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✓ 18 VERIFIED SELLERS WITHIN 60 MILESBuy Beef Direct from Ranchers Near Des Moines & Ames
Central Iowa farms that sell beef straight to your family, from Ankeny and Bondurant to Winterset, Milo, State Center and Ames. Buy a quarter, half or whole, or pick up steaks and ground beef by the cut. Listings are sorted nearest first.
Search Near Your ZIP →Iowa half-cow pricesStock the freezer
- Buy a quarter, half or whole
- Best price per pound
- Order ahead; waits run months
Buy by the cut
- Steaks, ground beef and boxes
- No big freezer needed
- Farm stores and butcher shops
Verified, not inspected. We check each seller’s location and buying options against their own website. Distances are straight-line from downtown Des Moines or Ames, whichever is closer. Confirm prices and availability with the seller. How we verify →
Quarter, Half and Whole Beef Near Des Moines
16 farms and ranches, nearest first
Farm Story Meats
Ames, IA · about 1 mi
Griffieon Family Farm
Ankeny, IA · about 10 mi
Pine Grove Family Farms
Bondurant, IA · about 13 mi
Shivers Farms
Bondurant, IA · about 13 mi
Silver K Farms
Prole, IA · about 16 mi
Ohnemus Farms
Milo, IA · about 23 mi
Main at Hart
State Center, IA · about 24 mi
Bigelow Family Farm
Winterset, IA · about 28 mi
Show all 16 share sellers (+8 more)Show fewer
Wanders Farms LLC
Otley, IA · about 31 mi
SJS Cattle Co
Lucas, IA · about 36 mi
American Barzona
Greenfield, IA · about 45 mi
Whippoorwill Creek Farm
Lovilia, IA · about 46 mi
Grand View Beef
Clarion, IA · about 49 mi
R Grassfed Beef
Hampton, IA · about 53 mi
Doty Angus Cattle Company
Malcom, IA · about 56 mi
Durell Family Farmstead
Leon, IA · about 59 mi
Farm Stores and Butcher Shops
2 places to buy by the cut or box, nearest first
Milo Locker Meats
Milo, IA · about 23 mi
Herd 77
Albia, IA · about 57 mi
Farmers Markets and Farm Stores Around Des Moines
Farm Story Meats from Ames sells at the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market and the Ames Main Street Farmers Market on Saturdays, May to September. Silver K Farms from Prole also sells at the downtown market and at Middlebrook’s Fridays at the Farm.
In Ankeny, Griffieon Family Farm sells halves and quarters off a waiting list. Shivers Farms in Bondurant runs an on-farm store, and Milo Locker Meats has been cutting beef since 1952.
What Farms Near Des Moines Charge
Prices these sellers post on their own websites, checked Oct. 22–24, 2026
- Griffieon Family Farm (Ankeny, IA, about 10 mi): $5.50/lb hanging weight; locker charges for extras are separate
- Shivers Farms (Bondurant, IA, about 13 mi): $3.55/lb hanging weight (the farm notes the price can change with the market)
- Bigelow Family Farm (Winterset, IA, about 28 mi): $4.75/lb dressed (hanging) weight, plus processing paid to the butcher
- Wanders Farms LLC (Otley, IA, about 31 mi): $3.75/lb hanging, plus locker processing (about $1.05/lb)
- American Barzona (Greenfield, IA, about 45 mi): $3.25/lb for a quarter or more, with custom cutting
- Whippoorwill Creek Farm (Lovilia, IA, about 46 mi): $4.25/lb hanging for a whole, $4.40 half, $4.55 quarter, plus processing at Milo Locker
- R Grassfed Beef (Hampton, IA, about 53 mi): $4.25/lb hanging weight, plus processing
Always ask if a price is per pound hanging or packaged, and whether processing is included. See our Iowa half-cow price guide →
Good to Know Near Des Moines
- Closest share seller: Farm Story Meats, about 1 miles out. 7 share sellers within 25 miles.
- Typical drive: half of the share farms are 16–49 miles out, in towns like Ames, Ankeny, Bondurant, Prole, Milo.
- Price range nearby: $3.55–$5.50/lb hanging weight among 6 farms that post it (some include processing).
- Plan ahead: central Iowa lockers fill up in fall, so reserve a summer date if you can.
Find Your Des Moines Rancher
14 sellers near Des Moines offer half beef.
Buying Beef Near Des Moines: Quick Answers
How much does a half cow cost near Des Moines?
Farms near Des Moines that post prices ask about $3.55–$5.50/lb hanging weight. Across Iowa, a half usually runs about $1,500–$2,500 all in. See our Iowa half-cow price guide, then run any quote through the beef cost calculator.
Can I get beef delivered in Des Moines?
7 of the 18 sellers on this page offer delivery and 10 offer local pickup. Some sell at the downtown farmers market instead. See sellers that deliver near Des Moines.
How far ahead should I order a half cow?
Give it a few months. Iowa farms book halves around locker dates, and several on this page show their 2026 shares as sold out or on a waiting list. Put down a deposit early and ask which locker date you are on.