Washingtonians

[Totalcolour]

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I don't know what kind of goats you have, or your plans for them, or the ducks/chickens. Having had mine for a few years now, I do know (good record keeping) that we do not break even. We DO eat our own meat, and raising our own has brought the cost down to about $2 per lb, and we know what good quality we are eating. I am not even taking into account the building materials, fencing costs, electricity, labour etc, only feed costs, and costs for stock (I didn't include the cost of the goats though).

I have a good market for free range eggs, Muscovies ducks and ducklings, and a few chickens here and there. The goats we are raising for our own food, same for the rabbits. Our income (from the "farm") comes from sales of eggs in the spring/summer, and sales of ducks. It covers our feed bills in the summer but not winter. We also trade some meat for fresh veggies.

We knew starting out that it would never be completely self supporting - we simply wanted better food, at a better price. We have made a niche market with some good customers who also want quality eggs and meat.

I'm not trying to make it sound like you can't make a go of it - but the area you live in, probably doesn't have the kind of customers (wealthy) who can afford the higher prices that would make this a good going concern for you. (We have a lot of wealthy people in our area, who willingly pay the high prices I put on my products)

If others have got a method for being totally self sufficient, I hope they can share their "secrets" with the rest of us. I would certainly like hubby to be able to give up his day job and we could "live off the land".

 

[Chicken Rustler]

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Well, what I meant by signs is like one big enough that says BYCers or something, ya know kinda like the 4 h signs!! LOL This way it will identify that we are not the show potluck committee! LOL

perhaps, to keep the "peace" -- since there were some rumblings of discord about our friendly group in the days before the show -- we could put signs on the TABLES instead, that .... "this is a potluck, so BRING FOOD and COME JOIN US ..."

better to be INclusive than exclusive ... and there certainly was enough food to have fed another army ...

what do you think ?

This was a bit of an issue and NOT with the club. See the guy with the burger stand just out side hasa rock solid deal that prohibits things that may basically hurt his business. That is (I was told) Why this club has no food. But WEwere just a group of friends sharing our lunch privately with each other and couldn't help it if others snuck in and got food too! I feel we had plenty and I didn't have any issue sharing. But I did tell those who ask what the deal was. I don't know of ANYBODY told they couldn't eat. That's MY BYC BUDDIES caring and sharing.

 

[pettec63]

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NO I'm totally down with that!! That is an excellent solution, and again, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but, look at it another way. It took money that I didn't really have to come up there, to spend the night ect, I spent money on food for that potluck for the people who are part of this forum ect, having said that, I would want what I brought to go to the people it is intended for, because I had very little left to go buy more to replace it. Now, my financial situation is of course my problem, but, at the same time I felt trying to sell my birds there, was not a waste of time or money and I met some awesome people and made some contacts that will benefit my business in the future! And it's one of those things, when times are better than by God I will contribute much more! OK, not sure if I'm making sense???

Heres what I think. First, if I were just a club member or showing birds and walked in the door I never for a second would think the potluck was for me the way it was situated. The show catalog said 'your on your own for lunch'. I may have brought fast food or something. I would not have helped myself to a potluck if the show catalog did not mention one.
Second, there was lots of good, specially prepared food there that people brought to share with BYC'ers. If all were invited it wouldn't have gone far and some BYC people may have been left out with the food gone. We planned the potluck to meet BYCers.
Third, if the show people and WFF members want potluck they obviously can plan their own. I'm not trying to sound like I wish to exclude them but we should be allowed to have our potluck without feeling guilty. We can encourage people to join the BYC Washingtonian forum. That way they will know about the potluck and not feel left out. Maybe after seeing our potluck and how fun it was future shows will plan their own for their members. If non BYCers and non WFF members show up to show maybe it will encourage them to join one or the other or both. If we get a few imposters, so be it. Not a big deal with me. I agree, we should come up with some kind of signage. JMHO.

 

[Kaneke]

burger stand outside ?? goodness, I didn't notice it -- my eyesight must be going

thanks for bringing that up

 

[SadieSue]

Quote:
perhaps, to keep the "peace" -- since there were some rumblings of discord about our friendly group in the days before the show -- we could put signs on the TABLES instead, that .... "this is a potluck, so BRING FOOD and COME JOIN US ..."

better to be INclusive than exclusive ... and there certainly was enough food to have fed another army ...

what do you think ?

This was a bit of an issue and NOT with the club. See the guy with the burger stand just out side hasa rock solid deal that prohibits things that may basically hurt his business. That is (I was told) Why this club has no food. But WEwere just a group of friends sharing our lunch privately with each other and couldn't help it if others snuck in and got food too! I feel we had plenty and I didn't have any issue sharing. But I did tell those who ask what the deal was. I don't know of ANYBODY told they couldn't eat. That's MY BYC BUDDIES caring and sharing.

I realize few of you met my DH who was there and probably didn't introduce himself to anyone, but later when I asked him again after several times saying, "Why don't you go get some food?" he finally told me "I had some veggies and then I went out and bought a sausage from the guy outside. It was really good." So the guy outside did get at least one customer and it was even a BYC spouse.

We have a little time to make a BYC banner before Monroe which would probably help define who is welcome to help themselves to the potluck. It does not bother me to share, but I would just hope that if there were any leftovers that our BYCer's felt free to help themselves and take them home at the end of the day.

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Might I also add that I was told where my vendor space was I had nothing to say about it. Also I was told there was no room for our pot luck so I just kind of kept nudging my stuff out from the wall trying to make room and I invited the group in. While I did invite the group to my space and I really enjoyed having everybody so close so I could easily visit too. I will say that I do think I may have paid a price for it.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

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I got in trouble the other morning for putting the dogs water in the wrong place on the floor. DH knocked it over. My thinking was, it's a big bowl up against the wall, under the breakfast bar, next to his stupid lunchbox that never goes away. OPEN your eyes. If his feet were that close to the wall then his nose was probably IN the wall. How did that happen?

The water dish here starts out where it belongs, but by about noon the animals have moved it all over heck- I steped in it yesterday and filled my inside shoes with cold water, ugh.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

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Definently. I totally forgot how bad I got lost last year and got totally messed up again this year. Next year we will have to remind each other and make sure CR tells us the short cuts! I also went way south before I got turned around!

have been Lost In Chehalis before (hey, that sounds like a good movie title .... )

so I knew enough to turn left at that sorta-mall complex just a little ways south of the fairgrounds

foggier than all get out, though, since I chose to drive home via highway 507 instead of heading out to the freeway

DH was freaking out and saying that if HE were driving, he would have run off the road into a pasture or ditch

it's somewhat shorter to get to Yelm via 507 .. since Yelm is kind of out of the way from most everywhere, yet so much traffic has to funnel through there to get from hither to yon

but agreed, the signage in that area could use some improving (vast understatement) --

(a good friend of mine used to work for Washington DOT, laying out highways, but this mess was in place long before he even graduated from college ... )

Yeah, 507 is shorter to Bucoda, Tenino, Rainier, Yelm, and points east. I keep wanting it to be shorter to Lacey, but it's not- like a lot of places around here, all of the straight-line routes are complicated by rivers, lakes, steep bluffs, and the US Army.

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Quote:
This was a bit of an issue and NOT with the club. See the guy with the burger stand just out side hasa rock solid deal that prohibits things that may basically hurt his business. That is (I was told) Why this club has no food. But WEwere just a group of friends sharing our lunch privately with each other and couldn't help it if others snuck in and got food too! I feel we had plenty and I didn't have any issue sharing. But I did tell those who ask what the deal was. I don't know of ANYBODY told they couldn't eat. That's MY BYC BUDDIES caring and sharing.

I realize few of you met my DH who was there and probably didn't introduce himself to anyone, but later when I asked him again after several times saying, "Why don't you go get some food?" he finally told me "I had some veggies and then I went out and bought a sausage from the guy outside. It was really good." So the guy outside did get at least one customer and it was even a BYC spouse.

We have a little time to make a BYC banner before Monroe which would probably help define who is welcome to help themselves to the potluck. It does not bother me to share, but I would just hope that if there were any leftovers that our BYCer's felt free to help themselves and take them home at the end of the day.

I think there were a couple who snacked well all the way home. Now I don't wanna mention any names but thier initials are ...never mind I am skeert of one of em. DaFat Kid got the best of the left overs. The cheese cake and choc pie.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

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I think my DH may have introduced himself too, he was the chatty one with tonsured hair, glasses, and a black-and-purple vest; he doesn't post on BYC message board but does a lot of the chicken care-taking, enjoys looking at the chickens in the show too (he was amazed at the Orps and the Jersey Giants, appreciated the silver laced Wyandottes, the brown Leghorns, the buff Cochins, CL's Icelandics, the millefleur and porcelain OEGs, and had some stories to tell about when his dad was raising Guineas

The second time I sat down I ended up talking to your DH, CL's, and Justbugged's.