Cecil: I've been going thru the ups and downs of Oklahoma's market too. I'm on the border of Oklahoma and Arkansas, and take my sheep about 35 miles to market(Wistor OK) A couple of months ago I sold 3 rams, 2 a little over a year old and a younger one about 8 months old, two had trophy horns and the other had a good set, the two best rams brought $90. and the other a little less, then last weekend I sold 4 more and only got $52. apiece for them! It certainly is a shot it the dark taking them to the auction. The only good part is that it's a fairly small market, and not much difference is made between the sheep and goats. Another draw back is that they sell hogs first,(but it is quite entertaining to watch the young boys when that send in the wild hogs) Just as everyone has been telling you, I too should be advertising and selling out the front door, but it's hard finding time and dealing with folks. I have a co-worker that lives farther up north in Arkansas, that raises and sales Droper sheep. He sales his lambs for $100. each. Just goes out and tells the people which ones are for sale and they catch them, give him the money and away they go. That would be nice, BUT... I'm kind of in the same situation as you, we don't eat our sheep, as a matter of fact, my wife has a hard time selling the girls! so, I don't thing she would do too good with someone buying them to eat. So, I'm just going to keep on trying to break even (or a little less). P.S. I'm going tomorrow to buy Hay. THERE GOES THE PROFIT!
> 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 > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ This message is from the blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
