You think this would be tacky...*said toung in cheek*?

[pookiethebear]

ok ya know how there are all those 'pick your own' farms? Well DH and I were joking around last night and said how about if we started our own 'kill your own' farm ..now now hear me out....

For the authentic homsteader/pilgriam thanksgiving, come pick out your own live turkey and butcher it yourself with our guidance and training....etc.etc.etc...

On second thought I am sure it would be an insurance nightmare......


Just some goofy brainstorming.

[brosil]

Got Arabs? They come and kill my sheep ( for a good price) and a neat job of butchering they do, too. You might have a market that you don't know about.

[Bearfootfarm]

That would be illegal here.

[pheasantplucker]

You could do the killing and let them do the gutting, and plucking...I'm afraid the average person would botch the job, or get squeamish half way through...then the animal would suffer needlessly...

[Slats]

I don't think it's a bad idea. I know a man that raises cattle and sells them straight out of the field. He gets the chosen one in a catch gate, lets people use his rifle to shoot it and lends them the tools to butcher it, including a winch on a big limb. He doesn't tell them about his butchering room and cooler.

Because of slaughter laws, the buyers have to do it all, by themselves, in the corral. The people that buy from him already know how to butcher but he has given advise when asked. He has 170 acres, zoned agricultural, and dumps the remains toward the back of the property, in the woods.

Also knew of a guy that raised pigs. You pick the one you want, he shoots it and helps load it on your truck.

Depending on how you handle it, it shouldn't be an insurance nightmare. I'm sure there are people out there that can't raise turkeys, for whatever reason, that would love to be able to have a fresh farm raised turkey for a holiday meal.

I don't think it's goofy brainstorming. I would be worried about handing just anyone a rifle without knowing what kind of training they've had with guns but if you supply the turkey, killing cone, other necessary items and the knowledge of how to do it you should be able to make some money at it without the people using a rifle.

[foxtrapper]

It's a good idea, and can be profitable.

BUT...

Be very careful about crossing the line. That line being butchering. It is generally illegal for you to do the butchering without the full facility. And, it is generally illegal for you to help them do the butchering.

The last part is where there have been stings conducted here. People want to buy a meat goat and slaughter it. They get all confused and ask you for help. You start to help, and they pull the cuffs out and slap them down on your wrists. Surprise, you were set up.

To help ensure you get busted, while it's illegal here to help them, it's also illegal to let them do a bad job.

[jadedhkr]

Hmmm, kind of done it before. My brother wanted a pig for his graduation, so I told him sure, you shoot and butcher. I pretty much stood and watched while he and my Dad shot and gutted it right outside the hog pen. Wouldn't be much of a stretch to have a perfect stranger do it.

[MaineFarmMom]

We allow certain people to kill their birds and clean them here. They have to already know what they're doing and I have to have faith that they're going to do a good job.