I believe that the purpose of life is to learn. Seems simple, huh? We are constantly learning as humans. In the first few years of life we learn how to take care of simple tasks without which we would not survive. Far too often I hear of people, including myself, that look at every mistake as a waste of resources. Without experimenting on the unknown how are we to know? You can read every book published, watch others more skilled then you, but without actually experiencing it, you never really learn anything. On our farm, that is core. My husband and I read and researched Guinea hens before we bought a dozen for the garden. They are touted as the great bug killers, leaving your plants alone as they attack every moving thing. This is not true. We attached a small 4-6 hen house to the garden, clipped their wings and gave food and water. The next few days they destroyed all the jalapeno plants, trampled all my carrots,made my onion bed a dusting area, and finally- got loose and went to the other 6 that were a good 500 feet in our main chicken coop. We cut them down to 2 in the garden; yet still they attack what was left of the jalapeno. We tried putting bonemeal and crushed eggshells on the beds. This was thought to deter them since they don't like the feel under their feet. It did not deter them. So, for now we'll leave the stocks of the plants and see if they come back and the carrots we harvested and put some more seeds in their boxes. If they continue, we'll have to put fencing up around the boxes, but I'm not sure if they would just fly over it.
Missed opportunities exist, especially during the first year of any business. We recently attended a local store's "customer appreciation day" and realized that we could have set up a booth. We could have sold all our poultry products and pork products. It was not all in vain though, we met a few people that we can barter with for raw milk and beef, and that makes us very happy. It does not wash out the fact we could have sold over a thousand dollars worth of product, but it does make a dent in our hurt. Our decision? Next year! It also makes me alot more alert in looking for such things in the future.
We have started participating in rogersville's farmers market, and have barely broke even every time we go, but have handed out multitudes of business cards. I told Erick- if we can establish a base of customers that are looking for pork and poultry, the farmer's markets will just be icing.
The only downside to our poultry base though: Just when our business is starting to pick up, I don't think I ordered enough birds.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Saturday, June 7, 2014
The start of something wonderful
Sorry for the time between posts, Google decided that it needed to verify my identity. The thought that a company created glasses that you can surf the web in, but needs to send a postcard to you to verify your identity boggles my mind. Thanks for your patience and here we go!
That crazy idea that sounded good in your head during a dream, where you know the gist of where you are supposed to be going, but haven't quite figured out how it all happened? I'm getting there. Since my last blog, I became unemployed and decided it was the universes' way of directing me to actually start this farm. I have dived in, head first and heart pumping. Always wondering if this is reality or just a dream. My waking hours have shifted into more meaningful thought. Notes are my best friends and the telephone is glued to my head or my hip in case that inspector calls. There is a chaotic circus of sorts making my brainwaves feel more typhoon. There is paperwork for different licensees, grading manuals, printer paper and endless doodles and plans strewn about my desk, turning the black paint into white paper.
And I love it.
After finalizing some of my recipes, most of which had been handed down through the generations, others I created in the need or want of life, I start making labels, each following the law of the land. In TN that is the following:
For any product that is considered non hazardous, Made in a "domestic kitchen" it must include the following:
Name and adress
Product name
Ingrediants and weight
date produced
You must also have a sign made of 8.5x11 with .75" font that reads " this product was made in a private kitchen that has not been inspected nor licensed"
re: http://cottagefoods.org/laws/usa/tennessee/
Here is my conundrum though. I made a verbal contract with a local and very well known eatery. She agreed to buy all my eggs that I can get from my hens every week for a set price, as long as I have an food license. However, because I have less then 3000 laying hens, I do not qualify under the law to get that license. I contacted my agricultural department and after many hours on the phone, I had an inspector come out two weeks later and give me a license (I passed, YAY). In order to be under compliance, though, I have to register with the FDA- which does not recognize me as needing the license, so it will not register me. I am a determined woman, and this is not the end. I will call the inspector back come monday and the agricultural person that I spoke to and figure this all out.
It does not amaze me why all the business in this country in moving out.
In my free time that does exist, I am looking up things I can make to sell at a reasonable profit, time and price. Today was the first real big event we attended as a farm booth, and we did fairly well. But it could always be better. Over the next 6 months there will be over 8 other events. But some of my newer ideas may have to wait for research; for example: I'd love to sell lemonade at my booth, today alone I witnessed a nearby store almost sell out of their coke and water products because the event we attended was in a field and it soared into the 90's by lunch. To do so however, I need to make sure that no permits in that area exist. I need to make sure that all laws are covered, such as county laws, health laws and labor laws. Does the county that I am serving in allow for beverage sales? Can my children help me at the booth without infringing child labor laws? Does the sale of different sodas and or waters fall out of my license?such are the thoughts of a new business owner. Oh, what a life to have a mentor right about now. I will post again very soon, this woman's head is spinning.
That crazy idea that sounded good in your head during a dream, where you know the gist of where you are supposed to be going, but haven't quite figured out how it all happened? I'm getting there. Since my last blog, I became unemployed and decided it was the universes' way of directing me to actually start this farm. I have dived in, head first and heart pumping. Always wondering if this is reality or just a dream. My waking hours have shifted into more meaningful thought. Notes are my best friends and the telephone is glued to my head or my hip in case that inspector calls. There is a chaotic circus of sorts making my brainwaves feel more typhoon. There is paperwork for different licensees, grading manuals, printer paper and endless doodles and plans strewn about my desk, turning the black paint into white paper.
And I love it.
After finalizing some of my recipes, most of which had been handed down through the generations, others I created in the need or want of life, I start making labels, each following the law of the land. In TN that is the following:
For any product that is considered non hazardous, Made in a "domestic kitchen" it must include the following:
Name and adress
Product name
Ingrediants and weight
date produced
You must also have a sign made of 8.5x11 with .75" font that reads " this product was made in a private kitchen that has not been inspected nor licensed"
re: http://cottagefoods.org/laws/usa/tennessee/
Here is my conundrum though. I made a verbal contract with a local and very well known eatery. She agreed to buy all my eggs that I can get from my hens every week for a set price, as long as I have an food license. However, because I have less then 3000 laying hens, I do not qualify under the law to get that license. I contacted my agricultural department and after many hours on the phone, I had an inspector come out two weeks later and give me a license (I passed, YAY). In order to be under compliance, though, I have to register with the FDA- which does not recognize me as needing the license, so it will not register me. I am a determined woman, and this is not the end. I will call the inspector back come monday and the agricultural person that I spoke to and figure this all out.
It does not amaze me why all the business in this country in moving out.
In my free time that does exist, I am looking up things I can make to sell at a reasonable profit, time and price. Today was the first real big event we attended as a farm booth, and we did fairly well. But it could always be better. Over the next 6 months there will be over 8 other events. But some of my newer ideas may have to wait for research; for example: I'd love to sell lemonade at my booth, today alone I witnessed a nearby store almost sell out of their coke and water products because the event we attended was in a field and it soared into the 90's by lunch. To do so however, I need to make sure that no permits in that area exist. I need to make sure that all laws are covered, such as county laws, health laws and labor laws. Does the county that I am serving in allow for beverage sales? Can my children help me at the booth without infringing child labor laws? Does the sale of different sodas and or waters fall out of my license?such are the thoughts of a new business owner. Oh, what a life to have a mentor right about now. I will post again very soon, this woman's head is spinning.
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