Lamb Meat-Share Program
​Why Weeping Willows Lamb Meat?
​Our sheep are raised with care, respect, patience, and plenty of room to graze and enjoy life on the ranch. We focus on responsible care and quality—not rushing animals through a commercial production system.
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Choosing our lamb meat gives your family an opportunity to enjoy something very different from ordinary grocery-store lamb while also supporting a small Arizona ranch and livestock/equine rescue.
When you purchase a meat share from Weeping Willows Ranch, you are doing more than filling your freezer. You are supporting a local ranch, helping us provide excellent care for our animals and investing in a more personal connection to your food.
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How Our Meat Shares Work
​Purchasing a meat share means reserving a whole or half lamb before it is processed. Instead of purchasing individual packages of meat, customers reserve a share of a lamb before processing. Depending on availability, we may offer:
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Whole-lamb shares
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Half-lamb shares
Your share may include a variety of cuts such as chops, roasts, cutlets, stew or ground meat, soup bones, and more. Exact cuts and quantities depend on the size of the animal and your instructions to the processor.
Estimated Pricing: Ranch Price and Processing Fees
​Ranch pricing covers the cost of the animal (or portion of the animal) and harvesting expenses. Processing fees are charged separately, and they cover the cost of butchering your chosen meat share into your choice of cuts and packaging.
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A deposit holds your share, and the final ranch price is calculated using the lamb’s actual hanging weight. (Hanging weight is the weight of the lamb after harvesting and before it is cut, trimmed and packaged.) The amount of packaged lamb you take home will be less than the hanging weight. Our estimated ranch price is:
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Whole lamb: Approximately $400 - $640, plus processing
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Half lamb: Approximately $200 - $320, plus processing
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Estimated ranch price: $8 per pound of hanging weight
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Deposit: $100 for a whole lamb or $50 for a half lamb
These estimates are based on a whole-lamb hanging weight of approximately 50 - 80 pounds. Every lamb is different, so your final cost may be higher or lower.
Processing Costs are charged separately and may cost approximately:
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Whole lamb: $120 - $200
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Half lamb: $60 - $100
Your estimated combined cost, including the animal and standard processing may be:
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Whole share: Approximately $520 - $840
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Half share: Approximately $260 - $420
Final pricing depends on the lamb's hanging weight, your cutting instructions and the processor’s current fees.
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What Will I Receive? ​
A whole sheep may provide approximately 30–55 pounds of packaged meat, while a half share may provide approximately 15-27 pounds, depending on the animal’s size and your cutting selections. Packaged weight is lower than hanging weight because bones, excess fat and other portions may be removed during processing.
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Your share may include various cuts of meat and processing options, including: ​
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Lamb or mutton chops
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Leg roasts
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Shoulder roasts
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Shanks
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Ribs
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Stew meat
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Ground meat
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Soup bones
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Organ meat, when requested and available
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Exact cuts and quantities depend on the size of the animal and your instructions to the processor.
Before processing, you will complete a cutting order explaining how you would like your meat prepared, including the following options:
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Chop thickness
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Roast sizes
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Package sizes
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Bone-in or boneless cuts
Special cutting requests, vacuum sealing or having a larger portion made into ground meat may cost extra.
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We are happy to help first-time customers understand the choices.
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Reserving Your Share
Quantities are limited because we raise our sheep on a small scale with their health, comfort, and quality of life in mind. Therefore, lamb meat shares must be reserved in advance with a nonrefundable deposit. Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
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The reservation deposit is applied to the ranch portion of your final balance. The remaining ranch balance is due after the hanging weight is received. Processing fees are paid according to the processor’s requirements. Contact Weeping Willows Ranch for current availability, estimated processing dates and Arizona pickup information.
When Are Our Lambs Ready?
Processing dates are based on each lamb’s weight, health, and body condition. Contact Weeping Willows Ranch for availability, expected processing dates and Arizona pickup information. Customers will receive an estimated processing timeframe when reserving their meat share, followed by updates as the date approaches.
