FOOD PRODUCERS

[Guest guest]

I know I have seen posts on here from people who are producing food and

selling it, but maybe they don't read the posts all the time, thus my nice,

large, to the point subject header. : )

Geese - can anyone tell me how they go about plucking their geese?

Selling - can anyone tell me, or point me towards, information on the

legalities of selling raw kraut, raw milk, and raw yogurt? I did write one

woman who had posted about selling her raw yoghurt and kraut, but she didn't

write back.

I have read Salatin's book on chickens, I understand that he is selling live

birds and throwing in the cleaning as a gift. I've also learned that as a

small farm we can sell our chicken eggs. But what about milk, cream,

yoghurts, kraut, and cheeses? (I know, cheese is very regulated, but we've

a friend here talking dreamily of a woman he knew in the lower 48 who made

goat milk cheese all year long and then sold it all at craft fairs. It

sounds great - but risky! How does one supply the homefarm raw cheeses, and

protect oneself legally?)

We want to go from providing food for our family to providing food for

others. Are there any organizations that support small farms, that are

interested in seeing agriculure land remain agriculture? We recently viewed

a homestead farm that has come up for sale and it is typical of what is

going on here. It is 160 acres with old farm house and falling down barn

and pasture that hasn't been used as a pasture in years - and the children

who have inheritted it are asking $355,000. It will, as usual, be bought by

a developer who will divide it up int 1.5 acres parcels (some will be as

large as 5 acres! <choke>) and they will be sold with CCRs that keep one

from raising so much as a chicken!

The 160 acre farm across from the house we rent, has been subdivided into

1 - 1.5 acres lots, has CCRs out the wazoo to protect the city folk that are

buying the lots, and has caused our lease to be changed because the owner of

that development doesn't want people looking out and seeing our chickens and

geese! (Sorry for the rant!)

So we are looking and looking for land of our own, and finding it so

discouraging.

Where do I go to find the information I need on selling raw and selling

grass fed meat?

Thanks SO much,

Rhea