Harv's Butcher Shop

Harv's Butcher Shop operates under USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service establishment number M1763 at 95 White Oak Rd, Lancaster, Kentucky. The federal record lists the plant for Meat Processing and Meat Slaughter, classes it as Very Small, and shows a grant of inspection date of July 11, 2024. Species slaughtered under inspection, as reported to FSIS, are cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb. The plant reports custom-exempt slaughter, in which animals owned by the customer are processed and packaged marked Not for Sale, and it also reports retail-exempt sales. Its FSIS slaughter volume category is 1, meaning under 1,000 head per year.

The shop's website describes itself as a USDA processing facility and specialty butcher shop that partners with Kentucky farmers to harvest and fabricate beef, pork, and lamb in house. Listed processing practices include humane slaughtering, beef aging from 7 up to 28 days, recorded take-home weight, choice of fat percentage on ground product, and custom labeling. Cut sheets are offered for beef, pork, and lamb, and the lamb page also mentions goat processing. Three beef processing packages are described as Bronze, Silver, and Gold, each combining roasts, steaks, and ground beef with differing levels of aging and customization.

Two details differ between sources. The federal record lists the phone number as (513) 518-7863, while the shop's contact page lists 859-304-1479. FSIS places the establishment in Lincoln County; a search listing describes the shop as being in Garrard County. Ownership structure, founding year, and staffing are not stated in the material on file.

The plant reports both USDA-inspected slaughter and custom-exempt slaughter to FSIS, so animals can be processed for resale under inspection or for the owner's own use with packages marked Not for Sale. Species reported for slaughter under inspection are cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb; the website's lamb processing page also references goat. Processing appointments are requested through the contact page or by phone. The website states beef is aged from 7 up to 28 days, take-home weight is recorded, customers choose ground fat percentage, and custom labeling is available. Downloadable cut sheets are offered for beef, pork, and lamb, and beef processing is organized into Bronze, Silver, and Gold packages. Scheduling lead times, kill day schedules, minimums, and processing fees are not stated in the sources on file. As listed, FSIS places the plant in the smallest slaughter volume category, under 1,000 head per year.

Harv's Butcher Shop reports custom-exempt slaughter to FSIS, which means it can process an animal a customer already owns (a whole, half, or share bought before slaughter) and return it in packages marked Not for Sale. Most small farms have one or two plants they book with, and the plant's calendar decides the delivery date.

The shop operates a retail counter at 95 White Oak Rd in Lancaster, described on the website as open Wednesday through Friday, 11am to 5pm. The case is described as carrying fresh beef, pork, and lamb, hand-cut steaks, roasts, ground beef, pork chops, ribs, and specialty cuts, along with house-made deli meats and bacon. Bulk purchases listed online include a Half Beef Share at $2,400, Quarter Beef Share at $1,200, Half Hog Share at $600, and Whole Lamb at $390, plus $300 bundles: Bacon Lovers Bundle, Butcher's Choice Box, Griller's Box, and Ground Beef Bundle. Shares are described as processed into retail-style, ready-to-cook packages. The shop also states it sells at the Boyle County Farmers Market in Danville, Kentucky. Delivery and shipping are not mentioned in the sources on file.

If you are buying a half or quarter animal, the plant is where the animal is processed; the farm sells you the animal. Read how to buy a half cow for the sequence and the math.