We were nervous to increase our price on our eggs. It’s just always been $5….. we raised to $6 (still not high enough!), but our customers were happy to pay it. Will be raising again, likely, but we only have a small customer base, and they appreciate them for what they are 😊
Small farmers needs to start charging at least enough to make a profit. They cannot even come close to competing with grocery stores, but those aren’t the customers you want anyway, and that’s ok. Not everyone will be able to afford it, but that’s ok too.
My husband comes from an Italian family who used to take pride in growing, canning, butchering, sausage making. But that generation has done everything they can to get away from that kind of life. It is looked down upon. I cannot tell you how many times my fil has scoffed at our pigs and said “it would be cheaper if you just buy halves”. He is missing the entire point of why we are doing what we are doing. Many are missing the point.
Thank you for your words. I feel a shift. Maybe it’s just false hope, or just the ppl I choose to surround myself with…. But I feel like ppl are slowly figuring out that the way our society is currently running is just not going to work. Many changes need to be made. And the almighty $ cannot be the deciding factor anymore.
Your FIL is of that generation that rejected their parents' or grandparents' wisdom in exchange for the convenience and speed modernity promised. Now, here we all are trying to cobble together the skills and experience that we were not given. It's such a sadness and so much has been lost. Still, I'm glad there are people, you included, that are doing the work to reclaim what we were not given.
It’s so true. They did everything they could to get off the farm and not “have to” do all the work. And they boarderline scoff at us for even wanting to try. It is very interesting.
My purchased eggs are sitting heavier in my stomach now. Our new city only allows two birds of chickens or ducks per household. We’re planning on two ducks when it’s warmer and more natural to have ducklings than winter in Michigan.
So timely!! Just discussing a family cow and the cost/benefit came up...of course I could buy milk and butter for so much cheaper- of course we’ll burn through our hay so much quicker- of course it will be so much work to milk consistently- but those aren’t even any of the factors for me! The food, yes all about the food, and the experience... I think I’m gonna do it!
So well said. And so timely for me. I dropped the ball big time recently in our families health. I Am fortunate enough to buy exclusively from small local farms. Chat with the incredible farmers. I do not mind paying a premium. In fact sometimes I don’t understand HOW they can even put a price on things.... like raw butter. It feels so so good to bring my young son to these farms and see where his food comes from since we are not in a spot to do the labor ourselves yet. The interaction, pause, gratitude, community.
The big gut punch recently, vaccines. For some reason this never crossed my mind. In a decade of searching for the not nutrient dense animal foods for purchase, vaccines are just as taboo in this area as they are with humans.
Several of the farms I adore and love, are quite perfect in so many ways, I just learned through asking, vaccinate their livestock. Truly mind boggling to me. These families grow their own organic feed. No soy. No corn. Use homeopathy for their animals. No antibiotics. But vaccinate them for several diseases.
So full circle, you are very very right, you cannot put a price on the labor of true love. The price we pay to have what we want, and the quality we want, IS that labor ♥️
Alyssa, that's a tough one. To be honest, most people don't ask at all and don't know this practice even exists. Do the farms use continuous vaccines as prophylactics or is it a one time thing initially? Are they injections of nutrients or an ongoing program of inoculations for various things? I'm sure you've already looked into this and are comfortable to make the decisions you have, I just know there's a lot of nuance there.
Totally. The farm we receive our goat milk and goat products from give continuous prophylactic injections yearly. I will no longer be purchasing from them and well when we know better we do better. I would never milk share or wet nurse my baby with a human who did this so a big no for animals too. I was pleased to hear our meat farm does not use any injections at all (they’re Amish and process everything right on their property ♥️)
What wild times when everything from every angle is tampered with in some way. All that God created so perfectly. Just trying my best without letting the fear of it all control my life.
Oh dear, yes, that's a big no for me, too. You know, I very rarely bring the vaccination stuff up because so many people are just overwhelmed with just shifting from grocery store to farm. I always hope to stress that it's a continuum. I'm glad you found this out and are finding other solutions. And I agree, it does get exhausting to see how people tamper with everything.
Well said Tara! There is no dollar amount I can put on the stress relieving endorphins I enjoy while watching my hens foraging around our property. Nothing is much funnier than watching their bouncing side-to-side run toward me when I bring them treats. And the eggs are delicious.
Is it silly that I'm sitting here with tears while I read this? I know that sense you can quantify what is different, but an egg you raised warms you in a way that even the best grocery store-bought "pastured" "organic" egg can not even begin to compare.
Tara - is there a way I can mail you a check for a subscription? Or some other direct, electronic payment? I want to subscribe, but not use a credit card...thanks so much!
Steve
P.S. If you have an email address for me, you can send details privately to it.
I can fully understand this which you write about. I have four hens and value them and their eggs. I do my best to care for them the way they should be cared for and they repay me in nutrient dense eggs. I wish one day I could also fully understand how it is to raise my own food. I will get there one day. For now I value the colorful gems I am given from the hens I raise.
Oh, Cassandra! Thank you for sharing this gorgeous moment with your grandmother. It just filled me with such delight! And polka, too! I haven't heard a good polka since I was a little girl at our family weddings when the men and women would wildly twirl and fly all over the dance floor. Thank you for this delicious story.
Can I ask what area this is in that this type of music is still on the airways and requests for friend's birthday songs are still announced? I'm filing this story into my memory. It's a keeper. Thank you.
We were nervous to increase our price on our eggs. It’s just always been $5….. we raised to $6 (still not high enough!), but our customers were happy to pay it. Will be raising again, likely, but we only have a small customer base, and they appreciate them for what they are 😊
Small farmers needs to start charging at least enough to make a profit. They cannot even come close to competing with grocery stores, but those aren’t the customers you want anyway, and that’s ok. Not everyone will be able to afford it, but that’s ok too.
My husband comes from an Italian family who used to take pride in growing, canning, butchering, sausage making. But that generation has done everything they can to get away from that kind of life. It is looked down upon. I cannot tell you how many times my fil has scoffed at our pigs and said “it would be cheaper if you just buy halves”. He is missing the entire point of why we are doing what we are doing. Many are missing the point.
Thank you for your words. I feel a shift. Maybe it’s just false hope, or just the ppl I choose to surround myself with…. But I feel like ppl are slowly figuring out that the way our society is currently running is just not going to work. Many changes need to be made. And the almighty $ cannot be the deciding factor anymore.
Your FIL is of that generation that rejected their parents' or grandparents' wisdom in exchange for the convenience and speed modernity promised. Now, here we all are trying to cobble together the skills and experience that we were not given. It's such a sadness and so much has been lost. Still, I'm glad there are people, you included, that are doing the work to reclaim what we were not given.
It’s so true. They did everything they could to get off the farm and not “have to” do all the work. And they boarderline scoff at us for even wanting to try. It is very interesting.
My purchased eggs are sitting heavier in my stomach now. Our new city only allows two birds of chickens or ducks per household. We’re planning on two ducks when it’s warmer and more natural to have ducklings than winter in Michigan.
But they haven’t said anything about quail... 😈
Aha! Quail! Smart thinking :)
So timely!! Just discussing a family cow and the cost/benefit came up...of course I could buy milk and butter for so much cheaper- of course we’ll burn through our hay so much quicker- of course it will be so much work to milk consistently- but those aren’t even any of the factors for me! The food, yes all about the food, and the experience... I think I’m gonna do it!
Just make suer there's more than one :)
So well said. And so timely for me. I dropped the ball big time recently in our families health. I Am fortunate enough to buy exclusively from small local farms. Chat with the incredible farmers. I do not mind paying a premium. In fact sometimes I don’t understand HOW they can even put a price on things.... like raw butter. It feels so so good to bring my young son to these farms and see where his food comes from since we are not in a spot to do the labor ourselves yet. The interaction, pause, gratitude, community.
The big gut punch recently, vaccines. For some reason this never crossed my mind. In a decade of searching for the not nutrient dense animal foods for purchase, vaccines are just as taboo in this area as they are with humans.
Several of the farms I adore and love, are quite perfect in so many ways, I just learned through asking, vaccinate their livestock. Truly mind boggling to me. These families grow their own organic feed. No soy. No corn. Use homeopathy for their animals. No antibiotics. But vaccinate them for several diseases.
So full circle, you are very very right, you cannot put a price on the labor of true love. The price we pay to have what we want, and the quality we want, IS that labor ♥️
Alyssa, that's a tough one. To be honest, most people don't ask at all and don't know this practice even exists. Do the farms use continuous vaccines as prophylactics or is it a one time thing initially? Are they injections of nutrients or an ongoing program of inoculations for various things? I'm sure you've already looked into this and are comfortable to make the decisions you have, I just know there's a lot of nuance there.
Totally. The farm we receive our goat milk and goat products from give continuous prophylactic injections yearly. I will no longer be purchasing from them and well when we know better we do better. I would never milk share or wet nurse my baby with a human who did this so a big no for animals too. I was pleased to hear our meat farm does not use any injections at all (they’re Amish and process everything right on their property ♥️)
What wild times when everything from every angle is tampered with in some way. All that God created so perfectly. Just trying my best without letting the fear of it all control my life.
Thank you always for your voice ♥️
Oh dear, yes, that's a big no for me, too. You know, I very rarely bring the vaccination stuff up because so many people are just overwhelmed with just shifting from grocery store to farm. I always hope to stress that it's a continuum. I'm glad you found this out and are finding other solutions. And I agree, it does get exhausting to see how people tamper with everything.
Well said Tara! There is no dollar amount I can put on the stress relieving endorphins I enjoy while watching my hens foraging around our property. Nothing is much funnier than watching their bouncing side-to-side run toward me when I bring them treats. And the eggs are delicious.
Is it silly that I'm sitting here with tears while I read this? I know that sense you can quantify what is different, but an egg you raised warms you in a way that even the best grocery store-bought "pastured" "organic" egg can not even begin to compare.
Your tears are my great honour.❤️
No! Not silly, I was moved to tears as well ❤️
Tara - is there a way I can mail you a check for a subscription? Or some other direct, electronic payment? I want to subscribe, but not use a credit card...thanks so much!
Steve
P.S. If you have an email address for me, you can send details privately to it.
Sorry, did you contact me on Instagram about this or was that someone else? It's hard to know with user names.
Yes, I did receive your email just now. I just want to find a way to subscribe, without using bank cards...thanks!!
I can fully understand this which you write about. I have four hens and value them and their eggs. I do my best to care for them the way they should be cared for and they repay me in nutrient dense eggs. I wish one day I could also fully understand how it is to raise my own food. I will get there one day. For now I value the colorful gems I am given from the hens I raise.
❤️❤️
Oh, Cassandra! Thank you for sharing this gorgeous moment with your grandmother. It just filled me with such delight! And polka, too! I haven't heard a good polka since I was a little girl at our family weddings when the men and women would wildly twirl and fly all over the dance floor. Thank you for this delicious story.
Can I ask what area this is in that this type of music is still on the airways and requests for friend's birthday songs are still announced? I'm filing this story into my memory. It's a keeper. Thank you.