Farmers Markets

[Dogfish]

Expertise is only boring if it's pedantic. This site is a veritable wiki of all things butcher; I for one enjoy reading, and what I don't enjoy, I don't read.

[welsh wizard]

Good point Dogfish. I will scribe some more info once I finish my hols

Cheers WW

[yotmon]

No problem digressing, I would love to be stood on the river bank pursuing 'the leaper'. We have a brook about a mile away that suffered everything mankind could throw into it since the industrial revolution, basically killing every known form of life. Yet this January 4 Salmon were seen trying to make a redd, so there is a god ! Talking about rain, we had a flash flood yesterday afternoon and the road drains couldn't cope. It lifted a cast iron manhole cover completely out of its hole in the middle of the road and spewed out 3 foot of water ! Even driving down a hill was like being in a river. One poor woman had to be rescued by the fire service in a rubber dinghy after becoming trapped in her car, the water was up to the windows and she had to climb onto the roof. Never seen flooding happen so quickly. Enjoy your break and I hope to read an update soon. PS good look with the Bass if you don't get a Salmon !

[Ruralidle]

Hi WW

I, for one, am always happy to hear more olf your adventures in market land. Enjoy your holiday, I'm sure you deserve it, pity about the weather though.

[saucisson]

We had a sudden deluge last week and my rain gauge was reading 4 inches per hour Fortunately it only lasted 3 minutes

[welsh wizard]

ok now i have dried out from my fishing hols i shall update as promised.......well I have been going now for some 7 years and have learnt many valueable lessons along the way.
I think the main keys are to keep on coming up with new and inovative ideas, keep produce super fresh, be realistic with your pricing, engage all the free marketing and advertising you can get and above all be positive even when the chips ~(or pies) are stacked against you. Just truly blieve in what you do and recognise that not all customers are sane, even minded and balanced - there are some people out there that will drive you to question what you do but as long as the vast majority are on your side, take heart. Variety in what you do protects your business so I for example 1) attend main markets 2) attend farmers markets 3) do outside catering which encompassaes evrything from dinner parties to weddings 4) supply a small variety of resturants and delis and lastly I have just started cookery courses at home dealing with game which has been a natural progression from the demonstrationds I do at various food festivals. not all these ventures are busy all the time but as one dries up another will gain momentum and things will constantly move around, its just about not putting all your pies in one basket.

I have just been talking to a company (not ProQ) who supply the ProQ smoker and they have just given me a Eco smoker and a ProQ to demonstrate at the various food festivals I do, the next one will be the Ludlow Food Festival next weekend which is one of the biggest in the country. I have put a plastic window in the Eco smoker so people can see whats happening, I have smoked (and frozen) 500 sausage on sticks to cook at the festival - I obviously should shift some smokers for the company who have been forsighted enough to donate a smoker to me and it will also make a very useful aid to get people onto the stand. Win Win hopefully

Christmas order lists will be done in the next two weeks, smoked cheese will be put on the board next month as well as some smoked prawns, 4 weddings need to be completed before Christmas, 2 weddings have to be quoted for next Summer and things remain busy.....thankfully!

Anyway I will update more as time permitts

Cheers for now WW

[welsh wizard]

I wonder if I could ask for your assistance - again

I have been producing sausages on sticks for what seems ages and at the last two shows I have been questioned about my pricing being too cheap. Personally I dont think so but of course I opperate in a very small area and dont get out much to view other peoples products and prices. So if you would be so kind please can you tell me what you would pay for the following:

Homemade sausage on a stick, approx 12 - 13" long made from GOS free range meat with an 80 / 20 meat to fat ratio in a sheep casing

Choice of Oak smoked sausage or plain sausage - should there be any price difference?

1) Sausage on a stick £

2) 1 x sausage in a roll (hot dog) with onions etc £

3) 2 x sausage in a roll with onions etc £

Thank you

Cheers WW

[DanMcG]

1) Sausage on a stick £ 1.50

2) 1 x sausage in a roll (hot dog) with onions etc £1.75

3) 2 x sausage in a roll with onions etc £2.75

Speaking as a sausage buyer, I think these would be good prices, but probably to low for the seller to make much of a profit.

[Ruralidle]

Given the time and extra cost of producing smoked sausages they should cost more than plain but that may not sit well with the punters. I would have said £1.50 for plain & £2 for smoked but given my first comment, I would say:

sausage on a stick £1.75;

sausage & onions in a bun £2.50;

two sausages and onions in a bun £3.25 or £3.50.

Richard

PS: DanMcG - we are in the UK, everything costs more over here, compared to the US. Electrical goods for example; they seem to ignore exchange rates (which are above $1.55 to £1) and just change the $ for £.

[wheels]

It depends on the show and where in the country it is - I'd let the competition and overhead costs be my guide! Some shows/festivals charge £100's for a pitch etc.

That said my initial thoughts are that I'm not sure I'd just sell the sausage on a stick - or if I did I'd pitch the price very near to that of one in a bun where you have added value. Also, 12 - 13 inches is a massive sausage (Oh Vicar!), particularly, if it's in a hogs casing? At that size it's got to be worth £3.50 - £4.50 with all the trimmings. Normal hot-dogs from a "chew and choke" on a night out are less than half that size (approx 5") and cost at least £2 - £3 (or more) don't they?

FWIW, the people withthis business charge £3.60 and this one £3 - £4.

That said, I guess the art is striking a balance between cost and sales.

Phil

[welsh wizard]

Thank you for your responses

I think I will stay where I am, which is

:£1.50 for a sausage on a stick

£2.20 for a one in a hot dog

£3.50 for 2 in a hot dog

I was going to charge a little more for the smoked versions but I need to smoke some more (soled the last lot) but the weather temp dosent look too good for this week in the evenings, so possibly I wont do that.

Cheers WW

[Ruralidle]

I'm just sorry that I won't be at Ludlow Food Festival this year to take advantage of your bargain prices

[wheels]

WW you said they're 12" long, which is enormous, are they in sheep or hogs casings? They must weigh one heck of a lot?

Phil

[welsh wizard]

Hi wheels

They are in sheep casings, hogs would take too long to cook when we are busy

Cheers WW

[Ruralidle]

You are definitely selling FAR too cheaply for a 12 inch sausage.