Some rookie sheep farmer questions !

[gone up the hill]

You have to know your costs Guth!
Lots of running around and messing about to do direct sales.

True but if you could set it up right it would be worth it!

I keep getting people asking if they could buy some chops/ steaks etc, they want that but not a whole/half lamb/ 1/4 of a beast etc and that is the problem!!

 

[Jerry]

True but if you could set it up right it would be worth it!

I keep getting people asking if they could buy some chops/ steaks etc, they want that but not a whole/half lamb/ 1/4 of a beast etc and that is the problem!!

Indeed. But if they don't want at least a half then I don't bother. I say it is same price for half even if you don't want the breast or liver etc. I have eaten well of the back of some of the sales for no cost to me or even sold some items twice.

Older generation know value and love some of the less popular cuts.

Folk are strange.

I have just done a small deal with local pub. Given them a bit of a discount in return for my details on the menus. Hope that will bring out a few more customers.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

what you paying to get that done Pete and where do you get it done ?

I don't think price matters (to a point) potential customers are not buying for value, they buy because they like the idea

£20 each at Farmers Fresh, Kenilworth.

 

[Clive]

A good profit margin for a 43 kilo lamb that is only worth £80 at a supermarket plant!

and you (of all people) are surprised there is more money in processing and retail than production ?

 

[caveman]

True but if you could set it up right it would be worth it!

I keep getting people asking if they could buy some chops/ steaks etc, they want that but not a whole/half lamb/ 1/4 of a beast etc and that is the problem!!

Perhaps you need to broaden your circle?
Ignore the man and his desires and talk to his woman.
We carry home produced pork, beef and lamb in four freezers.
Friends and family give a steady turn over, mostly collected, and anything consumed here is "sold" to the house. All booked down on a4 and tallied and accounted monthly.
Always ask when we go visiting if we can take a selection for hosts freezers.
Minced beef and sausages great trade and gets rid of all the "unfashionable" bits!

 

[IEM]

How's the flock @Clive ?

 

[Beef farmer]

How's the flock @Clive ?

He's lambing.

 

[Drillman]

Gone quiet? Have they all dropped dead? @Clive

 

[Clive]

Gone quiet? Have they all dropped dead? @Clive

I expect they are all dead by now yes, all sold

made a few £ nothing too get over excited about but certainly better than nothing. I expect / hope to reap the benefits from the biology left behind in future years

 

[Henarar]

that's good I was wondering how it went

 

[Clive]

that's good I was wondering how it went

overall a very positive experince, they really have been no bother to look after and its nice to see livestock on the farm

I have been approached re keeping 600 ewes (easy care whatever that means ??) next winter from 1st oct - 1st march with us doing all the fencing / looking after them, now we have a little bit of experience this might be better than buying in our own ? not sure what its worth though ? at least its a known margin and no buying / selling to get right

otherwise next autumn the plan will be to drill higher feed value cover crops and do this again but with higher numbers to make it hopefully more worthwhile

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Sheep are clever Clive, I reckon this flock have been playing the long game and lulling you into a false sense of security....


Did you get that spreader going and I presume you got your second load?, unlike my loads which didn't turn up and I was parked yesterday in perfect weather.

Saying that, I REALLY, REALLY hope you got spreading and I wasn't parked up when I could of been helping you out!!!

 

[Clive]

Sheep are clever Clive, I reckon this flock have been playing the long game and lulling you into a false sense of security....


Did you get that spreader going and I presume you got your second load?, unlike my loads which didn't turn up and I was parked yesterday in perfect weather.

Saying that, I REALLY, REALLY hope you got spreading and I wasn't parked up when I could of been helping you out!!!

no didn't get it done ! x20 is buggered so x30 being fitted on Tuesday now spent rest of week getting some Oats drilled instead, don't worry though we pushed heap up and sheeted it well so it will stay dry and its tipped on concrete so will wait just fine I think

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Bugger.

Christ, I'm peeved now. Sorry, I just didn't think to offer.

 

[Purli R]

I expect they are all dead by now yes, all sold

made a few £ nothing too get over excited about but certainly better than nothing. I expect / hope to reap the benefits from the biology left behind in future years

Do you think you will see the benefit so soon? Or will it take a few years to build up? Or is it a case of wait n see? its all very interesting stuff!

 

[Clive]

Do you think you will see the benefit so soon? Or will it take a few years to build up? Or is it a case of wait n see? its all very interesting stuff!

Don't expect anything overnight with soil, it's just one piece of a big complex jigsaw I reckon

But I'm sure it's a big step in the right direction, doubt I will ever be able to prove or quantify any of it however !

 

[Gulli]

Don't expect anything overnight with soil, it's just one piece of a big complex jigsaw I reckon

But I'm sure it's a big step in the right direction, doubt I will ever be able to prove or quantify any of it however !

That last bit is the problem and why so many mixed farms have gone to just cropping instead, the livestock doesn't stand on its own but the benefits are so hard to measure.

Good on you

 

[Beef farmer]

I expect they are all dead by now yes, all sold

made a few £ nothing too get over excited about but certainly better than nothing. I expect / hope to reap the benefits from the biology left behind in future years

If you don't mind, What was your margin per ewe?

 

[Clive]

If you don't mind, What was your margin per ewe?

Not a lot to get excited about ! Might scrape a tenner ! Lambs were better (we had lambs and ewes for evaluation) however that's this year were exchange rates have helped

We bought the ewes a bit late and sold them a bit early - all part of the learning process

 

[Cab-over Pete]

As long as you've not lost money it's got to be the right thing to do.

Unless you all do it on every acre of cover crop and they get too dear to buy!!