I am glad I am not the only one who loves theses guys so much I feel guilty butchering them. We pick one. Ignore it as best as possible. (Don't Laugh) and then take it to the butcher and drop him off. They are not to do anything to it till I leave and just let me pick him up in those white packages. I have to drive father off to get a butcher that kills at the plant but I do not care. It would be emotional to me, the other sheep, the dogs and the horses to have them killed at the farm. OJ
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Cecil Bearden Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 10:06 PM To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info Subject: Re: [blackbelly] sale prices in OKla Barb: Thanks for the encouragement, but I really do not have the heart or lack of it to butcher one of my lambs. I have the experience, the equipment and could make a walk in cooler our of an old airconditioner unit, I have done that for others. I can skin and butcher most any animal, but after bringing these guys into the world, I just can't take them out.... sign me gutless in Oklahoma ----- Original Message ----- From: "Barb Lee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info> Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 5:06 PM Subject: Re: [blackbelly] sale prices in OKla > > Cecil, > I think you're hitting on a painful truth that is being recognized far > and wide - that the small farmer, in order to survive, has to go direct > to the consumer. Most farmers don't want to be marketers. But a lot of > consumers out there are getting wise to the consequences of factory > farming. They WANT to meet the farmer, to buy natural food, to be > educated about the differences between factory raised and farm raised, > and to get in touch with their food again. > > The person who has to buy it can never experience the almost holy > experience of conjuring perfect food up from the earth, and raising it > and ultimately eating it, but it doesn't take long to educate the palate > to the difference between real food and adulterated. In our case, our > bodies are beginning to reject anything that isn't raised on the farm, > or isn't organic. > > We have to start with something that nobody else has, and we have that! > Then we have to raise it so it is better than anything else - and I > think Blackbelly can be better or WORSE than store-bought, depending on > how it's raised - and then we have to get a leash on our independent > spirits and go out and get our customers. > > There is a LOT written on farmer-to-consumer these days, it's becoming > critical to survival of the small farm. It CAN be done. But we have to > get off the farm to get people to come to the farm. This is going to be > the worst part of all of it for me. That, and taking somebody's money > from their hand, and not through the sale yard office. > > YOU need encourangement, my friend, and maybe start reading up on the > experiences of other farmer-entrepreneurs. I can make some reading > suggestions, and perhaps others can share some of their marketing > expertise. I am scared to death too, but having had a promising > experience this spring, I know my upscale market is out there, I know > that certain people will say "name your price" if you give them a > sample. They don't have to be health conscious, they can just be > enthusiastic foodies. > > There is a whole new movement to "eat locally" - it is going to be as > powerful as the organic movement. They say most of our food has > travelled at least 1500 miles to arrive on our plates. That is not > sustainable, it's not supporting the local community, and people are > beginning to twig that agriculture - food - the staff of life - is > slowly coming under the control of a few mega-corporations that don't > care about raising food, they care about making a profit. > > Cecil, there are so many reasons to keep trying, and to reach out of > this murderous commodities box and enter the farmer-to-consumer > movement. > > YOU have so much skill, and so much to offer! Please, let's all start > educating ourselves about these critical issues and stop trying to > compete in the commodities markets! Our buyers are out there! We just > ALL need to learn how to make the farm-fresh, exquisite, perfect food > experience accessible to people who are - literally - dying for it!!! > > Kindest regards to you Cecil! > > Barb Lee - Proud to have had a Greek chef declare of my lamb, "This is > the SWEETEST lamb I have ever tasted!" > > > _______________________________________________ > This message is from the blackbelly mailing list > Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info _______________________________________________ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info _______________________________________________ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
