Polyface

[balbirniefarm]

I found this. Is anyone trying anything similar in the UK? Would the film be worth watching?

It's American so try to get past the slushiness.

http://www.polyfaces.com/trailer-english/

 

[Dot]

i for one would watch, very interesting. The idea seems so simple, just produce a good product and sell it direct.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Would something like Jimmys Farm be a british equivalent?

 

[Fred]

Can I suggest Joel salatins book , "folks this ain't normal"

 

[marco]

you'll like this then, http://www.acresusa.com/the-salatin-semester-dvd-book-set-pal-968

 

[Andy Howard]

He certainly makes you think. Didn't get a chance to visit him when travelling the states. I tried.

 

[SilliamWhale]

you'll like this then, http://www.acresusa.com/the-salatin-semester-dvd-book-set-pal-968

Now personally I'm very very cynical of DVD's costing £200 etc.

Salatin will make more of his money from being Salatin and doing speaking engagements/books/dvds/tours etc. and promoting the farm as "Salatin's farm" than he would from a margin what he actually produces. Nothing wrong with that of course but it puts the production side of things into a more realistic context.

Its why I linked Jimmys farm which is a similar model - its as much a lifestyle/ enlightenment/ inspiration thing which relies on its usp which would be the protagonist. Its about farm tourism more than the product in my opinion (again nothing wrong with that)

 

[marco]

Now personally I'm very very cynical of DVD's costing £200 etc.

Salatin will make more of his money from being Salatin and doing speaking engagements/books/dvds/tours etc. and promoting the farm as "Salatin's farm" than he would from a margin what he actually produces. Nothing wrong with that of course but it puts the production side of things into a more realistic context.

Its why I linked Jimmys farm which is a similar model - its as much a lifestyle/ enlightenment/ inspiration thing which relies on its usp which would be the protagonist. Its about farm tourism more than the product in my opinion (again nothing wrong with that)

will i appreciate your opinion especially when its not the same as mine, a dvd set like this could make money if you emulated some of what he does. will you buy it and send it to me when your finished?

 

[martian]

I have enormous admiration for Joel Salatin. The day we spent there last month was probably the single most interesting day of my life (I don't get out much) and has filled my head with ideas about how to approach farming, from all angles. Seeing what he does and how he does it is much more visceral than reading about it. Judging by the quality of the trailer, this box set will probably give a good flavour of what he's doing and will therefore be worth the 200 dollars...

However as Will says, he's a showman and a salesman, he's selling his story and it is a good one. People are buying it and buying his meat. He does all sorts of things that would be illegal in this country (and a fair few that are illegal in Kentucky, I suspect). But he is a force for good, to my mind, and as we all know, an awful lot of Laws are stupid. He's employing 20 people and selling $3 million of stuff (including dvds...) off 170 acres. Impressive

 

[York]

I have enormous admiration for Joel Salatin. The day we spent there last month was probably the single most interesting day of my life (I don't get out much) and has filled my head with ideas about how to approach farming, from all angles. Seeing what he does and how he does it is much more visceral than reading about it. Judging by the quality of the trailer, this box set will probably give a good flavour of what he's doing and will therefore be worth the 200 dollars...

However as Will says, he's a showman and a salesman, he's selling his story and it is a good one. People are buying it and buying his meat. He does all sorts of things that would be illegal in this country (and a fair few that are illegal in Kentucky, I suspect). But he is a force for good, to my mind, and as we all know, an awful lot of Laws are stupid. He's employing 20 people and selling $3 million of stuff (including dvds...) off 170 acres. Impressive

Martian,
can only add: I know Salatin since '01, spend some time with him, also toured his farm on a private, just me tour. Spend 2 days on a seminar in '14 in NL, would do it right again, even if it's not cheap. He is worth every penny.
If you get to kn9ow him, not in front of a group or as a speaker, it's worth it. When he comes back to EU we are on a "waiting list" to have him including a private day, for sure. It's more than selling, he is rely on the forefront.
we need more of his kind in farming,there are tooo many opportunist's and "bootlicker" which never stand up for a risk, besides putting seed into the ground, which is already a risk and active faith in expecting a harvest.
York-Th.

 

[SilliamWhale]

will i appreciate your opinion especially when its not the same as mine, a dvd set like this could make money if you emulated some of what he does. will you buy it and send it to me when your finished?

Hes charging what he thinks the market will bear. I respect that. I've not been to his place but I've read a couple of his books and talks on YouTube. The DVD isn't that dear really if you really want it.

I still say the marketing is the driver not the production so much. I'm not knocking him one bit, but theres only one Joel salatin. Why? Because he was the first

 

[Clive]

he's a very smart man - there is a lot that many UK farmers could learn from him, if livestock was my thing and I was a small farmer I would be using a LOT of his ideas

 

[Suffolk Serf]

Would something like Jimmys Farm be a british equivalent?

Only in as much as it's marketing a personality.
Jimmy's farm is definitely nowhere near being holistic IMHO.

 

[mikep]

i for one would watch, very interesting. The idea seems so simple, just produce a good product and sell it direct.

Producing a good product is the easy bit, selling is the hard bit. The novelty soon wears off on the Great British public and who can blame them as you can get everything delivered anytime anywhere(nearly). If you want cheap you can get Tesco or Asda, if you want upmarket you can get Waitrose, if you want organic you can get Abel and Cole or Riverford. There are plenty of local ones around as well.
The only ones making a real go here are the ones who cater for ladies who lunch and/or have a venue. As soon as you get a good product the supermarkets will asses it and if they want take it. That's life. Niche products are exactly that, as long as they remain exclusive its fine but as soon as they become popular you lose the market.
If you think of something new milk it for all you can because there are lots of copycats watching all the time and we all know who a farmers worst enemy is!!

 

[Chasingmytail]

Well we've got all his books - watched all the youtube vids, changed our farming practice into low input. Built a chicken-mobile sell pasture raised organic eggs (demand is extreme I deliver), made a hay rack and only feed hay which is pushed into the hay rack (no machinery), made compost, electric fences everywhere. Joel is a hero to my husband from this has bounced off the permaculture - dug ponds on every corner. The last 2 years the OH has just gone Joel mad!

Low input is the way forward now as for the Niche market there is def one and selling is hard but some people live in good foodie areas and shift vast amounts however where we live in SE Wales it is hard graft. If you can sell the story (you have to be passionate about marketing), build a good reputation then it is very easy. You have to have the energy to deliver, be constantly posting on FB, fresh upbeat webpage and keep banging out your passion. Unfort, like many business to succeed you need to have the passion and the labour to do this. There is lots of EU money for grants out there too.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Well we've got all his books - watched all the youtube vids, changed our farming practice into low input. Built a chicken-mobile sell pasture raised organic eggs (demand is extreme I deliver), made a hay rack and only feed hay which is pushed into the hay rack (no machinery), made compost, electric fences everywhere. Joel is a hero to my husband from this has bounced off the permaculture - dug ponds on every corner. The last 2 years the OH has just gone Joel mad!

Low input is the way forward now as for the Niche market there is def one and selling is hard but some people live in good foodie areas and shift vast amounts however where we live in SE Wales it is hard graft. If you can sell the story (you have to be passionate about marketing), build a good reputation then it is very easy. You have to have the energy to deliver, be constantly posting on FB, fresh upbeat webpage and keep banging out your passion. Unfort, like many business to succeed you need to have the passion and the labour to do this. There is lots of EU money for grants out there too.

Whats your facebook page?

 

[mikep]

Well we've got all his books - watched all the youtube vids, changed our farming practice into low input. Built a chicken-mobile sell pasture raised organic eggs (demand is extreme I deliver), made a hay rack and only feed hay which is pushed into the hay rack (no machinery), made compost, electric fences everywhere. Joel is a hero to my husband from this has bounced off the permaculture - dug ponds on every corner. The last 2 years the OH has just gone Joel mad!

Low input is the way forward now as for the Niche market there is def one and selling is hard but some people live in good foodie areas and shift vast amounts however where we live in SE Wales it is hard graft. If you can sell the story (you have to be passionate about marketing), build a good reputation then it is very easy. You have to have the energy to deliver, be constantly posting on FB, fresh upbeat webpage and keep banging out your passion. Unfort, like many business to succeed you need to have the passion and the labour to do this. There is lots of EU money for grants out there too.

There are niche markets but try to get one the supermarkets will find it difficulties in to take from you.
We used to produce speciality table birds and used French breeds that are very rare and quite novel the uk. We got very good reaction to one particular type and lots of demand. The breed took 20 weeks to fatten as opposed to 8 for normal free range. The sums added up and with London 1/2 hr up the road we were all set to committing full production which would have been very expensive with the lead times. We ordered our first group but were asked if we could take them early to fit in with a shipment for another grower. I asked how many they were taking and was told15,000. Now for all singing and dancing free range that is a hell of a lot of birds, I did some asking and it was a trial group for one of the supermarkets to see if they could get them ready in 10 weeks. I cancelled my order and realised that someone had noticed what we were doing and wanted a slice. The trial was a a failure but even so we could have lost a packet as it was the recession came and supermarkets all sell free range birds at prices the smaller people cannot compete with so it is not worth the effort now.

 

[Chasingmytail]

I understand your frustration Mikep we used to sell beef, lamb and pork as conventional farmers. It was hard graft and this was before FB and twitter. In the end we closed it as at the time there was some major financial changes in the farm. The one thing you have to accept is that your product is no where near the supermarket standards and your customers are not the Asda Value buyers I also say aim high and keep quality. I am surprised that you are no longer producing because there is a good demand for quality chicken if you ask Riverford organics or Farmdrop. As for feeding into the supermarket chain that is not something that many would want to do and we know the demands. Was it Sasco or Label Anglais? I have ordered chickens over the net (Fredricks) to put in the freezer think they were around £13 each they were superior and I was very happy with the quality and did order plenty more however we aim to eat organic now so it is harder to source but around £14 - £16 per bird.

There are plenty of very successful direct sellers and keeping the business to a size that is manageable and low inputs is essential. The grass fed group (Pasture for Life) have many members who run fantastic business'

Deliver to the door is essential these days and the Riverford/Abel & Co concepts work therefore you have to copy them. Not everyone who uses them are wealthy or ladies who lunch these are people who understand the food chain and want to feed themselves and children the best and will forgo the flash holidays and wine for basic food.

We are only currently involved in the pasture raised organic eggs. We have have gone back into the beef market but only just in calf. My husband is very keen on raising chickens to eat too as this is the biggest demand.

My FB page is https://www.facebook.com/Cwrt-Henllys-Farm-1459536610949848/?fref=ts

 

[mikep]

I understand your frustration Mikep we used to sell beef, lamb and pork as conventional farmers. It was hard graft and this was before FB and twitter. In the end we closed it as at the time there was some major financial changes in the farm. The one thing you have to accept is that your product is no where near the supermarket standards and your customers are not the Asda Value buyers I also say aim high and keep quality. I am surprised that you are no longer producing because there is a good demand for quality chicken if you ask Riverford organics or Farmdrop. As for feeding into the supermarket chain that is not something that many would want to do and we know the demands. Was it Sasco or Label Anglais? I have ordered chickens over the net (Fredricks) to put in the freezer think they were around £13 each they were superior and I was very happy with the quality and did order plenty more however we aim to eat organic now so it is harder to source but around £14 - £16 per bird.

There are plenty of very successful direct sellers and keeping the business to a size that is manageable and low inputs is essential. The grass fed group (Pasture for Life) have many members who run fantastic business'

Deliver to the door is essential these days and the Riverford/Abel & Co concepts work therefore you have to copy them. Not everyone who uses them are wealthy or ladies who lunch these are people who understand the food chain and want to feed themselves and children the best and will forgo the flash holidays and wine for basic food.

We are only currently involved in the pasture raised organic eggs. We have have gone back into the beef market but only just in calf. My husband is very keen on raising chickens to eat too as this is the biggest demand.

My FB page is https://www.facebook.com/Cwrt-Henllys-Farm-1459536610949848/?fref=ts

The trouble with poultry is twofold
Firstly chickens have the highest price differential between a 'free range' supermarket bird and a proper free range one. Meaning that the price differential between good beef and good supermarket beef is not as great. In practice many sellers of beef here are happy to sell at waitrose prices as they are taking some of themiddle cut. Our birds were at least 2.5 times the price of a mass produced one. This is a huge thing to many buyers no matter what they say. We live in an extremely affluent area but money does not bring taste no matter what Marco Pierre White says!!
Secondly chicken has the shortest shelf life and can be dangerous if too old. Coupled with the fact that frozen chicken has a bad name (not justified) it means if you don't sell all fresh you may as well feed it to the dogs.
We sold a lot from the farm gate when it was trendy but now it's so easy to shop online most people could not be bothered to make the journey, must say I don't blame them when it's cold and wet!
With beef you know the beast is coming ready, you punt it around and get orders, send it off and then pick up and dole out.....job done. With poultry its killing, packing, delivering on a weekly basis and placing feeding and bedding on a daily basis.
Lifes too short and in the end the sums no longer add up so the prospects are not good unless you can sell them all retail but even there there is a snag. The customer nearly always thinks that you have nothing else to do but entertain them for a quarter of an hour and by that time any profit has gone.

 

[Chasingmytail]

that is why its always delivery only unless by prior appointment. For bio security and general security plus our time it is not practical to have people popping by for a chat. Did you do farmers markets? Have you read Salatan on poultry production? Hence the reason why we followed the pasture raised cos it works - we never bed our birds. Also I am still not convinced price is an issue if you for the the top end. You must be surrounded by high class restaurants and there was the option of Good Taste Awards.