Order Forms

[anthonyjames]

I am trying to draft an order form for placing at my wife's church and for people at work. I am wondering what people out there have. I am drafting something like below. My issue is I am not the most eloquent writer. I tend to write more as I would talk than what should be expected. I would love to see what others are using or assistance with mine.

Thanks

For sale chicken and quail for meat and eggs, turkeys and rabbits. Currently we are taking orders.

Chicken
The cost for the chickens is $12 per bird. They will be raised to be between 3 – 5 lbs. Chickens will be ready for pick up around mid June.
Chickens will require a 50% deposit per chicken.
Deadline for placing orders for chickens are April 17th.
Eggs we will have on going. They are $3 per dozen. Please ask if any are available at any time.

Turkey
The cost for turkeys will be $4 per pound. Turkeys will be ready around Thanksgiving. I am still trying to work on the date with the processor.
They will be raised to be between 15 – 18 pounds. If for some reason a turkey goes beyond that in weight the cost will be a flat $72 for the turkey.
Turkeys will require a $30 deposit per turkey.
Deadline for placing orders for turkeys is June 19th.

Quail
Quail eggs will become available by mid April. They will cost $5 per dozen. If interested please ask what we have available.
Hopefully by mid summer we will have quail meat available as well. If interested please let us know. We will be processing these ourselves.
Call for availability of quail meat. The cost for quail will be $8 per quail. We will be packaging these in packs of 2. So a minimum order of 2 will be required.
Quail will require a 50% deposit per quail.

Rabbit
Rabbit meat will be available around the end of June. Cost for rabbit is $5 per pound. They will be raised to be between 3 – 5 lbs.
If interested in rabbit let us know and we can schedule pick up on the day after processing. We will notify you when rabbits will be ready for pick up.
Rabbits will require $5 deposit per rabbit.


Name: __________________________________________________________________

Full Address: _____________________________________ Phone: ________________

Email Address: ____________________________________

Chicken Qty:________ X $12 ____________ / 50% = Deposit _________________

Turkey Qty:________ Deposit ________________________

Rabbit Qty:________ Deposit ________________________

 

[bigredfeather]

Here is what I sent out for my broilers this year. I doesn't have the buffet that you have. I think what you have included above is good.

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The only issue I see with yours is the deposit. I think I understand the reasoning behind it(so you don't get stuck and have some cash flow to raise everything, Right?), but I fear it may deter people a bit. We kind of approached like Joel Salatin. We only gave order forms to people we new and trusted. As Joel said, this allows you to choose your customers, which you are doing. I guess you coluld try the deposit method, and if you don't get the responce you're looking for, try it without. Hats off to what your doing.

 

[aclee]

I wouldn't have a problem with paying a deposit on a chicken, I would have problem with paying a flat rate for a bird when it's weight could vary so much. $12 for a 3 pound bird is totally different than $12 for a 5 pound bird, and if I was paying a flat rate I would feel like you didn't have much incentive to grow them out with a lot of feed since you could make more money on a smaller bird, and spend less in feed.

That's just how I would think on it. I think the chickens should be buy the pound too...

 

[CARS]

I tried a ad similar to Bigredfeather's ad and had zero calls for orders. I did however get a few requests to have me help them to raise their own birds

My feeling now is that too much info is just as bad as too little (I was told that by a couple members here when I posted my ad. Should have listened to them). I really just like to know what goes into what I eat and just assume others do too.

I also asked for a deposit, but the final price was based on weight of the processed bird.

Kinda glad the ad failed. All of my other fowl adventures just cost me money in the end once I get beyond feeding my family. I would probably be sitting on a couple hundred chickens in my freezer if I took orders.

 

[uhuh555]

We sell by word of mouth. Most of our customers when they pick up their orders place an order from the next batch (we usually have 4-5 batches per year). Never have any extras.

We also raise an extra batch just to give to people that are down on their luck. They usually become regular customers when they’re back on their feet. No contract, no deposit--just a list of names, phone numbers and how many they want.

Very simple!

 

[jaku]

Great forms everyone. Here's what mine looks like. Keep in mind, I basically raise them preordered, for people I know.



Spring, 2010 Chicken Order Form

*My birds are pasture raised, 100% natural, Cornish Cross chickens. This means that they walk around on the grass, see sunlight, and live- well, like chickens. Unlike grocery store birds, they have been given no chemicals or medications of any kind. These are big, meaty birds. One breast can often feed two people. They taste just like the birds you get in the grocery store, but are larger and healthier, with meat that’s a bit firmer.

*Birds will be delivered around the end of May. I will let you know ahead of time.

*Birds will be delivered fresh (not frozen,) the day after processing. They will be chilled, rested, and ready for the freezer or table, shrink-wrapped whole, just like you’d get them from the store.

*Because I am not a state licensed processing facility, you are purchasing LIVE birds. However, for no additional charge, I will process them for you- just check the box as indicated. If you don’t check it, you are telling me that you want a live bird on your doorstep. Don’t worry though, my enclosed, stainless steel processing area is very clean- certainly cleaner than a commercial processing plant!

*The average dressed weight is around 6.5lbs. This means that some birds could be 6lbs and some could be 8lbs. Again, selling live birds and processing them for my friends at no charge means they have to go by the bird, not the pound. I’ll try to mix them up the best I can.

*I will be raising birds in the fall and spring seasons. My (volunteer) processing crew has asked that I limit the total birds per batch to 75. I need about 20 birds myself. It’s first come, first serve beyond that. I may do a second batch, depending on demand.

*Birds are available either whole or cut up. “Whole” means a plucked, dressed bird. “Cut up” means you get two boneless breasts and two legs/thighs. You lose a little meat with this method, but if you aren’t roasting it whole, it will save you a lot of work. Don’t feel bad about requesting them cut up- I can fillet them in less time than cleaning them whole, so I don’t mind at all.

*Whole birds could (on rare occasions,) have a broken wing, and although they are checked, the plucker occasionally misses a feather or two. I will try to save the less pretty ones for myself.

*Please return the bottom portion of this sheet to me by Monday March 1st, as I will be ordering birds that day. The amount I order will depend on how many everyone wants. There will be no “extras” that you can get later. They MUST be pre-ordered.

*All Birds are $10 apiece

_____________________________________________________________


Name: __________________________________________

Do You Want Your Birds Processed? _______________
#Whole Birds__________ #Cut Up Birds ____________
Total Amount Due (at Delivery $ __________

 

[CARS]

Jaku.

You are braver than me with that contract language.

In one sentence you are stating that you are processing, but in the next you say... Oh heck, I will quote it.
"
*Birds will be delivered fresh (not frozen,) the day after processing. They will be chilled, rested, and ready for the freezer or table, shrink-wrapped whole, just like you’d get them from the store.

*Because I am not a state licensed processing facility, you are purchasing LIVE birds. However, for no additional charge, I will process them for you- just check the box as indicated. If you don’t check it, you are telling me that you want a live bird on your doorstep. Don’t worry though, my enclosed, stainless steel processing area is very clean- certainly cleaner than a commercial processing plant! "

If you have customers, I would leave that contract language out of it. (actually, just leave it at a hand shake.)


(You are a brave man

)

 

[jaku]

Quote:
Well, it boils down to the fact that no matter what you put in the wording, they technically can get you for selling food products without a license. In Michigan, you can't even give away food without a license if they want to be picky (including bake sales and pot lucks.) However, I'm simply explaining how they will be processed if someone chooses to have them processed. Everyone KNOWS that I'm processing birds- leaving it out of a contact does nothing to change that if there were a problem. Again, these are mostly my coworkers, so I'm not too worried anyway. My order form is more of an explanation of what I'm doing and what they're getting than a disclaimer.

 

[anthonyjames]

I would like to say thanks to all of the responses and ideas. I modified mine a little bit and sent it you on yesterday. Since then I have already pre-sold the first 100 for my June processing time. I am ordering another 100 for that same time frame. No one had issues at all with paying a deposit and said they completely understood.

I also pre-sold 6 turkeys as well. I think it will be a good summer and lot's of fun and my little 1 acre plot is about to get busy.

Thanks again.