Grassfarmer: Re obtaining a return of $1500 per acre. If I can net an extra $10 per acre it would make a significant difference to me. I believe returns should be expressed in terms of the most limiting resource, for some that would be acres but it could be per head too. Or per dollar of investment. Or if the operation’s major investment was a building for intensive livestock production then per square foot. On our operation people are our most limiting resource and I tend to focus on return to labour/management or people more than a per acre return because it is possible to get more acres in this part of the province either through purchase or rent. Acres are not my limiting resource. I noted the Salatin’s operation looked pretty labour intensive considering their net was about $200,000. I think my return per person is better than theirs by quite a bit. Only no one is paying me to see how it is done so credit needs to be given to them for that. My next most limiting resource is cash so I calculate my cash return to cash invested, a number I consider more important than return per acre.
I know people in some parts of this province that do very well but their return per acre is truly a small number. But if you have enough acres it works out just the same.
Cakadu: Yes indeed, Salatin does seem to have something that works for him. I think it is important to consider that, in my opinion, his brand identity is himself not his particular production system or product. If someone did duplicate his production success without his marketing success and people skills they would not expect to reap the same rewards. Just a thought, if I were to copy some of what Salatin did I would write a few books like he did rather than raise rabbits. I think there might be more money selling ideas, right or wrong, than selling hares and the market area is much wider.
I know people in some parts of this province that do very well but their return per acre is truly a small number. But if you have enough acres it works out just the same.
Cakadu: Yes indeed, Salatin does seem to have something that works for him. I think it is important to consider that, in my opinion, his brand identity is himself not his particular production system or product. If someone did duplicate his production success without his marketing success and people skills they would not expect to reap the same rewards. Just a thought, if I were to copy some of what Salatin did I would write a few books like he did rather than raise rabbits. I think there might be more money selling ideas, right or wrong, than selling hares and the market area is much wider.
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