Buy a Half Cow, Quarter Cow, or Whole Cow in San Marcos, TX
San Marcos sits at the midpoint of the I-35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio, and it's one of Central Texas' fastest-growing cities. Families in La Cima, Blanco Vista, and TRACE are building roots here, and a lot of them are asking harder questions about where their food comes from. San Marcos families (78666) can reserve a whole, half, or quarter share of 100% grass-fed, grass-finished Texas beef, born, raised, and processed in Texas from start to finish. Pickup is in McKinney, up in North Texas, so today this is for households willing to make the drive or to join the list for when we bring pickup closer to the Austin area.
Where to Buy Grass-Fed Beef in San Marcos
San Marcos has two H-E-B locations, at 641 E Hopkins St and 200 W Hopkins St, both carrying grass-fed beef options, and a third H-E-B is under construction at 1074 E. McCarty Lane with an expected late 2026 opening. The San Marcos Farmers Market runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 111 E San Antonio St on the downtown square, a good source of local produce and some local vendors, though consistent beef availability varies. The label only tells you so much, though. Grass-fed describes how the cattle were raised, not where they came from; a significant share of grocery-store grass-fed beef is imported from Australia, Uruguay, or South America. Effective January 1, 2026, the USDA's "Product of USA" rule requires that label to mean an animal born, raised, and processed in the United States, so check before you buy.
Buy Grass-Fed Beef by the Share
Instead of buying cuts one at a time, you reserve a share of the animal: a whole cow, a half cow, or a quarter cow. A half and a whole let you pick your cuts on a cut sheet. A quarter comes as a balanced split quarter, a standard mix of steaks, roasts, and ground beef. Reserve online through our bulk grass-fed beef page, then pick up in McKinney on a scheduled Saturday once the animal is processed. New to buying a share? Our grass-fed beef planning guide covers freezer space, transport, and choosing a size. If you do make the drive, build the day around it: historic Downtown McKinney's square is minutes from pickup, with local shops, restaurants, winery tasting rooms, and TUPPS Brewery. Not ready to make the trip yet? Join the list below and we'll tell you the day we bring pickup nearer to San Marcos.
Why San Marcos Families Choose Texas Grass-Fed
La Cima is one of the most established master-planned communities in the area, drawing families who moved here from Austin with quality of life in mind. Blanco Vista sits on 575 acres of riverfront land in northern San Marcos, and its residents tend to care about what's in their water and what's in their food. TRACE draws families who want Central Texas community and space. Hays CISD families, Texas State faculty, and professionals who chose San Marcos between Austin and San Antonio all share one thing: they're doing the research. Reserving a share from Texas Grass Fed Farms means beef from cattle raised on Texas grass, without antibiotics and without added hormones, traceable to Texas ranches, and it means backing the Texas partner ranchers who keep regenerative agriculture viable locally.
How Texas Ranchers Raise Grass-Fed Cattle
The partner ranchers we work with raise every cow on native Texas pastures from birth through harvest: grass and forage, never grain-finished. Grass-finished means the animal never enters a feedlot for grain before processing; that's the split from conventional beef, which leans on grain in the final phase to push weight. No antibiotics, no added hormones, no mRNA vaccines, and no pesticide or glyphosate applied to the pasture. The practices they follow prioritize animal welfare, rotational grazing, soil health, and sustainable land management. TGFF isn't organic-certified, but our sourcing standards go further than most organic labels require on cattle raising and additives. Processing happens at USDA-inspected facilities in Texas, so every cut carries a fully traceable Texas origin.
Half Cow, Quarter Cow, or Whole Cow: What You Get
Every share is cut to order and packaged frozen, ready for your freezer the day you pick it up in McKinney. Roughly what each size gives you:
- Quarter cow: a balanced split quarter, roughly 75 to 90 lbs of packaged beef. A standard mix, no cut sheet needed.
- Half cow (a side of beef): your choice of cuts on a cut sheet, roughly 150 to 180 lbs of packaged beef.
- Whole cow: the full animal, two halves, roughly 300 to 360 lbs of packaged beef, your cut choices throughout.
Across those shares you get steaks, roasts, ground beef, brisket, short ribs, and soup bones. Your price is based on the hanging weight (the hot carcass weight) once the animal is processed, and a fixed deposit set by share size reserves your spot.
How Much Does a Half Cow Cost in San Marcos?
Half cow cost works differently than a per-package price at the store. You reserve your share with a fixed, non-refundable deposit set by size; quarter, half, and whole each carry their own deposit amount. Once the animal is processed and the hanging weight is confirmed, we calculate the final total from that weight, and the balance (final total minus your deposit) is due then. Spread across every cut, from ground beef to ribeyes, the per-pound price on a half cow lands well below what boutique grass-fed cuts run at retail. Factor the drive to McKinney into your decision; for a lot of Hays County families a half or whole is what makes the trip worth it.
Is Buying a Quarter Cow Worth It?
A quarter cow runs roughly 75 to 90 lbs of packaged beef, enough to keep a couple or a small family in grass-finished beef for months, and the per-pound cost beats buying the same cuts one at a time. A quarter suits a first-time bulk buyer or a smaller household. That said, from San Marcos you're making a real drive to McKinney, so many families size up to a half or whole to make one trip count. If the drive isn't practical yet, join the list and we'll tell you when we bring pickup closer to the Austin area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy grass-fed beef in San Marcos, TX?
Two H-E-B stores at 641 E Hopkins St and 200 W Hopkins St carry grass-fed beef options, and the San Marcos Farmers Market runs Saturdays 9am to 1pm at 111 E San Antonio St on the downtown square; check for "Product of USA" on the label. For Texas-raised beef by the share, you can reserve a whole, half, or quarter cow from Texas Grass Fed Farms and pick it up in McKinney, or join the waitlist for closer pickup.
What cuts do you get from a half cow?
A half cow comes with steaks, roasts, ground beef, brisket, short ribs, and soup bones, cut to your preferences on a cut sheet.
How much meat is in a quarter cow?
Roughly 75 to 90 lbs of packaged, frozen beef. A quarter comes as a balanced split quarter, a standard mix of steaks, roasts, and ground beef rather than a custom cut sheet.
How much freezer space does a half cow need?
Plan on roughly 10 to 15 cubic feet of freezer for a half cow, and about 7 to 10 for a quarter. Real-world packing wastes space, so size the freezer up rather than down.
What is the difference between grass-fed and grass-finished beef?
These days, none. Grass-fed cattle can't be fed grain, so grass-fed and grass-finished describe the same thing: an animal that ate grass and forage its whole life. Our beef is 100% grass-fed and grass-finished. And the label says nothing about country of origin, so always check for "Product of USA" when you shop in-store.
Where does most grass-fed beef in US grocery stores come from?
Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, and Brazil are the primary sources of grass-fed beef sold in the US. "Grass-fed" describes the feeding protocol, not the origin. Effective January 1, 2026, the USDA requires beef labeled "Product of USA" to be born, raised, and processed in the United States. Every share we sell meets that standard.
Where and when is pickup?
Pickup is in McKinney, TX, north of Dallas, on a scheduled Saturday. That's a real drive from San Marcos, so today this works for families willing to make the trip. We announce the date once the hanging weight is confirmed, then we meet you in McKinney to hand off your beef. Pickup only: you collect your share, nothing gets mailed out. Join the list and we'll tell you the day we bring pickup closer to the Austin area.
Ready to reserve? Browse sizes on our bulk grass-fed beef page, or see our Texas grass-fed beef page for where we serve and where we're headed next.
Other Hays County Towns
Buda | Kyle | Wimberley | Dripping Springs | Austin | Lockhart | New Braunfels | Seguin
Want Us Closer to San Marcos?
For now, you pick up your share in McKinney, and you're welcome to make the drive. Tell us where you are and we'll let you know when we bring pickup or delivery closer to you.