Regulations and Making Money

[big rockpile]

My neighbor had been raising Free Range Chickens and butchering them on his place.He understood he could do this 1000 per customer.Well had a Guy afraid he would steal business from him so he turned my neighbor in.They come out told him he was mistaken and could only butcher 1000 altogether

Well my neighbor raised some Rabbits and was butchering them and selling them.Well the Guy he thought had turned him in said he would take all his Rabbits. Well neighbor was selling him Rabbits,then all of a sudden guy backs out of buying them.

Well this other Owner of our Store said that this Guy came in there telling him he could sell Uninspected Rabbits in the Store.

Well my neighbor doesn't have Phone and was asking me about this.I told him I would make calls and get back to him.I called and found out he could butcher them and sell them at the Farm but not at the Store without having them Inspected.

Went back over told him he said he was thinking that was right that this other Guy was probably trying to sell them in a Store and found he couldn't so he thought he would get my neighbor in trouble again.

In a way I feel sorry for my neighbor he works so hard trying to make a living off his place,plus he tries so hard to follow the Old Ways of doing things.

big rockpile

[Pelenaka]

I belong to the yahoo group meatrabbits where this topic along with just selling rabbits comes up often. One member who sells to a few upsale resturants converted a travel trailer into a mobile butchering unit. He posted pic & it is a very nice set up. He is licensed.
That group is a good source of info no matter your state. Alot sell to pelfreeze.
When I decided to raise meat rabbits I also made the decision not to sell. Rabbit isn't a local thing here in Western New York. Mostly requests came from coworkers who were from Africa. For a while I would tell them that if they bought a live bun then I would help them butcher it (supposely this tactic skirts any laws) but then one shift I realized a coworker was a card carrying member of PETA.
I had a white New Zealand over 10 years old that would accompany me on Deacon visits to an area Nursing Home. During a discussion with the activities director I foolishly let slip that I raise them for meat. Well a tear came to her eyes. Then more tears as I explained that my buns have a good abeit short life in clean cages, open air, with plently of organic treats. DH finally steered me out the door, gave me a "what were you thinking talk", and repeatly asked if I mentioned where we lived.

And as your neighbor has found out all it takes is one phone call.

~~ pelenaka ~~

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by Pelenaka

I belong to the yahoo group meatrabbits where this topic along with just selling rabbits comes up often. One member who sells to a few upsale resturants converted a travel trailer into a mobile butchering unit. H

Well around here I would say he still has to have them Inspected.

My neighbor is Horse and Buggy Old Order Mennonite so this wouldn't work.

big rockpile

[rambler]

Yea, it's a real pickle.

Whatever way it goes, feel bad for the folks that get ground under.

I typically can see both sides of this food safety stuff, totally unregulated seems to have bad consiquences too. But doesn't mean I don't feel bad for the folks that get caught up in it on some 'borderline' numbers game.

--->Paul

[shawnlee]

I always hate to hear about someone raining on anothers persons parade...why can`t people just leave others alone and quit pokin thier noses in others peoples business.


My take on it is.........I have gotten plenty of bad meat from the grocery store,which I imagine has every inspection/standard in place that there is.

My aunt and uncle also got some bad meat from a major restaraunt that smelled soo bad when it arrived they did not have to eat any to know it was bad.

It`s not like all of these inspections fully protect us from everything ,it can still happen and I am sure the last thing a person that sells rabbits or meat directly from thier farm for themselves wants is a hostile customer that got some tainted meat and might come pay them a not so nice visit or spread the word that old boy is selling tainted/bad meat of any kind.

I agree some inspection standards need to be in place for the large commercial meat places and some guidelines neeed to be followed by the little guys too to keep it all sanitary.

Maybe I am too trusting ,but I trust the fellow that raises and butchers his own far more than a commercial place.............In my mind I would think a individual has more to lose from a bad batch of meat than a huge commercial place that would recover from some bad meat much better than a individual would recover his business or reputation.

Thats my belief how ever skewed it may be ..........

[oneokie]

If one plans on making money, be prepared to share the wealth. Whether you want to or not.

[palani]

I believe there was story that went the rounds a couple of weeks ago about a kid who bartered a used cell phone for a Porsche in 12 trades. This kid was around 19 years old.

Is there a lesson here?

[silverbackMP]

Originally Posted by big rockpile

Well around here I would say he still has to have them Inspected.

My neighbor is Horse and Buggy Old Order Mennonite so this wouldn't work.

big rockpile

I would say that you neighbor may be playing dumb to the English inspectors; I would say half of Pel-freeze suppliers are MO Old Order Mennonites. Pel-freeze has multiple stops in Clark, MO and most of the South MO mennonites got their inital start around Clark and north stretching into Iowa. These guys know the regulations better than most; whether they want to abide by them is another question.

Not that I agree with the regulations but just saying.

[Maura]

Where I live there is a couple who butcher poultry for other people. Their place is quite small, but it is up to code and is inspected. Your neighbor can raise "organic" chickens for restaurants and have an inspected place do the butchering. He can add the cost of the butchering to the end cost. I love having someone else do the deed, it's worth the $1.25.

[big rockpile]

Well I do know at first he was butchering them outside.Then he found he had to have a Building,so he built one but like he says its hard to work in there because he has no way of cooling it.But it wouldn't be cost effective to bring it up to where he could have Inspected.

He did try calling the Capital and he got what information he could up there.Me I just made Local Calls to Goverment Offices I knew.

My other Neighbor was Butchering Large Animals durring the Winter letting the sesonal Temps cool the meat.Well another neighbor turned him in just because he was Mennonite.State came out and basically said everything was ok other than the way he was cooling,he couldn't afford a different system so he shut down.

Another neighbor just butchers for the Mennonites.I have traded him Beef Hides for grinding for us.But I'm thinking of getting our own Grinder.

big rockpile

[Patt]

I would definitely give the cold shoulder to the neighbor who spitefully turned your Mennonite neighbor in and I would let others know not to buy from him. Weasels like that can never be trusted.

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by Patt

I would definitely give the cold shoulder to the neighbor who spitefully turned your Mennonite neighbor in and I would let others know not to buy from him. Weasels like that can never be trusted.

Oh me and him have went round and round for years.He has tried to burn me out.He got mad just because I decided not to buy his farm.He is one of the biggest Poachers in the area.He beat the something out of a Forestry Guy trying to put a fire out.He had to pay him restitution.

But as far as being racist against the Mennonites that the norm around here.Me i've always got along with them just fine.

big rockpile