Kristen’s Chickens and Farming Ventures

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Hi @Kris5902. Congratulations on your husband's new job. I agree with @Ribh, you need to advertise. There are a lot of people that like to buy their food from a real farmer rather than a grocery store chain.

 

[aart]

Grats on the job!
Is there much of market on your island....or will you have to travel?

 

[drumstick diva]

Wishing you much success

 

[Kris5902]

Thanks! I really appreciate all of your support and friendship.

There’s a fairly decent local market, and our farm’s products sell well, it’s mostly about diversifying our products and making them more accessible to our consumers. We have a large variety of income levels here. 300 or so permanent residents, with many highly affluent, and some closer to just scraping by.

The “tourists/summer people with expensive vacation homes here” market is my preferred demographic for the chicken and eggs. I would like to make our beef and lamb more accessible to the general public though. I will have to travel to have the birds processed legally for sale, but I plan on charging a premium for those who can afford it. I don’t look down on those who can’t afford it though. I’m not thinking we should drop the prices on our beef and lambs, just sell smaller portions.

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks! I really appreciate all of your support and friendship.

There’s a fairly decent local market, and our farm’s products sell well, it’s mostly about diversifying our products and making them more accessible to our consumers. We have a large variety of income levels here. 300 or so permanent residents, with many highly affluent, and some closer to just scraping by.

The “tourists/summer people with expensive vacation homes here” market is my preferred demographic for the chicken and eggs. I would like to make our beef and lamb more accessible to the general public though. I will have to travel to have the birds processed legally for sale, but I plan on charging a premium for those who can afford it. I don’t look down on those who can’t afford it though. I’m not thinking we should drop the prices on our beef and lambs, just sell smaller portions.

Super high quality that you can afford. I think that works everytime. Sounds like a good plan to me.

 

[Kris5902]

Yes, and the next big step is convincing the Farm to get a Square account or set up for e-transfers. Most hikers and trespassers don’t carry large amounts of cash or their checkbooks! I just figured out the comparison I’m looking for... you know when you’re at a tourist destination like an aquarium or the Seattle Space Needle, and to get out you Have to walk through the gift shop to get out? Same idea. Seeing as you just took the self guided tour of our farm without asking, buy some chicken, steak, and eggs on your way out or at least a souvenir mug (one of the owners hand paints dish ware with little sheep and goat motifs).

I also think we should put up “how to interact properly with our livestock when it approaches you” signs. Yesterday while returning to our trailer for our afternoon chores, we found a neighbor who is helping our tenant that has a firewood business trying to leave and “trapped” at a gate by our Yearling Cattle and Bull. After quite some time of him standing there he thought chasing them back with a stick would work. Yeah, no, just NO! They are mostly all hand tame and I do not use stick waving or smacking to move them, or approve of it at all. He now has my phone # and instructions that if they get past him at a gate it’s not critical and to just let me know and I’ll retrieve them.

Which brings me back to my genius Rooster Land Defense Program. I was out in our cockerel pen cuddling Sammy. Yes, he is a pet now, and needs to move out of there and in with the retirement hens soon, because he is very gentle and non aggressive. Our friend arrived to help us restack our house siding, and they went ballistic alarming at the stranger approaching... so maybe I don’t need a guard dog after all? I’m considering trying to free range with the extra boys.

I got in a few hours on my Tractor build, despite the rain, and put my solar batteries down on the charger (I’m pretty sure I need to replace my charge controller). Sunday and chick arrival is fast approaching, so I’m going to see how far I can get on it by myself for the next two days. Saturday is going to be hectic. Oh, and I ran out of staples for it so the hardware cloth is on hold until Andrew gets back from town as well.

 

[Ribh]

Ugh! When you can't just nip down to the local hardware. It all sounds like it is moving ahead according to plan [more or less.] We have been held up by rain too & just had to push through. Birds here later today. I hate working in cold & rain.

My dad had 50 brahma X with bull who followed him round like puppies but the bull scared most people senseless. He was a massive red beastie & looked mean as. He did get mean as he got older & took a one way trip but dad got some good calves from him.

 

[Kris5902]

Ugh! When you can't just nip down to the local hardware. It all sounds like it is moving ahead according to plan [more or less.] We have been held up by rain too & just had to push through. Birds here later today. I hate working in cold & rain.

My dad had 50 brahma X with bull who followed him round like puppies but the bull scared most people senseless. He was a massive red beastie & looked mean as. He did get mean as he got older & took a one way trip but dad got some good calves from him.

Looking forward to seeing your new girls soon! Yes, the brahmas can get scary... our new boy is an Angus, only Two years or so old, not aggressive but also not hand shy... as our last one was. I tend towards mutually respectful livestock handling techniques. He’s 2000 lbs, I’m not going to win an argument with him, so as long as we mind each other’s space it’s fine by me! His name is Gus... he’s never had a nose ring, so threatening to pet him doesn’t back him off, he just licks your hand instead! He looks much bigger in person

 

[Ribh]

Looking forward to seeing your new girls soon! Yes, the brahmas can get scary... our new boy is an Angus, only Two years or so old, not aggressive but also not hand shy... as our last one was. I tend towards mutually respectful livestock handling techniques. He’s 2000 lbs, I’m not going to win an argument with him, so as long as we mind each other’s space it’s fine by me! His name is Gus... he’s never had a nose ring, so threatening to pet him doesn’t back him off, he just licks your hand instead! He looks much bigger in person View attachment 1726063View attachment 1726066View attachment 1726067

Oh. My. Big boy.

I don't think we're going to have a pleasant trip. Rain heavy enough to reduce visibility to a crawling pace. I just hope I've left enough time for the round trip but it may clear before I have to head out.

 

[Kris5902]

So, I actually go some semi-decent pics of my girls at my afternoon egg check and thought I would share them. Here most of them are enjoying today’s new grass

Mr Marans and Princess (my Sapphire parrot)

Princess’s two sisters and one of my barnvelder girls

Both my barnvelder girls, the younger one is on the left

Precious and Speckles two of my Isbars