buying beef from a neighbor

[dalek]

PureCountry, they don't care that they're losing money selling it that cheap, in fact, that's the idea. I would venture that the majority of beef "farmers" in this area are doing it as a tax dodge, in fact a lot of them are accountants. Doubt that many of them would be happy if they got audited but they're willing to take the risk as long as they can bend things enough to write off the $50,000 farm-plated truck they drive to and from work and the tools in their wood-working shop. The beef game in Ontario is a whole different universe.

[PureCountry]

Gotcha, now I know what you're talking about.

[grassfarmer]

Agreed PureCountry, you can pay a few bills with cattle that pay like that! We are selling at the same price as you and equate it to getting $1000 for weaned 500lb calves. The problem of course is numbers - not many folks selling 20 head a year this way. We're getting there, it's slow but steady. We are actually looking at providing the whole gammit - pasture pork, lamb, poultry etc as the customers for beef are asking for these things. It's easier to sell more to the customers you have than find new ones.

[PureCountry]

Very good point, we're thinking of doing the same thing. Local guy here raises pastured poultry and pigs, and says he can't keep enough of them to meet demand. We're probably going to try the hogs first, starting next year. Just 5 or 6, to get our feet wet. Buy weaners and fatten them on grass, scraps and chop. I've done it before, and it makes for good eatin'. I'm nervous about trying poultry or lamb. Birds just seem to find ways to die, and pasture maggots can overgraze so easily if they're not moved fast enough. I guess if I had more experience with them - like any - I'd get that figured out though.

[grassfarmer]

Birds just seem to find ways to die, and pasture maggots can overgraze so easily if they're not moved fast enough. I guess if I had more experience with them - like any - I'd get that figured out though.

I don't think having a few sheep would do a lot of damage. We could probably run the numbers we would need around the corrals all summer. There is no great need from the sheep's point of view to be constantly moved - they wouldn't do on long grass anyway. Poultry I'm not too keen on, I prefer to eat (and work with) things with 4 legs and hair/fur. Don't like things that crawl, hop, fly or slither!

[just_wondering]

In our area beef about $2.50 per side customer pays all butcher costs.
In my experience they seem to want animals dripping in fat/flavor and if possible could they only get the hind half they are willing to pay more but what do I do with all those other cuts?

For any one getting sheep to run around the yards keep the fence electric and hot.
One might go broke trying to fence 6 wires with all the paraphernalia associated with sheep

[grassfarmer]

Not a problem here,my existing rail fences around the corrals would keep sheep easy enough. I love electric fence for cattle but have not had much success with them and sheep in the past. Sheep, contrary to common belief, are way smarter than cattle - they can sense when a fence has power in it from about two feet away. They also learn that if they hit it hard and fast they can be through it before they get a sting, especially if they are well wooled at the time. Like cattle though the easiest way to keep them in a pasture is to have the right kind of grass there for them.