Herdshares are a legal protection and also a customer retention tool.Win-win for the farmer.
There are lots of Veggie CSAs, but few milk producers.
Marketing and distribution opportunities are extensive!
Homestead MilkingVersus
Commercial Milking-
The differences are about more than just selling the milk
Equipment Needs-
Capital Costs are Significant
Commercial Dairy requires Professional Equipment
Homestead setup is not adequate
for commercial production
Milking Machines-
Keep milk clean!
The Surge BucketMilker
Filtering the Milk
Allows us toVerify its
Cleanliness
Raw Milk isMuch Cleaner
Than Farm Kids!
Rapid Chilling of Raw Milk-Healthy microbesSweeter flavorLonger shelf life
Stainless Steel is SanitaryCounters, Sinks, Containers
Glass Mason Jars, Half Gallon
Available, Economical, Clean, and Professional
Do we test our Raw Milk???
Herd Size for Commercial Dairy
Raw milk needs to be produced by cows on zero grain.
This results in a strong inclination towards seasonal dairying.
Milk production curve through the year
Seasonal Marketing Ties in Well with Egg Sales
20
Raw Butter from Pasture Fed CowsToo Good to Sell!
Selling cream is difficult. Gravity separation is fine for home use, but not clean enough for selling.Cream separators involve a lot of cleanup time, and are not cheap to purchase.
Surplus Skim Milk in spring/Early summer is great for Growing Piglets
Milk-fed pork is a marketing dream!
Raw Milk Yogurt-
Easy to Make
Unique Product
Combines benefits of Raw Milk Microbes
And Yogurt Cultures
Pasteurized Yogurt has Shelf Life of Months
Homestead Cheesemaking is Great! Store seasonal surplus for winter use!
Commercial cheesemaking= prohibitive capital costs
Whole diet CSA is the pinnacle goal for the homestead farmer
Bringing customers onto the farm-Great for herdshare relationship
Excellent potential for revenue stream
City folks love getting to really check out the cows!
The Traditional Farm ImageSelling your Story
Masanobu Fukuoka — 'The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.'