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!
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