter-cow deposit (2026-09-30) lists $200 deposit, about 120–200 lb hang weight, and about $9.99/lb — same figures as our grass-fed beef near Greenville hub.

• Deposit: holds your place; it is not full payment.
• Hang weight: the processor weighs your quarter; the per-pound rate applies to that number.
• Balance: due once weight is known — timing is on Jensen’s order flow; confirm when you reserve.

Illustrative math: at $9.99/lb, 120–200 lb hang weight implies roughly $1,199–$1,998 total before the deposit is credited. After a $200 deposit, a remaining balance might fall near $999–$1,798 — your invoice will differ with actual weight and any processing fees quoted at order time.

More share comparisons and duration notes: cow share FAQ and whole-cow freezer math on the journal.

Hanging weight vs packaged weight

You are billed on hanging weight. You live out of packaged weight — the labeled bags in your freezer. A quarter’s packaged total is often roughly 80–150 lb depending on hang weight, cut choices, and how much bone and fat you keep or discard.

If packaged pounds alone were stacked tight at 35–40 lb per cubic foot, that beef might only need about 2–4 cu ft. You still want a larger freezer so air can circulate, you can add vegetables and batch chili, and the lid is not fighting a brick of cardboard every time you need ground beef.

How long a quarter lasts on a mixed-protein week

Rural Texas suppers rarely run beef seven nights a week. School nights, chicken on the sheet pan, pork chops, and meatless beans all share the calendar. For a family of four eating beef a few times a week, plan about 3–5 months from a quarter (~120–200 lb hang weight (varies)). Couples who eat less beef often stretch toward about 5–8 months; households that grill steak four nights a week will empty the freezer faster.

The goal is steady use — ground Monday, roast Sunday, steak when you have time — not a beef-only sprint that burns you out before the quarter is gone.

Freezer space: 7–11 cu ft for a quarter

For a quarter share’s packaged beef, plan about 7–11 cubic feet of dedicated freezer space, following Jensen’s bulk-beef guidance (checked 2026-09-30). That band is wider than the bare 2–4 cu ft you might calculate from 80–150 lb at 35–40 lb per cu ft because real freezers also hold other food and need airflow.

Use our freezer calculator to compare share sizes and example chest gear for your garage layout.

Typical cuts on a quarter

A quarter cut sheet is smaller than a half — fewer steaks, one roast or two, short ribs if you keep them, stew meat, and a solid block of ground. Exact counts depend on how you trade roasts for ground with the processor. Request Jensen’s current worksheet and deadline when you pay the deposit — confirm at order.

• Ground: often the largest share by weight — burgers, tacos, skillets.
• Roasts: chuck or arm for Sunday pots.
• Steaks: a smaller count than a half; treat them as occasions.
• Stew / cubed: for cold-front suppers.

Pickup and delivery around Greenville (confirm at order)

Celeste sits northwest of Greenville. Jensen describes local in-person delivery for share customers on their site, but we do not publish a fixed radius or fee table here. Before you assume another farm’s McKinney pickup model, contact Jensen with your Greenville address and ask about processing dates and cut sheet timing — confirm at order.

How ordering and processing work

1. Read the live quarter-cow deposit page.
2. Pay the deposit; save your confirmation email.
3. Return the cut sheet by Jensen’s deadline (ask for the form if needed).
4. Processor records hang weight for your balance invoice.
5. Pay the balance and pick up or receive delivery as arranged.
6. Pre-cool the freezer; label anything you repack.

First-week recipes (ground and quick suppers)

Quarters lean ground-heavy. Start here while you inventory roasts:

• Smash Burgers — Monday ground night without fuss.
• Weeknight Beef & Rice Bowls — flexible crisper clean-out.

Broader rhythm and tear-off calendar: grass-fed beef near Greenville.

FAQ

What is a quarter cow share near Greenville, TX?

A quarter cow is one-fourth of a beef carcass, sold by hanging weight before processing. You pay a deposit to reserve your share, then pay the balance after processing based on actual hang weight and Jensen Beef’s per-pound rate on the deposit page. Cut choices, pickup, and delivery: confirm at order.

How is hanging weight different from packaged weight on a quarter?

Hanging weight is the dressed quarter on the rail — bone, fat, and trim still attached. Packaged weight is what you take home in labeled bags after cutting and discarding what you do not keep. Pricing uses hang weight; freezer planning should use packaged pounds and cubic feet, not hang weight alone.

How much freezer space does a quarter cow need?

Plan about 7–11 cubic feet of chest or upright space for a quarter share’s packaged beef, plus room for other frozen food and airflow. Packaged beef often stacks around 35–40 lb per cubic foot; a quarter’s packaged total is often roughly 80–150 lb — only about 2–4 cu ft if you packed beef alone. The wider 7–11 range leaves headroom so the freezer is not stuffed edge to edge.

What does a quarter cow cost with Jensen Beef?

Jensen lists $200 deposit on the quarter-cow deposit (checked 2026-09-30), with product copy citing about 120–200 lb hang weight at about $9.99/lb. That suggests a total near $1,199–$1,998 before the deposit is credited — confirm live numbers on jensenbeef.com before you pay.

How long will a quarter last for a Greenville-area family?

On a mixed-protein week (chicken, pork, beef, and meatless nights — normal around here), many families of four plan about 3–5 months from a quarter share. Beef-heavy weeks shorten that; mostly-ground suppers stretch it. Weight ranges are ~120–200 lb hang weight (varies).

Can Jensen Beef deliver a quarter near Greenville?

Jensen Ranch is in Celeste, Hunt County — northwest of Greenville. Their site mentions local in-person delivery for share customers, but radius, fees, and dates change. Confirm delivery to your address, processing dates, and cut sheet when you order — do not assume pickup rules from other North Texas farms apply here.

Reserve a quarter (partner checkout)

Checkout runs on Jensen’s store — not jennaholt.com. We do not take orders or set final prices on this site.

Quarter Cow Deposit

Deposit only. ~120–200 lb hang weight · ~$9.99/lb · final total agreed before balance is due. Pasture-raised by Jensen Beef, Celeste TX.

$200 deposit

Reserve quarter-cow deposit →

Source: jensenbeef.com, checked 2026-09-30. Jenna is an AI persona; see how this site works.