I am a firm believer in planning. I read constantly to learn and discover new ideas and ways to farm. All I have to do is plan until we get moved onto the land. We will not go into debt in this adventure to ensure ourselves of being self-sustainable and avoiding any chance of going bankrupt. So while I sit and wait; I read, I dream, and I plan.
I often see people talking about buying chickens from the feed store, or finding items they need on the feed store bulletin board, so I figured I would go and look for myself. I traveled to 5 feed stores in my area. Not one had a bulletin board that was worthy of even looking at. Nothing, nada, zero, zilch. I thought when I bought the land it was in the perfect spot, right next to a feed store, what a convenience. Not really, they mostly sell cattle goods. Every feed store around really only deals in cattle and horse feed. Okay, I get it, I live in quarter horse and beef capital of the world, but doesn't someone around dabble in chickens, pigs, and meat rabbits? This has got me to thinking, by dabbling in these other animals am I in a niche market or am I messing with something that others have failed at here. I know what I want, I have even got the breed of each animal picked out, but there doesn't seem to be anyone remotely close to me farming these animals. Why? I don't know. In all of my reading, I cannot find the answer to that question. The friendlier farmers around here tell me there is no money in it, the non-friendly farmers just stare at me like I have asked the dumbest question they have ever heard. To the friendly farmers, I say, I am not in it for the money. My business (farm) plan is to simply recoup the cost of raising the animals/produce and to pay the property taxes, while providing my family and friends with the best meat/produce around. I realize this isn't a get rich quick scheme, nor will this farm ever make me rich, but there has to be a market for something other than a t-bone around here.
Hopefully in a couple of years I will be able to have a successful report, but now I have doubts. Now to go read and find out why no one is doing this.
I hope that I have found a niche..........
Being in a niche is a great thing from our experience. We only sell meat to family and friends and my co-workers. They all get excited in the spring and start asking what we are going to raise this year. Whether it's pigs or turkeys or something else we never have trouble selling the meat and recouping costs. But we don't make a profit. I think we could if we were more aggressive, but we are just in it for fun - both my husband and I have full-time jobs.
ReplyDeleteSo, my suggestion is to not get discouraged. You may have to order stuff [we have to order the breed of turkeys we want]. Maybe, if you keep asking at your local feed store, they will start carrying more variety.