I have seen 16% layer pellets go up by over $2 as well, but have been able to keep my costs to about $12 a sack by traveling to nearby rural feed stores and buying in bulk. As a comparison, the same product is $15.49 at Tractor Supply. Let me tell you, it's painful to shell out $300+ on chicken feed.
The 22% protein feed for the meat chickens is also up from $12.49 to $14.49 a sack last time I looked. The cheapest I can get it is $14.25 by buying 20 bags at a time (there's another $300 out of pocket). When these guys get to their last few weeks of life, we go through a bag a day.
As much as I strive to provide affordable, clean and healthy food to my friends and neighbors in the community, I simply cannot function at a loss out of the goodness of my heart. So I went out looking at prices around the country for the same items I offer.
At the high end, I found Real Food CSA in CA.
Goat milk is $7.25 a quart +$1.50 bottle deposit.
Pastured Eggs- $7 a dozen
Duck Eggs- $10 a dozen
Pastured Chickens- $29-32 for a 4lb bird.
Country Garden Farm in Newnan wants $5 a dozen for eggs at their farm. $6 at the market. Duck eggs $8/doz.
Chickens from localharvest.org range from $21.98 to over $50! That $21.98 bird is not fresh. It is flash frozen and shipped in from Minnesota.
I had a tough time finding any goat milk out there. I know many herds are just coming back into milk after spring freshening. Here's St. John Creamery in WA $10.59 for a half gallon. Even the nasty Ultra Pasteurized stuff is over $5.00 a quart. Vinyard Farms in Powder Spring, GA is asking $6/ half gallon for goat milk.
Pastured Chickens in WA are $4.95/lb. In North Carolina $3.98. Rising Fawn, Georgia $5.00/lb.
I have tried to hold the line, especially in this economy, but I am not operating a charity. I can't work this hard to break even or lose money.
In light of that, here is my new price list.
Goat milk (when available and for pet use only, of course): $4/qt, $7/half, $12/gal. There will be a $2 deposit on each jar or bring your own!
Free Range Eggs: $4/ dozen
Pastured Broilers: $4/ lb
I hear ya girl! And I know for myself, I certainly don't mind paying the additional costs for someone working so hard, and so we can get quality food. Not to mention supporting our community! Love and miss you friend!
ReplyDeleteThanks for understanding. I really didn't want to have to raise prices but it was necessary. Hope you're doing well and I can't wait til you guys (and little gal) are back again.
DeleteKristin, you have been busy with your research. I know what you mean though. I was selling a gallon of goat milk for $6. NOT making any money at all on that. So I WILL be going up to at least $8 a gallon.
ReplyDeleteWith the price of the chicken feed going up so high, I'll probably not do meat birds again. Just for us maybe.
And I only have 4 of the Red Star laying hens right now. I am not feeding them anything but a little scraps when I have them. And I have been getting 3-4 eggs every day. I LOVE these hens! They are a very good forageing bird. If I get more, I will get more of these.
And I love the smelling like a goat thing at the top of your post!
Last year, everyone around me was at $10-$11 a gallon for goat milk. I was selling for $8 and was cringing each time I did. I didn't even get to make cheese last summer, milk was flying out the door so fast.
DeleteI know a couple people around me are going to $12 this year. The price is fair and at least I won't work so hard for nothing. If it doesn't sell, I can always make cheese or fatten a pig!
Have to say that your research helps me tremendously, we are in the process of starting a farm and trying to figure out what a fair market price per pound would be. We live in WI, and won't have product to sell this year, but hope to be selling next year. I am bookmarking this page!
ReplyDeleteHave to say that your research helps me tremendously, we are in the process of starting a farm and trying to figure out what a fair market price per pound would be. We live in WI, and won't have product to sell this year, but hope to be selling next year. I am bookmarking this page!
ReplyDelete