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selling whole half hogs on craigslist?

7K views 11 replies 11 participants last post by  bert g light 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone.
I will have an extra hog in March, when butchering time comes around.
I was wondering if people had experience selling halves and whole hogs on Craigslist. Here's my plan, so far:
3.50/lb- hanging wt. buyer pays all processing fees. $100 deposit.

My understanding is that we cannot legally sell cuts of meat without USDA processing. So I can either have them take the live animal away or put them in contact with the kill man that I have used in the past and they can pay him directly his services, on site.

Is craigslist an ok way to go? I don't see many people doing what I'm proposing. Here are some other ideas.

I thought of putting up a notice on the bulletin board at the local gyms (for paleo people who desire pastured pork). There's a Saturday radio call in show , here locally that might work. I put the word out with the neighbors. So far, zero interest.

Also, should I start advertising now or wait for a month before my blue butt barrows are ready?
 
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#3 ·
I have sold a few on crags list. However most of the people that contacted me from crags list was looking for a real bargain and not willing to pay the price of a good farm raised pig.
I don't mess with cragslist any more.
As far as butcher hog almost all of them have been local folks that want good health raised farm pork. I have my butcher hogs posted at 4 different processing shops. Waiting list of at least 6 mos. for a butcher hog from me.

Two different feed stores that i do business with lets people know i have hogs. The local feed stores a good source for finding people interested in buying and selling pigs.

I also run an add in local paper when i have a sow or boar or any extra porker for sale that has not be spoken for. One add for one week does the job.

I do go to 4-5 different livestock auctions within 100 miles at different times of the year. People get to know you after awhile.

I stay in contract with a few other livestock farmers.

I also have friends that work at the Mo.U that is about 125 miles away. They sent some people to me for breeding stock and other live pigs.

Let all your friends and any people you talk to know that you have pigs for sale. In the surrounding counties they know me as the pig man.:)

I have a magnetic sign that i have on my truck. Hereford,Yorkshire pigs for sale. Phone number. I get a lot of business just from the signs on my truck. People have stopped and talked to me about pigs in different parking lots wanting a pig.

Many ways to sale a pig. :)
 
#4 ·
The farmer I bought my half beef through sells beef and hogs. I found out about him through an ad he had on craigslist. He put up his ad and put a link to his website in the ad. I was able to look over his site and call him with any questions I had. I have also bought a half of beef from a different farmer in the past - also found through craigslist. The farmer that sells beef and hogs charges one price (based on quarter, half, whole, or a combo of beef and hog). The price includes the cost of the meat, processing, etc. He handled dealing with the processor, going over how I wanted it processed, types of cuts, packaging, etc. I then met with him when all was said and done to pick up the packaged meat. Everything went smooth. The other farmer I've bought from in the past, had me call the processor and go over everything with the processor. I then paid the processor two checks - one to the processor and one for the farmer. Personally I like dealing the other way better.

As for selling cuts of meat instead of the whole animal - one way around that is to set up a CSA. I'm not sure of all of the details on how to set one up - but I can give you the web address (which has the phone number) of the farm that I buy through that also does CSA (so many pounds of beef, pork, and chicken a month for a set price. Cuts of meat varies). Maybe it would give some ideas.


Another though may be to see if you could put a notice on the church bulletin board, or at a local place of business. Maybe that would help with getting interested people in contact with you.

Just a few thoughts that come to mind... :)
 
#12 ·
The farmer I bought my half beef through sells beef and hogs. I found out about him through an ad he had on craigslist. He put up his ad and put a link to his website in the ad. I was able to look over his site and call him with any questions I had. I have also bought a half of beef from a different farmer in the past - also found through craigslist. The farmer that sells beef and hogs charges one price (based on quarter, half, whole, or a combo of beef and hog). The price includes the cost of the meat, processing, etc. He handled dealing with the processor, going over how I wanted it processed, types of cuts, packaging, etc. I then met with him when all was said and done to pick up the packaged meat. Everything went smooth. The other farmer I've bought from in the past, had me call the processor and go over everything with the processor. I then paid the processor two checks - one to the processor and one for the farmer. Personally I like dealing the other way better.

As for selling cuts of meat instead of the whole animal - one way around that is to set up a CSA. I'm not sure of all of the details on how to set one up - but I can give you the web address (which has the phone number) of the farm that I buy through that also does CSA (so many pounds of beef, pork, and chicken a month for a set price. Cuts of meat varies). Maybe it would give some ideas.


Another though may be to see if you could put a notice on the church bulletin board, or at a local place of business. Maybe that would help with getting interested people in contact with you.

Just a few thoughts that come to mind... :)
Could I have the web site pleas? Thank you!
 
#5 ·
put them in contact with the kill man that I have used in the past and they can pay him directly his services, on site.
That last part can get you in trouble in some states (most?). State regs may require that it not be on your land or they'll consider that you provided slaughter services no matter who does the kill. Check to be sure. Google for your state's regs. They're all online now.

-Walter
 
#6 ·
It is legal to slaughter livestock raised on your farm in Michigan, anyone having shares in the livestock operation is included. Processing cannot include any additives however, so no cures, no seasonings and no smoking can be included in/with any share if it leaves the farm. Contact your local health inspector or State Ag Dept and they can get you in touch with the proper people. Michigan State University offers classes.
 
#7 ·
I did this when I had two Guinea Hog barrows, and really only needed a half of one for our household. Below is the text from the ad I ran. The response was such that I could have sold WAY more than I had available. I collected my portion up front before the pigs were killed. I told people the pigs would be killed as soon as they were all paid for. People paid via PayPal, but I would have taken a check or cash as well, and cleared the check before proceeding, of course.

-------------------------------------------
Heritage Pork - American Guinea Hogs - $3

Two American Guinea Hog barrows to be processed by the excellent Silvana Meats. Live weights are approximately 200 and 140 pounds, which should translate into approximately 140 and 100 pounds hanging weight per pig. Three halves are available.

These pigs have had lots of room to run and root, and have been fed goat milk, grass, weeds, hay, garden extras, pumpkins, and apples, supplemented with Nutrena Hog Grower. The pigs are to be slaughtered by a professional who will come to our home. At the critical moment, the pigs will be happily snarfing milk or feed in familiar surroundings so that they will experience no pain or stress.

For those unfamiliar with American Guinea Hogs, the American Guinea Hog is a small, black, rare breed of heritage pasture pig that produces a true gourmet carcass. From the Emeril Lagasse cooking blog: "For a time, chefs and home cooks expounded on the beauty of Berkshire pigs, and they truly are a breed that is well marbled and fantastically tasty, but the latest find that has chefs going crazy, is the heritage breed, Guinea Hog . . ." The meat of the Guinea Hog is a dark red. Raw, it looks almost like beef, and the flavor has been compared to that of the Mangalitza pig. As with the traditional Berkshire, the Guinea Hog will put on a great deal of fat if free-fed a grain-based diet, but the Guinea Hog will also do very well and produce a leaner carcass with grass and weeds as a significant part of its diet.

$3 per pound hanging weight paid to me, plus slaughter, cut & wrap fees paid to Silvana Meats when the frozen meat is picked up. Slaughter is $27.50 per half, and cut & wrap are $0.53 per pound based on hanging weight. If interested, call xxx-xxx-xxxx. I do take PayPal!
 
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#8 ·
Craigslist is a great resource for selling hogs, but think about the responses you get from craigslist as sales leads, not as firm sales.

If someone is interested in your hogs, take a deposit; we do a deposit of 25% of the total price, and it's paid up front.

When we have a deposit in hand (via paypal or check or cash delivered to the farm) that's a firm order, and we proceed. It's pretty common that we'll have 2 or 3 people interested in the same pig - first come, first served. When you tell the other two people that the hog was sold, they're MUCH more likely to make their decision quickly next time.

Always save your email contacts from your craigslist -- that becomes your email list for future pig sales, and is an easy way for you to build a ready market for your pigs.

I've sold thousands of pigs via craigslist.

state laws do vary, but here in washington it's perfectly acceptable for you to contact a local licensed farm kill guy to kill the pig on your farm and transport it to the meat shop for cut-and-wrap, or for the customer to kill their own pig on your farm. the key point is that you're selling them a whole or half of a live pig and they are paying/contracting to have their own pig processed. The reality is that we'll call and schedule the guy, but it's done on behalf (and legally on behalf) of the customer.


Bruce / blog.bigpig.net
 
#9 ·
We only sell half sides of beef and/or pork; they buy half of the live animal; custom butcher comes to the farm; 1/2 is in customer name and 1/2 is in our name (if we are keeping half). We have not used Craigslist yet because so far we have sold all of our meat through word of mouth but that could change. Part of the benefit of on-farm butcher is that the animals are not stressed by hauling to slaughter house. But that only works for a small farm like us. REALLY small. :D
 
#11 ·
Post the ad now. I have people lined up for August already thru craigslist. Make sure they know the slaughter date so they're not thinking it's ready now.
I posted an exploratory ad on Craigslist - when our first batch of piglets were 2 weeks old stating we would have piglets available soon. All 48 were sold before weaning - one farm is growing out pasture raised pork and does not want to breed, so they bought 30 with a hefty deposit. I had others pay in cash - the full price prior to picking them up and before they were even weaned. It turned out great for us. We didn't have one buyer who was a flake. We also have a list going for April's farrowing. I was shocked at the response. Good pictures for the ad help. People love colored piglets! Not sure if a picture of a soon to be butchered animal is a good thing? It may be if it shows a good looking pasture raised animal = hot market right now. People are really starting to care about what they eat and willing to pay a higher price.
 
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