Re: Latest on the Swap 'N' Shop

[Guest guest]

Group:

We have been vendors at the last few food swaps and would very much

like to see them continue. We love to meet members, other vendors and

love being involved how we can.

To make a long story very short, we are in business SPECIFICALLY to

supply the Trad-Foods audience and others like us. A fair amount of

our sales and referrals come from this group, and we are most

appreciative.

We want the Swap -n-shop to continue! How can we help, Joe? We would

be willing to help with the signup booth on the day of the swap if

needed. Also, we'd love to host a farm tour here this summer

(Princeton, MN, North of Elk River) if folks are interested in a new,

albeit distant, venue)

We are currently making monthly drops of grass-fed Beef, lamb and

pastured pork in the Twin Cities. OUr next one is Tues. Feb. 26. We

generally meet at a central location, depending on the orders. Also,

if anyone orders $100 or more, we are likely going to be able to

deliver to the person's home or business. We also have meats in bulk.

We plan on having chicken available this summer.

If anyone is interested, please email me off list, and I'll send an

order form. Pricing is on our website: www.lighthousefarm.com

Thanks! and we hope to see everyone at the next Swap-n-Shop!

>

> To be blunt, there aint gonna be one, unless it's a much larger group

> effort.

>

>

[Guest guest]

I've been so busy lately and haven't had time to read this list, but we

are glad to know the swap and shop is still being planned.

We are in Elk River and plan to have some goat milk available for folks

near by who can come and get it from us starting sometime in May. ( Also

starting in May we will host small farm tours, so if anyone is on there

way up to the Positively Naturals store off of the ten, they can stop by

our place which is right around there. Just make sure we are in first. )

Any potential customers out there? I'm glad that there is going to be

a April Swap and Shop. I greatly enjoyed the last one and want to come

again. It's possible I might be able to bring 100% goat milk soaps,

milk and honey lotions and a few other homemade products to sell if you

still need vendors, otherwise I'll just come to meet ya'll.

I plan to bring 2 coolers this time for more of those great meats, yummy

honey and other fine Trad Food things, too.

--

*~*~* Jo @ *~*~*

Complimentary and Alternative Goat Care. Exploring the world of

alternatives in an effort to promote sustainable and humane Farm and

Family Friendly options for raising goats.

We raise happy and healthy Kinder and Nigerian Dwarf goats for small

farms, homesteaders and families with young children.

[Guest guest]

Hello Jo,

I just wanted to clarify a little, we never " needed " vendors. The list was

simply an idea born from discussions that came up about how to make things more

beneficial for those that did participate. Some of the " vendors " felt that it

was not worth the time getting everything together, bringing it to the swaps,

and spending half a day there for the little bit of product they sold.

We felt that if people knew about the different great foods and products that

would be available ahead of time, they would be more likely to come and also to

be prepared when they did. As it's been, no one really knew who would be there

with what at any of the swaps.

None of us can really understand the hesitance people have in participating -

this is not for us, it's for all of those people just like you. I think the list

would be a fantastic thing for you to be on - I read posts by people looking for

goat milk all the time, yet I couldn't tell you right off the top of my head who

exactly they should look to for it. This would be a great way to get yourself

out there to connect with those people looking for goat milk and to let them

know when it will be available. Even if it's a small amount you plan to bring to

the swaps, you have a whole paragraph to tell about yourself, and then a smaller

area to add what will be available at the swaps later.

I am going to try to get the list finished up this weekend, so it will be posted

and printable less the parts on what will be available at the swaps. As we get

closer and people have a better idea of what they'll have to bring, we'll

collect that info and post an updated one. Just let me know if you'd like to put

your info on the list. And have a great weekend!

Re: Re: Latest on the Swap 'N' Shop

I've been so busy lately and haven't had time to read this list, but we

are glad to know the swap and shop is still being planned.

We are in Elk River and plan to have some goat milk available for folks

near by who can come and get it from us starting sometime in May. ( Also

starting in May we will host small farm tours, so if anyone is on there

way up to the Positively Naturals store off of the ten, they can stop by

our place which is right around there. Just make sure we are in first. )

Any potential customers out there? I'm glad that there is going to be

a April Swap and Shop. I greatly enjoyed the last one and want to come

again. It's possible I might be able to bring 100% goat milk soaps,

milk and honey lotions and a few other homemade products to sell if you

still need vendors, otherwise I'll just come to meet ya'll.

I plan to bring 2 coolers this time for more of those great meats, yummy

honey and other fine Trad Food things, too.

--

*~*~* Jo @ *~*~*

Complimentary and Alternative Goat Care. Exploring the world of

alternatives in an effort to promote sustainable and humane Farm and

Family Friendly options for raising goats.

We raise happy and healthy Kinder and Nigerian Dwarf goats for small

farms, homesteaders and families with young children.

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

Never miss a thing. Make your home page.

http://www./r/hs

[Guest guest]

Well, I can understand the hesitance people have because there is no

clear idea of what this is. I think folks may need more incentives to

come besides buying expensive meats. I'd be willing to donate some of

our soaps and lotions for the silent auction/raffle or door prizes. It's

going to be spring too so I can also donate seedlings of heirloom

vegetables and herbs.

My participation is in the fact that I can come with stuff to sell and

will most likely be taking a good bit home with me. I need advertising

for my farm and since I'm heavily into holistic and humane goat farming

it seems like a good way of doing that. I don't think I can do anything

else. It's too difficult to get off the farm.

These are uncertain times for us all and I think the lack of

participation may be reflecting that. The farmers market idea sounds

great to me. It's not often I can get to a farmers market and I don't go

to the cities at all.

I'd hate to see this disappear right when it seems like we can

participate in it.

Would vendors consider giving discounts to folks who pre-order their

purchases and pick them up there?

How about coupons included in your pampphlet to be used at the event?

I can send some info about our farm and even a nice picture to go along

with it, if there is room.

Have you guys ever considered doing a newsletter to bring the Trad food

community more together?

Just some ideas~ Jo

*~*~* Jo @ *~*~*

http://laudodeumfarmholisticgoatcare.blogspot.com/

Complimentary and Alternative Goat Care. Exploring the world of

alternatives in an effort to promote sustainable and humane Farm and

Family Friendly options for raising goats.

We raise happy and healthy Kinder and Nigerian Dwarf goats for small

farms, homesteaders and families with young children.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your input Jo - I know the topic of not knowing exactly what the

swaps are has come up many times. It's a main reason that the planning commitee

was formed. Joe, Will and Kimi have all posted explanations many times for those

that have never been. And aside from that, I'm not sure how exactly to get the

meaning out there. I had some other flyer-type literature posted for a while

that was intended to do that, but the problem with doing things such as flyers,

newsletters, coupons, etc. is that 1) you need someone to donate the design-time

and 2) Print costs are not cheap. I don't mind donating the time to put these

things together as long as others sumbit the content, but I can't absorb the

costs of printing them. We figured that if we post the vendor list here in the

group files, people can print out what they'd like at home. And there are enough

people that do know what it's all about, the flyer is intended to compliment

that verbal

explanation, I guess. I'm sure that come a little closer to the date, Joe or

Will would have made a formal announcement as to when it was happening, what it

is, etc.

We're all trying to contribute as much as we can, but a huge undertaking like

the swaps should not be left to a mere 2 or 3 people. There is so, so, so much

to do. I think it gets to the point that there is more to do than time allows,

and so a few things get done really well and alot of others not so much. And it

doesn't help that the group in general seems to have the attitude sometimes of

" Great idea! Wonderful - let's do it! " (As long as I don't have to do anything)

It gets frustrating to everyone that does donate their time when they can't even

get people to contribute constructive ideas, or take part in something that is

designed to help them and requires such little effort (such as sending

information) let alone offer to help with some of the hands-on tasks that need

to happen.

Anyway, you have some great ideas, and everyone really appreciates your sharing

them. I think that even a little input, whether it be constructive criticism or

positive reinforcement goes a long way in at least making everyone feel their

efforts matter. So, thank you.

And yes, we absolutely have room for your information on the vendor list - so

please, send away!

TRAILER MATERIAL EDITED OUT

[Guest guest]

Jo, your question:

" Would vendors consider giving discounts to folks who pre-order their

purchases and pick them up there? "

got me thinking. It couldn't hurt to ask. Maybe when it comes time for listing

those products they know they'll be bringing, we can also list somewhere whether

they will accept pre-orders or not. I think most of them would be happy to -

they all supply their contact info on the vendor list, and knowing how much

interest there was ahead of time could help them to plan on the amount of

product to bring. As far as offering discounts, maybe I'll send an email out to

them asking what they think of the idea. I think most do in bulk anyway.

Good thinking! Let's put the feelers out & see what the response is....

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

Never miss a thing. Make your home page.

http://www./r/hs

[Guest guest]

I'm thinking our 2008 series of events will lean more towards speaker programs,

potlucks

and meeting near an existing farmer's market where food shopping would be a

desirable

option.

One of the biggest surprises I've had with our group is how people shop! For

years I

exhorted members to come to the food swaps bearing several empty coolers and

several

hundred dollars to take advantage of the best shopping experience of the year,

because it

was (and one or two people did). I expected to see city people say " here's an

extra $20

because we really appreciate what you are sacrificing to make good food " . But

what I saw

for the most part was shocking. Teenie-weenie, little-bitty purchases of oh,

" maybe I

could spend a whole dollar....but, I don't know if we can use up both ounces of

that

cheese, how much can I get for a quarter? " .

My observation was that (WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS) it was a slap in the face to

farmers

and producers who worked hard to get up early, set up a big display of

perishables only to

have wasted a day of their lives for a few dollars of sales. NO WONDER so few

farmers can

make it when even the vocally-supportive crowd seemingly offer so little actual

support.

IN GENERAL, and I know I'll get flack for saying this, I still see an

overwhelming stinginess

in the traditional food crowd, a strong desire to perpetuate the

whole-lot-of-food-for-

NO-MONEY mentality, and an stubborn unwillingness to pay the farmer his or her

due.

Maybe it's improving as I no longer hear people bragging how they screwed a

farmer out

of a side of beef for a few bucks, but I'm still pretty depressed about that

persistent

poverty mentality. To me, that's the issue that I think needs the most

upgrading. The food

is here; at least for a while.

Will Winter

[Guest guest]

We have attended 3 or 4 of the food swaps as a vendor of grass-fed

beef and lamb, and pastured pork. I'd like to sound a slightly more

upbeat tone in this discussion. I certainly agree with Will that a

farmer should be paid fairly for his/her efforts and expertise.

Well-made, " handcrafted " food, produced lovingly with all attention to

health and vitality requires a level of knowledge, experience and

farming competence that not everyone has.

The costs going into producing food on a sustainable, local,

family-scale operation are certainly prohibitive. Very few people can

say they make a living doing what we do. Those who do should be

rewarded and empowered to stay in business. Our society pays more for

specialists in this country for all kinds of things: (handmade

clothing costs more than sweatshop clothing, for example).

Having said this, we have found the food swaps to be well-worth our

while, have never felt slapped in the face by the amount of product

folks buy, and have not witnessed a stingy, no-money mentality in our

customers.

Sure, some folks have passed our booth without purchasing; some have

only purchased a small amount. However, as a farmer who enjoys

providing high-quality meats directly to consumers, we love meeting

Trad-Food folks, and members of this group are some of our best

customers. We have found Trad-Food members to be intelligent and

well-informed. People like that understand the value of quality food.

We would love to see the Swap-n-Shops maintain the food vendors as in

the past. We value the group and the get-togethers. Thanks to

everyone who has contributed to these events.

>

> IN GENERAL, and I know I'll get flack for saying this, I still see

an overwhelming stinginess

> in the traditional food crowd, a strong desire to perpetuate the

whole-lot-of-food-for-

> NO-MONEY mentality, and an stubborn unwillingness to pay the farmer

his or her due.

[Guest guest]

Will, I sent you an email off-list - I just wanted to make sure you get it. If

it doesn't show up in your inbox, maybe check in your junkmail.

Thanks!

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

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