Devonviolet Acres

[farmerjan]

Problem is, if we had 9 day weeks, then someone would need 10....sometimes we need to know when to say enough.... For most today, I think we would say enough except for the money factor as things continue to cost more and more. Things we can't control like Taxes, and electricity, and such that have to be purchased from outside. Even to go solar or wind powered, we have to go outside for the initial purchase. Sure, we can raise most of our food, and supply many of our basic needs, but most of us don't want to live without some of the niceities that we have. Shoot, most of us wouldn't want to do without our internet or BYH.... It is hard to find a balance and when things like your products at the farmers markets get more popular, you have to reach a decision as to how much you can do and how much you want to do and how hard you want to push....There is return in dollars, but is it enough to justify the money and TIME spent.

I know that I was doing decent with the pastured layers and selling eggs; not alot but it was making some money and I enjoyed it. Had a good decent regular customer base. Then got hit with an inquiry about how this one could get them for .25 a dozen cheaper, and then in the spring time all the small backyard chicken keepers had "extra eggs" to sell and the food co-op needed to buy from them and they didn't need but half of what we had agreed on.....you can't put a plug in them and stop the production.... so after donating about 50-60 dozen to the salvation army "shelter" a couple times, I was getting a bit bent out of shape. Then the eagle started carrying off birds and I decided to quit it. Then of course, the co-op called and started needing eggs as the backyard flocks tapered off and I just told them that due to them not wanting the eggs regularly as was previously agreed on, I had cut my flocks and would no longer be providing eggs. I miss it, but not the work as feed, water, tending to the birds, then the collection, cleaning and boxing of eggs was just not worth my time for the return or the aggravation.
We work hard with the beef cattle operation, and the return is not what it should be in comparison to how inflation has affected everything else, but we have a goal to be able to make enough to buy our own "home farm, and then let some of these rented places go. By then, some other things should be paid off, and maybe we can enjoy it more. The cattle are making the payment on the 75 acres he bought, and once paid for, will hopefully tun it over into a better farm that can be the permanent "homeplace". We'll see.

 

[Baymule]

I hear ya' on the TIME spent @farmerjan. I planted a small pea patch. It is making a lot of purple hull peas, so we offered some to a few people at $35 a bushel, shelled. Shelled peas here go for $45 to $65 a bushel, we figured at $35 we'd have no problem selling ours. The TIME spent picking and shelling the peas probably put us well below minimum wages, but what the heck. We sold a bushel and a half, went to Outback Steakhouse and treated ourselves with "pea" money. We peaed outside, throwing shells on the ground, we peaed inside in our recliners, we peaed night and day. We peaed mighty hard for that money!

 

[CntryBoy777]

Those are all reasonings that I was given by my Mom of why I shouldn't be a farmer....I still have the desire to do somethings, but now my health is a hurdle....we still grow some, but very little and just buy from others locally....if we stay, we will add a few animals but more for enjoyment and personal use, than for selling.....

 

[Bruce]

I can't even imagine what a pile of peas would look like that filled a bushel basket when shelled!

 

[Mike CHS]

We have a mechanical pea sheller. We did many bushels (we lost track of how many) last year and it does make a pile.

It was a 4 family plot and we all wound up with around 15 pounds of peas.

 

[Baymule]

WHOO-EEEE!!!! We were up in Devonviolet's neck of the woods today, but they weren't home. No problem, we said we would scoot by and leave some juice bottles we had saved for her. They come in handy when she is milking. She left us a SURPRISE on the porch! She left us a bag of dog bones, we gave each dog a bone when we got home and they tremendously enjoyed them. But in a small box, tagged with a SURPRISE! note was samples of what she has been selling at the Farmer's Market. We ate the Oatmeal cookies immediately, on our way back home. Yum! They were crunchy, had the best taste, and were gluten free. I never tasted anything so good that had all the "good stuff" left out of it. LOL

When we got home, BJ had the piece of banana walnut cake, he was in heaven! He savored every bite. Later, we split the brownie. All I can say is that was the best darn brownie I ever had in my entire life. Rich, chocolatey, crunchy bottom with a white peppermint layer over it, topped with a luscious fudgy chocolate frosting. Everyone reading this should order a pan of those brownies and launch her mail order business! In the morning we each will have a scone with our coffee. WOW!

DV, you are a fantastic baker. What flavor, what taste, and your baked goods are beautiful to look at too! You really need to post pictures of your yummy goodies. I would, but we already ate them!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

DV, you are a fantastic baker. What flavor, what taste, and your baked goods are beautiful to look at too! You really need to post pictures of your yummy goodies.

Agree!

 

[Mini Horses]

DV, you are a fantastic baker. What flavor, what taste, and your baked goods are beautiful to look at too! You really need to post pictures of your yummy goodies. I would, but we already ate them!

You rascals!!!! Really thinking about us, right?

you have to reach a decision as to how much you can do and how much you want to do and how hard you want to push...

Which is WHY I am working to stop working in 12-18 mos. But, after about 55 yrs of working, it's hard to think "no paycheck". Yeah, I can make it with my SS but, not splurge. So I do plan to have a "little" farm income to basically support the animals and give me something to do that involves other people, as I live here alone. In preparation for that, things are getting paid off; wanted things bought & paid; plans for "future income", and have my emergency "$$" in tact, etc. I want to be able to enjoy not working in more ways than no alarm clock.

SO -- Devonviolet, gotta share this as I know that you (& BAY) will appreciate my thrilling find on my farm walkabout. I have three elderberry bushes! Granted, the goats have also found them but I can remedy that so next year I can pick! Plus, last year I found a couple beauty berry patches. They have greatly enlarged and there are 3 more spots of them. Did nothing with them last year but this Fall they can be. And they are quite full. Now, just have to look back for what to do. Actually more excited about the leaves being insect repelling and hope to work with that in Spring, in some way. Lots of Queen Anne's Lace as well as Yarrow. Plantains abound & dandelions except where goats primarily pasture...they ate them.

 

[Baymule]

It's fun to forage for good things to eat right on your own land......or down the road.....in fence rows or where ever. Lucky you! You already have some good plants on your farm. Plant some more!

 

[Devonviolet]

Copied from Latestarter’s Journal:
Well, we got another inch of rain while we were in church. For a whopping total of 6 inches of rain in the past 2 days!

I like your ideas for order forms and sending out a winter news letter with special sales. If the customer picks it up at our farm, I can sell my cheese and fermented foods, like homemade sauerkraut, Kombucha and Kefir.

I will have at least one outlet for my personal care products. Here are just a few of them on my table at farmer's market.

The lady who owns the local herb shop/health food store, has asked me to sell my personal care products, and chicken eggs in her store once farmers market finishes. I'm also planning, to visit the health food store, in Sulphur Springs, to see if they want to sell ny products there, as well.

In addition to my news letter, I will also be able to sell through our farmer's market weekly sale. The sale's flier comes out on Monday early (with items being offered that week), and orders have to be placed by late Tuesday. I think they are then picked up on Thursday.