Goat shares~!??

[justusnak]

OK, The other day I was at my PT appointment, and the subject turned to goats, milk, and cheeses. The PT's son was filling in for the week at the desk, and was very interested in goats milk and cheese. So, he asked me to bring some in for samples...and if he likes it, would I be willing to sell it to him....I am guessing weekly. I informed him I could not legally sell milk or cheese....however I might look into doing a "share" on the goat. Now, my questions are......IF I decide to do the share thing....how would I know how much to charge, and for how much product to be fair for us both?? I know goats milk in the store is around $8/gal....pasteurized and I am thinking the cheese (farmers cheese) runs about $6/lb. Not sure on the Mozz cheese. Any suggestions?? Keep in mind, I have ONE doe...and she gives about 3 qrts a day, ( just over 5 gal a week) and we use about 2 gallons a week. So, there are 3 gallons I could afford to let go of ( we would just not have as much cheese for us, and I am OK with it) ....any ideas??

 

[PamsPride]

If you are willing to part with 1 gallon a week then I would make it a 1/5 share. Then decide what you want for that one gallon. So if you want $6 a gallon make the 1/5 share $24 a month.
Make sure you have a written document that outlines that money is for 1/5 of the CARE of the goat as well!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

and check with kstaven over on the herds site... he was just saying he'd help answer questions about this very thing.

www.wildthingorganics.com

 

[justusnak]

Thank you both for your fast response. I will go over to the "herd" and ask there. LOL

 

[freemotion]

Take a few days to make up a detailed list of every cost associated with keeping that goat. Don't forget your labor, even if you give yourself minimum wage. Don't forget the cost of keeping the goat while she is dry and breeding her. I don't add in the cost of kids as they tend to break even with the labor of keeping them and the milk, vaccinations, etc.

I found that my goat's milk is worth a lot more than $6 a gallon when you consider everything. Don't undercharge. Also, I couldn't sell cheese for less than $25-30 per lb for anything other than chevre because of the time it takes.

 

[justusnak]

Thanks Free, I was going on prices I have seen online...not here in our state tho. Chevre I can sell cheap...Mozzarella....im not too sure about tho.

 

[Icu4dzs]

Well, I tend to agree with Freemotion. How much is HIS time worth and how much is YOUR time worth? If he is able to give you an hour of his time, will an hour of your time and milk be worth the same thing?

Obviously, there are things that people value more than others, but that would be my response. If he is giving you an hour of PT in trade for your time and the milk, then it is fair. If he wants 4 hours of your time to get one hour of his, then you may want to consider that more closely.

I belong to a CSA and I get a "share" of the garden produce. The "buy-in" was rather steep, but since it was going to a business run by children of some folks here in my area, I decided to do it just to help kids who were willing to work hard. I don't get really good volumes of vegetables but that doesn't matter. I believe in supporting young people who have the ambition to work for themselves. You are NO different. A share of your "goat" is different than buying your milk. Is he willing to pay 1/5 of the vet bill and the feed and the hours of care...better yet, is he willing to do 1/5 of the care...i.e. one day a week to do goat chores? THAT is having a share. Otherwise, he values his time more than yours and I'm not sure I'd like to do that.

I know what I get paid for what I do, but then when I am not at the hospital, my time is worth the same as any other persons time, except that they think their time is worth more than mine... cause they don't know I can do things other than be a doc!

I welded a project for a guy and he actually told me I had gotten someone else to do it till he saw my welding set up...

OK, back to the subject.

Your time is worth something, too. Decide and then consider making a deal. You can't sell milk but you can sell your time. The milk may just be a bonus!

Trim sends
//bt//

 

[LovinLife]

A goat share I was looking into around here (VA) was $30 a month for one gallon a week.

 

[freemotion]

Well, I tend to agree with Freemotion. How much is HIS time worth and how much is YOUR time worth? If he is able to give you an hour of his time, will an hour of your time and milk be worth the same thing?

Obviously, there are things that people value more than others, but that would be my response. If he is giving you an hour of PT in trade for your time and the milk, then it is fair. If he wants 4 hours of your time to get one hour of his, then you may want to consider that more closely.

Well, I disagree with a part of this, in that unskilled labor is not worth the same per hour as skilled and licensed labor. I cannot charge for my time with my goats what I charge for my time as a massage therapist.....anyone can shovel out a goat stall, but not everyone can relieve pain and increase range of motion in an hour like I can. I had to pay for schooling, continuing education, licensing fees, office rental, liability insurance, linens and laundry, etc. The overhead for my goats is very different. I would trade goat time for PT time (if the PT is good!) at a 4-1 ratio.

$30 for 4.3 gallons of raw goat's milk is a BARGAIN!!!

 

[justusnak]

My PT is not the one wanting the milk and cheese. It is his adult son. My insurance covers my PT 100% so, no swapping there. LOL Besides, I dont think my little Suzie gives enough milk in a week to cover HIS costs!
Here, if you buy goats milk in the stores...it is $2 a quart. That is not raw milk....but heated and chilled until all the good nutrients are gone ( pasteurized/homogenized) I had talked to the woman where I got my Suzie, she had looked into it as well....however the legal system being the way it is, she too was scared off. She now barters for her milk. This young man is a city boy from the get go, and I really doubt I could get him out here to clean the barn, or stalls....or much else in exchange. I am waiting on a reply from Kstaven, on BYH. I am hoping he will be able to enlighten me on this. Thanks everyone!!