we have been selling eggs for a few months now. it seems to be balancing out. i mean, we are mostly paying for our eggs and have extra for extended family. we were frightened of "the other fella" as my father-in-law calls customers. so far most everyone is very nice and gracious. i must admit that our eggs are amazing and that goes a long way to securing return customers.
a couple of days ago i was working in my messy garage and an extra big shiny new truck pulls up. an older gentleman wearing a veteran of some war hat says "how much are you gonna charge me for a dozen eggs?" i say "two fifty." he carried on to balk at the price. finally, he asked if i knew how much he could get them for in the store. "a dollar ninety three just down the road." he listed some local store near springfield that sold them for less and would i take two dollars? i said "i would just as soon give you a dozen eggs" i was heavily implying that if he might be too poor to afford them (obviously, he could afford them).
we exchanged a few more words, his face got pretty red and he left. i almost asked him directly if he couldn't afford them i'd go get him a dozen. it was just as well, he wouldn't have been able to taste the difference between our eggs and those minimized eggs in the store anyway.
that is the exception. most of our customers are wonderful. this is especially encouraging since we are preparing to take deposits for our pastured poultry starting april fifteenth. that is when we will take possession of our new chicks. our friends just got their chicks from the same new hatchery we are both trying this year. they look great.
yesterday we went to the semi-local feed and farm store. we got some new chicks. we are hoping for some colored egg layers. that will mix it up a little. we need to have a culling of older hens pretty soon. these new birds should pick up the slack in a few months. we have always ordered our chicks from the springfield hatchery or mail order. this method is new to us.
i also bought a new stock tank. two by two by eight feet. i put it next to the cow pen and plan rain water collection from the barn and pen shed. tabitha and i have decided that i need to roof the other half of the cow pen to keep control over the deep bedding. i might try to get to that after the annual easter egg hunt today.
happy easter
16 comments:
People sure are strange. If low price is what the guy valued then why bother to stop harass you? Just go directly to the Mega store and get those cheap eggs. Or if he thinks it's so cheap to keep laying hens he should get a few. See if he is willing to give eggs away to strangers.
Anyway, HAPPY EASTER!
Yikes. He balked at $2.50/doz? Going rate for pastured organically fed eggs over here is $4/doz. We don't always get organic feed and we think $4 is a bit much so we charge $3. Even the amish produce stand up the road charges $2.40.
I've seen this action and attitude very often with people who appear to be well off eg. shiny vehicle, fine clothes. Brother encountered one at Christmas time over the cost of a cut tree. She refused the tree and countered with "How do you think I got the car"? - Cadillac. Its hard dealing with those who are well off as I know from working as a housekeeper years ago...tight and stingy. It is the 'I'm better than you' stance some have that I can't or won't tolerate.
Bah... don't let it get to you too much. It seems haggling and bartering is ingrained in the culture here... I'd venture to say it is probably worse over here. He was just offering what they were worth to him (I do the same thing at garage sales). Obviously, they are worth more to you, so no deal.
My only experience getting chicks was at the farm store. On the day they arrived, it was hot and crowded in there, with 1000 little peeps... I thought it was fun. :)
Ron
Praying that you and your family have a wonderful Easter celebration:)
I am sure that man regrets not buying your eggs....he probably pulled up in your drive way already in a bad mood.
It would have been nice if you could have shared a few nice words and he would have left happy. Oh, well:)
Many Blessings,
Renee
Hello:
May I make a suggestion for the selling of your eggs if your run into one of your "haggle" customers again. don't be offended or insulted. Just kindly say with a smile that your sorry but it cost you more than the store bought type due to the technique used in "natural" farm eggs and sell him on the value of your nutritionally superior eggs. I found to imply insults or be offended just doesn't work. Hold strong and firm and i have found that they usually turn around and buy and sometimes become your best customer. ( note: not always some are just cheap grumps- don't fret those)
Enjoy your blog and your family. I am from the area around springfield.
We have had this happen once since we started selling our eggs. We are raising our hens organically in Vermont and selling for $5 a dozen of mixed eggs (brown and blue). They retail for $4.50 in the store.
It hurt to have someone balk, mostly because of the disconnect I felt it implied regarding the work and care that goes into raising our animals in a careful and thoughtful way. Some people walk into a $1 store, drop $5 and think they are getting a bargain. Others are willing to pay more than they would in a chain store for food that is fresh and ethical. It's hard not to take it personally when you have such a passion for what you do.
My best to you and your beautiful family and farm, hang in there! I bet before you know it you'll be selling out!
thanks everyone, i didn't get into a tiff with the man. rather, i didn't get offended. i know that most people here think that they should be getting a better deal at a farm. it is a better deal if you compare apples to apples. the real problem is people don't realize the difference since they have been lulled into their stupor. our only real hope is to offer such a better product that people find it to be a better deal because it simply tastes better. it seems to be working. most have forgotten what a good egg tastes like. while others are tasting a real egg for the first time in their life. either way eyes are popped open and another person is exposed to one of the simple delights in life--a delicious fresh egg.
Wow! Seriously? I can't even imagine trying to barter with my farmer for the food he grows. And maybe I could get a lot of the food we buy at the Farmer's market cheaper at the grocery store, but it's not about saving money. It's about getting the best food, and for that, we are willing to pay extra.
It just boggles my mind that people will pay top dollar for something as insubstantial as a DVD or a television, but the food they buy must be cheap. It's crazy.
Oh, well.
I think you're probably correct that the people who really value what you're offering will understand that $2.50/doz for eggs is a bargain, and they'll be back ;).
During summer weekends in the urban jungle, I often kill time at the farmer's market and are amazed at how many get so upset when they see the "outrageous prices" being charged when they can go just down the road and get it for much cheaper. It is obvious that they don't fully grasp the reason people are willing to pay more for their food. If I lived a bit closer, I would be a regular customer.
Some people just think they have to get a "deal" every time they buy something.
Did you try the sales angle (why they're better, etc)?
I run into this all the time too. People here (in TN) think farm direct should be cheaper and don't realize that I don't feed rock gut co-op feeds and pen my birds. I get fewer but better eggs as the yolks will attest to. So extras go to dogs and pigs.
And the grocery stores sell a lot of dairy products (like butter & eggs) at a loss. I know. My husband work in the dairy dept at the local Walmart.
It's a self-correcting problem anyway. Those not willing to buy real food will die young and not reproduce well. So we'll win in the long run.
Wow. $2.50. I'd love to find that around here. My friend sells for $4/dozen and sells out every week.
Now, dealing with more perishable stuff like 60lbs of peaches that are already picked and it's the last 10 minutes of the farmer's market? I'll see if my fruit guy wants to cut me a deal so he doesn't have to take them back to the farm (which he's more likely to do since I buy probably 1000lbs total of fruit from him throughout the season). :D
Karl,
I tried to find a spot to email you but couldn't so I'll fill you in here about geese.
First, check this post... http://kevin-and-beth.blogspot.com/2008/08/goose-warning.html It was our fault...should have known better, we now put tubes around all our young trees.
I hand raised my goose and he became very attached to me and he LOVES me but no one else. He's an awesome watch dog but you know what goes along with that, a few people bitten, they only bruise but it hurts. Our gander is only aggressive if you go near her nest, otherwise she stays away from people and is very sweet, I didn't spend as much time with her, learned my lesson.
There may be breeds that are non aggressive, I'm not sure. Geese are awesome though, you can even get diapers and let them live in the house. They are not like chickens at all, no pecking order, better manners.
Check this out..
http://www.thegoosesmother.com/
I spoke with the goose mother on the phone, a very sweet lady. She was traveling to a fair in her car, across the country with a goose on her lap.
Aside from being pets, geese reach full size very quickly so they would be a great meat animal too(just don't get attached cause they are sooooo cute when they're young) Also, their eggs are amazing and HUGE! The size of three large chicken eggs.
I would get geese if I were you, so different from chickens but in a good way. Really good for eating all kinds of weeds too, they walk around constantly grazing (must be kept away from garden) They are not at all hard to keep in a fence, they are kind of clutzy and lumbering, not agile like a chicken. Just research the breeds and find a cool one, some are really beautiful!
(I'm sorry for taking up so much room on your comment page.)
Hope this helps!
Beth
I wish I could find farm fresh eggs for 2.50 we are always on the lookout and grateful when we come across the opportunity, store eggs are terrible
Interesting... some folks just seem to haggle over everything. I really liked your response. Oh- and that chicken waterer in the other post is fantastic. Nic job!
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