Have you tried Splenda? Much better tasting and has never given me any problems. Aspartame gave me migraines and a nasty rash on my tummy.
MollyD
Price for eggs?
And, guess what? I get the same from Splenda and Sweet-n-low. The only one I can use IS aspartame.
I also can't stand the taste of Splenda or Sweet-n-low.
GG
I'm afraid I love Splenda.....
My 45 new hen chicks arrived today.
Not at my PO, but a regional one a distance away I had to drive out to get them.
I didn't know they were arriving today, so today was a bit crazy getting them accommodated.
Gee, I will have more eggs in about 6 months .. :-)
Abutilon who did you order from that sent chicks without alerting you? I want to avoid that hatchery!!!
btw has anyone ordered from Cackle in Mo. ? I was on there web page and saw some interesting birds there. I hadn't heard of them before and wondered what their chicks were like.
MollyD
I can't use Splenda either. Like I said when i need sweetener, I just use good ole raw sugar. :)
I just found this thread, If I could sell my eggs for 250 to 3.00 a doz, I wouldn't have to worry about my feed bill. Folks would literally tell me , that's a joke, and they'd go elsewhere.
I'm high at l.50 a doz. the lady downthe road sells hers for 1.25 a doz.
I don't call my eggs organic cause I don't feed organic feed, but do call them free range. free range eggs in the grocery store are over 3.00 now. but regular eggs small to med white eggs are l.80 at walmart.
I don't have troubles selling them for 1.50 but I did loose a customer who bought 4 doz a week previously, cause she said she couldn't afford l.50 a doz. I go to church with this lady. This was a while back, said she was paying l.09 in the grocery store. Dn't think sh'es paying that any more LOL and I didn't go down on my prices for her because I can't keep enough eggs in the house now selling them at $1.50 a doz.
so I guess I'll stick to that price. Wish I could go higher.
hi kathy_ann. I tell people...you get what you pay for. The eggs in the supermarket for $1.09 dozen (haven't seen that in a while, btw) have been around for a few weeks and even longer. Not fresh anymore. I'll bet when she buys your eggs, they are yesterday's eggs!
Like I said, you get what you pay for.
My cartons are expensive, but the cheapest ones I've found. I print my own labels, 2 x 4 and they are expensive as is the ink to print them (but cheaper than having them printed). The feed has gone through the roof, having gone up $2 and $3 a bag.
All I ask of people is think of all your costs and then think that you are not doing this for nothing. If people will pay $3.00 in the store, but not with you, I would ask why? Yours are fresher. We cannot reuse cartons here, it is a state law to use new cartons. I like the law and understand it.
I have 22 dozen eggs to sell today, I think with all the storms the chickens have slowed down...hopefully when it warms up some they will lay more and our new ones are due to start layng in June. Most of the 22 dozen are already spoken for and I will turn away about another 30 customers today :( But we have chicken today and I've already gotten several emails to hold chicken for them. With so many, we really can't....we have to do a first come first serve attitude when that happens. Not enough room in the freezers to bag up everything for everyone and hold them.
Kathy_Ann.....how are your chicks doing? Did the milk work?
Have been anxious to hear?
Blessings,
Kathy
Kathy-
I have a question how do you sell your chicken? Is it by the bird or by the pound? I am trying to start selling meat but need to do some more research. What do you use to package your meat?
How many chickens do you have to be getting 22 dozen eggs? I would love to come be your shadow for a day.
Sheila
Sheila,
You would be most welcome. :) How far away is Clarksburg?
We have probably 150 laying hens right now, with another 200 getting ready to start laying in June. Normally, we get more than 22 dozen (a few days collections) but this weather is really wreaking havoc with all of the animals. Something's just not right!
We sell our chicken by the pound as we have whole chickens, chicken breast, leg quarters, wings, necks/soup bones, and chicken livers. All by the pound.
We also sell beef, pork, lamb, goat, turkey. All by the pound. You'd probably be shocked at our prices, but they are the going rate for antibiotic/hormone free meats without any MSG, nitrates, nitrites, preservatives, etc. Yum, yum.
:) Kathy
If I had a nice lg elaborate set up i'd sell them higher for sure.
I only have l3 hens and only sell off the ones we don't use. Sounds like a super nice place you have kathy.
WE use to kill our chickens for meat, but that was way too much for meto handle LOL so I just buy the no hormone/antibiotic chicken now .
chicks are doing wonderful, gave them more milk last night, they love it now. and seem to drink it up as soon as they get it. Milk tastes better now too , must be greener pastures, we're drinking it now too LOL thanks for asking.
kathy, i'd be one of your top customers for that meat if I lived close to you. Had goat once , didn't like it, but did like emu/rhea.
Kathy -
To far away for me to just pop over, LOL.
Do you have a website that shows or tells about your operations. I am looking forward to starting an operation here that includes eggs, chicken meat, cow's milk, goat's milk, and goat meat for sale.
I am now looking into what state regs are for all of these products.
If I felt I could get enouhg profit from the chicken meat and eggs alone I would just keep the others for our families.
Sheila
well you can look at our website www.packardsmmfarm.com we have some but not all the animals and they are pictures a few years old ;)
I wish you all could come and s ee the farm; although right now it's pretty wet....
;) Kathy
Kathy I was just reading your web page and I'm curious. Is that CSA being done up my way? I've never heard of it before. I gather the fee entitles the family to an even split of whatever was raised during that time period? Then the receiver is responsible for picking up their share and doing whatever it takes to store it for their own use?
Thanks!
MollyD
YEs, yes, and yes Molly :) If you go to www.localharvest.org you might be able to find a CSA in your area. The thing is that this time of year a lot of them are already filled up, but you could be lucky and find one with some openings still. It is a great concept.
We have people email or call everyday.
Let me know if I can help you in any way.
My home email is on the website.
:) Kathy
Thanks Kathy. I just checked out for my zip code and found several farms selling different kinds of livestock but only one doing what might be called vegetables (mostly cabbage and beans). Everyone seemed very specialized. Best source seemed to be the farmers markets but of course those don't require a membership to use.
Thanks for the link though since we will probably use it to find good meat sources. We will have our own chickens and possibly goat by the end of this year. Next year we hope to extend that to ducks and geese. Beef, lamb and pork are meats we do not want to get into raising!
MollyD
Thanks for the link kathy, I'm gonna go look around. sounds like a lovely place
Raising livestock is not for everybody and frankly, it's my DH that does it. I just keep the books. It ties you down big time; we rarely can go on a vacation (or again I should say he). I have to get away here and there or I go farm crazy. But there are a lot of losses, a lot of work, a lot of money.....and then it's like getting punched in the stomach when someone tells you that your charging too much money for this and that! I tell them to walk in my shoes. or my DH's.
Local Harvest is a great source for so many things. Molly, I go through Canandaigua on my way home to Pittsfield, MA (when we drive). I believe it is in the Fingerlakes Region? Surely, there must be something in that area. IF not, you should consider starting one next year, it is the up and coming thing.
:) Kathy
Molly, did you check out this farm? http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M21169 Windy Meadow Farms . They have a drop off point in Canandaigua and are very, very reasonable...........almost too reasonable. $220 for a full share....I don't know how they can do it, but I'd nab them if I were you. LOL
This message was edited May 14, 2008 9:34 AM
It is a lot of work. and Yep, it does tie you down. The efforts are worth it in the end. And one will never satisfy everybody. It takes having been there to realize one's efforts and not to complain abou t their prices.
goodness, that site does it all don't they WOW
Wow, I looked through that link, you have me intrigued now LOL would love to find some place local that does this sort of thing.
I like the fact that they have so many farms inside this link, it's neat.
I went to that link and hit in my zip. There is an Amish farm 12 miles from me. How neat! Their price for the CSA is actually quite reasonable. It does make me curious how much vegetables you would get in a $10 lot. I also noticed they get $2 for eggs and you can order grass fed chicken too, as well as pies, jams, beef, pork, milk. Very interesting!
Verily I say to you...if you support one farmer, you support all. ;)
kathy_ann, the closest CSA I could find to you was in Houston, AR. It looks pretty far....you are way out there, aren't you? LOL
Oh Chele, I think I'd look into them.....
:) Kathy
I will have to make it a point to check them out. Last year when I was seeking Promix, no one local had it. One of the nurseries told me to check with the Amish. I didn't make it that far as hubby was able to pick it up on the way to work.
One thing I found amusing, the Amish farm, simply has a page and an agreement form. As you know, the Amish don't use all of the modern and technological things we do. If you want to contact them, you have to call their neighbor, who will pass on the message or send them paper mail. They also apologized a bit for the higher prices as they have to pay for the greenhouses to extend the season. They are still far cheaper than the grocery! And how do you put a price on fresh and chemical free?
We watched two movies the other day, involving the Amish. My kids were amazed that they had no Tv, no phone, no computer, etc. My eldest made a crack about it being neat. I told her it would be wonderful. I told her we could get rid of the electric, the cell phones, the land phone, the computers and to think of all the money we'd save. She did not think that part was so neat!
And don't forget the cars!!!! :) Ask Kathleen about her neighborhood sometime. She lives in the middle of Amish country with horse and buggies going up and down the road all the time. I was sitting in her kitchen one evening and heard this loud music, getting closer and closer. I looked at her questioningly and she said "it's the Amish teenagers". They had a boom box in their buggy! And the teenagers do get into trouble.....ha, ha...they aren't perfect.
Just food for thought....not all is chemical free and not all they bake is fresh. They tend to use a lot of canned fruits, etc. for their pies, etc. We also live next to a very large Mennonite community. They have cars and phones. I actually got them hooked on cell phones and now everyone has them. They often ask me about my computer and I think they are thinking of allowing them. But they do not have TV and I think that's great. We are so used to be able to check on the news and the weather, etc. My friend always calls me if the sky looks funny to see if we have any storms coming. She bought a weather alert, but around here they go off every 5 minutes and will drive you crazy!
:) Kathy
LOL about the teenagers getting into trouble. Not that my eldest has done anything horrible, but we keep telling her she is going to the Convent!
This is a clip from their webpage.
"We take special care to provide healthy and clean products for you. Our produce is grown using organic methods. Our meats and eggs are all pasture-raised, grass-fed products with no antibiotics or hormones. We use Golden Granulated Sugar for our baked goods and jams, which is healthier and not refined like regular sugar."
Kathy thank you so much! I don't know how I missed that one. It's exactly the sort of thing I was looking for. That really is very cheap! I mean $10. a week and I don't even have to do the work growing them!!! That is a lot of savings in time, money and labor for me.
I emailed them to get on their waiting list if not for this year then 2009. I'd even prefer to pick my stuff up. Gives me a weekly outing too ^_^
MollyD
Yes, they asked me if I was running from the law when we moved out here LOL So far from everywhere. It's long distance to call l0 miles down the road too. my DD hates it cause she has to commute to college daily. it's only l5 miles to harding university, but it's a long l5 miles LOL