Goodpasture
Well-known member
I grew up in Roswell NM. I spent summers on ranches near Hondo and Capitan. I've had more than my share of sheep. I know a little about cattle. No where near as much as I would like to and no where near as much as folks on here know.
But I am dealing, frequently, with folks who are trying to escape a city and are looking for a healthier, country way of life. Before I get too much into this let me explain a few things. I make my living out of my house, but not off the place. I have 20 acres in East Central OK that is providing me with some excellent supplimental income. I know, some of you guys are running 50,000 head on spreads that run from Tatum to Maljamar. But I am trying to help folks learn a bit more about living simply, off their suburban "homestead" and there are thousands, if not milions of people seeking that as a life style. We've all seen the Llama commercials, we all watched while people paid thousands for a breeding pair of ostriches. but there is a place out there for the small tract homeowner to improve, not only his life, but, the lives of others around them.
So, on my small tract, I put some Dexter Cows. I have a bull, two heifers and a calf. I also have standing orders from the city folk for all the beef I can provide at $7.00 a pound.....hamburger, steaks, ribs, roasts, everything. I currently have 12 hogs that I am feeding out. In two weeks they will go to the Amish for processing. I have all 12 sold, in advance, for $2.50 per pound, processed. I do a few things that factory/high volume farms don't do. I use all natural feed. The animals are free ranged as much as possible. I have 50 chickens that lay about 45 eggs a day. They are Arucanas so they lay the "easter" eggs. I get $3.00 a dozen, and ship them to distant states. Thank God for UPS. I have three clients who buy goat meat for their dogs. 50 pounds of jerked goat sells for about $250.
The basic concept is that what I provide is so far superior, in quality, flavor, and health to what is sold at Wal-mart that it is worth the money. And a decent steak at Walmart is 12% solution and $13.00 a pound. And people brag about "free range, grass fed beed grown for me specifically" that their yuppie friends have to get some too and they get in line as well. I figured that if orville reddenbacher could persuade people to buy gourmet popcorn, I could persuade the Starbucks people to buy gourmet beef and pork and eggs because it tastes better and is better for you. They buy it on the hoof, and they pay according to hanging weight. And if it isn't as tender as IBP, they know that the beef was processed in the field and had no hormones or antibiiotics injected into them. And by providing "heritage" beef, they have the cache (bragging rights) of being sensitive to the environment and our heritage.
Now, down to practical matters. Folks that buy in the "country" (although it is really suburban) get a choice. They can buy a tractor or an ATV. 95% of the time, the ATV is the more attractive option. It is fun. A Tractor is expensive and all you can do is mow with it.......so they get (and I am reporting trends, not wise decisions) an ATV.....something over 500cc and hotter than a three dollar pistol. Then, in order to justify the "cost" of the ATV, they want to do stuff with it. Swisher makes a decent mower, they have a marginal rake, they have a snow plow, a lightweight box blade, that sort of thing. Are there other impliments that will work with nothing but a 4 wheeler? I would love to get a good rake, I wouldlike to see a small baler. there are several plows and box blades and other such things, but the single most "missing" impliment is a baler. When a fella mowes his yard, and that yard is 4 or 5 acres, and he is looking at buying bales at $8.00 per, he would be willing to pay a bit for the tool that lets him use his toy. And if a fella is willing to pay $900+ to cut it, then he would be willing to pay an equal amount to bale it.
Do any of you guys know of a self contained baler that can be handled by an ATV?
BTW, if any of you want help marketing your products on the internet and to the yuppies of the world, let me know. Some of you guys have been talking about how you won't have anything to do with gays? From a marketing perspective, they are fussier and willing to spend more money than blue collar workers.......and as far as I'm concerned, if their check clears the bank, the money is good. If you produce a superior product, then it ought to cost more than what Walmart sells mediocre crap for. And if you appeal to the right market, they will pay a premium. I did 45 turkey last year, smoked and delivered the day before Thanksgiving, at $99.00 each. This is when Butterball was charging $2.00 or so a pound for THEIR smoked turkeys. In three weeks I am buying 100 turkey chicks. I cannot pass up $10,000 four weeks before Christmas....and I already have orders for 84 of them.
But I am dealing, frequently, with folks who are trying to escape a city and are looking for a healthier, country way of life. Before I get too much into this let me explain a few things. I make my living out of my house, but not off the place. I have 20 acres in East Central OK that is providing me with some excellent supplimental income. I know, some of you guys are running 50,000 head on spreads that run from Tatum to Maljamar. But I am trying to help folks learn a bit more about living simply, off their suburban "homestead" and there are thousands, if not milions of people seeking that as a life style. We've all seen the Llama commercials, we all watched while people paid thousands for a breeding pair of ostriches. but there is a place out there for the small tract homeowner to improve, not only his life, but, the lives of others around them.
So, on my small tract, I put some Dexter Cows. I have a bull, two heifers and a calf. I also have standing orders from the city folk for all the beef I can provide at $7.00 a pound.....hamburger, steaks, ribs, roasts, everything. I currently have 12 hogs that I am feeding out. In two weeks they will go to the Amish for processing. I have all 12 sold, in advance, for $2.50 per pound, processed. I do a few things that factory/high volume farms don't do. I use all natural feed. The animals are free ranged as much as possible. I have 50 chickens that lay about 45 eggs a day. They are Arucanas so they lay the "easter" eggs. I get $3.00 a dozen, and ship them to distant states. Thank God for UPS. I have three clients who buy goat meat for their dogs. 50 pounds of jerked goat sells for about $250.
The basic concept is that what I provide is so far superior, in quality, flavor, and health to what is sold at Wal-mart that it is worth the money. And a decent steak at Walmart is 12% solution and $13.00 a pound. And people brag about "free range, grass fed beed grown for me specifically" that their yuppie friends have to get some too and they get in line as well. I figured that if orville reddenbacher could persuade people to buy gourmet popcorn, I could persuade the Starbucks people to buy gourmet beef and pork and eggs because it tastes better and is better for you. They buy it on the hoof, and they pay according to hanging weight. And if it isn't as tender as IBP, they know that the beef was processed in the field and had no hormones or antibiiotics injected into them. And by providing "heritage" beef, they have the cache (bragging rights) of being sensitive to the environment and our heritage.
Now, down to practical matters. Folks that buy in the "country" (although it is really suburban) get a choice. They can buy a tractor or an ATV. 95% of the time, the ATV is the more attractive option. It is fun. A Tractor is expensive and all you can do is mow with it.......so they get (and I am reporting trends, not wise decisions) an ATV.....something over 500cc and hotter than a three dollar pistol. Then, in order to justify the "cost" of the ATV, they want to do stuff with it. Swisher makes a decent mower, they have a marginal rake, they have a snow plow, a lightweight box blade, that sort of thing. Are there other impliments that will work with nothing but a 4 wheeler? I would love to get a good rake, I wouldlike to see a small baler. there are several plows and box blades and other such things, but the single most "missing" impliment is a baler. When a fella mowes his yard, and that yard is 4 or 5 acres, and he is looking at buying bales at $8.00 per, he would be willing to pay a bit for the tool that lets him use his toy. And if a fella is willing to pay $900+ to cut it, then he would be willing to pay an equal amount to bale it.
Do any of you guys know of a self contained baler that can be handled by an ATV?
BTW, if any of you want help marketing your products on the internet and to the yuppies of the world, let me know. Some of you guys have been talking about how you won't have anything to do with gays? From a marketing perspective, they are fussier and willing to spend more money than blue collar workers.......and as far as I'm concerned, if their check clears the bank, the money is good. If you produce a superior product, then it ought to cost more than what Walmart sells mediocre crap for. And if you appeal to the right market, they will pay a premium. I did 45 turkey last year, smoked and delivered the day before Thanksgiving, at $99.00 each. This is when Butterball was charging $2.00 or so a pound for THEIR smoked turkeys. In three weeks I am buying 100 turkey chicks. I cannot pass up $10,000 four weeks before Christmas....and I already have orders for 84 of them.
