2018 Pricing and Deposit Changes
Our Goal
Ultimately, we would love if we could make raising quality meat for our family and healing the environment for our grandchildren our full-time job. As we become a more established business, financial sustainability is becoming as important to the business as environmental sustainability is to our souls. Each year, we are getting better at figuring out what our numbers really are and what we need to adjust to make this farming work for us. (A husband's optimism can misrepresent numbers but profit and loss sheets never do).
Thank you for your continued support; without educated consumers like you, there would be no small, land-healing farms like us.
------------ Pricing Increases ------------
Increase in your Pork Investment
2017 Price: $2.00/lb (hanging weight) plus processing
2018 Price: $2.25/lb (hanging weight) plus processing
Reasoning for this increase:
Although we encourage our pigs to forage for as much of their food as possible, we still must supplement them with feed. Last year we were able to start using locally grown non-GMO feed thanks to Pierz Co-op who did a lot of research and helped us develop this line of feed for our pigs.
Here are some of the guidelines we gave them:
- We wanted non-GMO;
- We wanted the grain to be grown in Minnesota by local farmers;
- We wanted to use flaxseed meal as our protein source instead of soy meal because research has shown that adding flaxseed to the pigs’ diet balanced the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acid in the pork;
- We wanted to have diatomaceous earth mixed in the ration as an added step in our efforts to never use chemical dewormers in our livestock;
- We wanted bulk delivery to eliminate the waste from feed sacks.
We are happy to report that all our requests were met. After a one year trial on this new feed, we are convinced this investment in quality feed is worth the increased cost. We appreciate you joining us in creating a market for non-GMO grain and supporting local MN farmers who grow non-GMO grain.
Increase in your Poultry Investment
2017 Price: $3.00/lb (includes processing)
2018 Chicken Price: $3.50/lb (includes processing) - For orders of 10+ chickens the price will be $3.25/lb
2018 Turkey Price: $3.25/lb (includes processing)
Reasoning for this increase:
As with the pigs, we have changed our poultry feed to local non-GMO grain from Pierz Co-op. We are very happy with the increased quality of the feed that comes with the increased financial investment.
This year, we will start using a higher-quality, more humane poultry processor. Here is why:
- more cut options for the chicken
- better packaging and labeling
- we can save the giblets on the turkeys
- processed under continuous inspection by a state health inspector
- the birds will be handled with more respect
Our two primary drives for making this change in processors is to increase the quality of the processing and increase animal welfare. So while this change comes with an increase in cost, we feel the investment is worth it. We put a ton of work into raising the best poultry we can for you in a humane manner; we want the quality of the processing and packaging to match our efforts. Most importantly, we know that you care about the treatment of the animals you invest in, and we know this new processor shares in our view of the importance of animal welfare.
------------ Deposits ------------
Requiring Deposits on Pre-Orders
We have spent years contemplating this change. When our farm was smaller, we were able and willing to make the whole investment each year (buying the animals, feed, supplies, etc.) and waiting to get our investment reimbursed when your products were ready for pickup.
As it turns out, there are many people that have the same goals as we do: quality meat raised using sustainable and regenerative farming practices. Thanks to the support of our local community, our farm has grown beyond our ability to make the upfront investment each year (multiple times each year) without your help. We also hope that by committing to your order, we will reduce the number of times a pre-order is placed, raised by us, and then backed out on.
Deposits Required
- Whole beef: $200
- 1/2 beef: $200
- 1/4 beef: $100
- Whole pig: $150
- 1/2 pig: $100
- Chicken: $5 - $6.75/bird
- Turkey: $10/bird
Deposits are required at the time of the pre-order (you can use Paypal or Credit Card) or you can select "Cash on Delivery" at the checkout and send us a check for your pre-order within 2 weeks of placing your pre-order.
Your deposits are put toward the final cost of your order.