Farmers Markets

FM has a point, birds are sold under the marketing boards and they're very protective about it. Now if the FMO could get farmers markets to farm gate status then there'd be no problem. We never had a problem at our mkt but its only a matter of time.

__________________
Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup........

You might be better off is you sell half beef carcasses, half or whole pig carcasses, poultry and rabbits in advance. Do your advertising at farmers markets "Taking Orders for Organic Beef, Pork, and Poultry".

Your customers pay a down payment on their order, say 50 to 75%, and then you buy the livestock and raise it for them. When ready for processing, you deliver it to the processer and the customer pays the processer for the remaining money to the farmer and pays the processing fee. You collect from the processer.

__________________
r.h. in oklahoma

Raised a country boy, and will die a country boy.

I am neither from Canada nor sell meat products, but your question about using the market to develop interest in a meat CSA is a good one, if your market is well attended. I have been a vendor and/or market manager for the past seven years, and I have several friends here in the states who use the same concept for veggie CSAs. Their membership numbers go up every year, plus they sell extra stuff on the side to additional customers who don't want to put the money out for a CSA (some became impressed enough to do so the next season however, because what was available in the box, was not always available to the general consumer, thereby creating CSA interest). Most of them have continued to use the market as a pick-up point.

Also, your question about veggies depends a lot on what other veggie producers are selling. The issue at the markets I have vended at was a glut of sweet corn and tomato vendors and as the season wore on, price wars become inevitable and everybody looses. Think of something well-liked if you can, that not many farmers have. In our area, I never see enough raspberries or blackberries, strawberries if we can keep the resell guy out, or fresh eggs. Fresh cut flowers will get customers to your booth, whether you are selling them or using them for decoration.

Just my observations for 2 cents :-)

DebM
zone 5