real price of milk or other quality food

[Guest guest]

When I went back to raising calves after being out of

farming for 15 years the one thing I knew was that I

would not borrow money and I would not buy equipment

(Annette, my wife of 27 years would divorce/kill me).

I have adjusted my product and service prices until I

am at a level where I am making a little money. I do

have a job with the State of NC, so I don't do my beef

business to make a living, but I feel that if I do any

other work, it should net me the same as my government

job, else I should be at my desk.

In '07 I cleared $13,200.00. To do this I had to work

1.25 hours every day, rain or shine and spend 9 days

delivering beef to the customer and about the same

delivering animals to the abitior. This made for a

total of 600 hours that I can count. $13,200/600 =

$22/hour. This is return on labor and management and

does not count for depreciation on my trucks or

trailers that I use to haul cattle and hay. If anyone

thinks a college educated professional who is very

competent at his/her profession should work for less,

I advise you to trust Don Tyson or Purdue for

your food. As I am fond of saying: " If you like

imported oil, you will love imported Food. "

My beef is of the highest quality, individually

slaughtered, cut, wrapped and frozen and delivered to

the customer's door. It is competively priced with

-Teeter or Wynn-Dixie. Higher than Wal-mart.

Much cheaper than Whole foods. It is grass finished,

artifical hormone and routine antibiotic free. It is

humanely raised. I do my best to practice good

environmental stewardship. I know there are costs I

have not added and likely some I have not considered.

I do like what I do. I do not do anything else

recreational. I think I have made a home run because I

have found something to do that I really enjoy and can

make a few dollars doing.

Blessings to all.

Bill Dunlap

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