👉 What is Cottage Farm Heritage Butchery? 

Cottage Farm Heritage Butchery is our on-farm processing facility where we harvest and process animals raised on our farm and for local livestock owners. This allows us to carefully manage the entire process from pasture to harvest while maintaining the highest standards of animal care and transparency.

👉 How are the animals raised? 

Our beef and lamb are 100% fed and finished on grass on our family farm.  We raise them from birth until the time they leave our farm.  They are moved to new pasture daily during grazing season, which guarantees the best nourishment for the animals as well as our soil.  During the cold months, they are fed hay that we produce.  Chickens are raised in chicken tractors which are moved to a new footprint daily, allowing them to eat grass and bugs, and supplemented with non-GMO poultry feed.

👉 Is your facility USDA inspected?

Our facility operates under a custom-exempt license, which means we process animals for the exclusive use of the animal’s owner. Custom-exempt processing is regulated and inspected by state authorities, but the meat is not permitted for retail sale.

👉 What does custom-exempt mean for customers?

Custom-exempt processing allows individuals or families to purchase a share of a live animal (such as a whole, half, or quarter) before harvest. The animal is then processed specifically for the owners of that animal. The meat is labeled “Not for Sale” and is intended for the personal use of those owners.  This rule does not apply to poultry.

👉 Why process animals on the farm?

Harvesting animals where they were raised allows them to remain in a calm, familiar environment. This reduces transportation stress and allows us to ensure careful, respectful handling from beginning to end.

👉 Can I buy individual cuts of meat from animals processed here?

Because our facility is custom-exempt, meat processed here cannot be sold by the cut. However, customers can purchase shares of animals in advance, and the meat is processed specifically for the owners of those animals.  However, poultry is regulated differently, and we can sell whole birds and cuts.

👉 How do I choose what cuts I get?

After you place your order and pay your deposit, we will email a cut sheet.  If you're not sure what cuts you should order, we are happy to make suggestions and help you fill out your cut sheet.

👉 When will I get my meat? 

Because we are a custom-exempt butcher shop, whole animals (beef and lamb) must be presold before processing.  As soon as we have orders for an entire animal, we will schedule processing.  Orders can be for a whole, half, quarter, or eighth.  

👉 How do I get my meat? 

If you live within 30 minutes or so of Mercer, you can pick up your order at the farm.

We make monthly deliveries to Erie and a few locations around Pittsburgh (usually Sunday). We will contact you with the exact date and time to meet up.

👉 How do you calculate the final price? 

Pricing is based on post-slaughter animal carcass weight.  You pay a deposit when you order, and then pay the remainder before you receive your meat.  

👉 How will I know when my meat is ready? 

We will communicate via email when we know the delivery date.  Please make sure our emails don't go to your spam folder.

👉 I have another question that isn't covered here.

Please contact us using the contact form and we will do our best to answer your questions.