Moving to a rural area how to approach farmers?

[laukaouda]

Hopefully if the contracts go through I will be purchasing a home in the midst of several farms next month. I have seen sheep, cows (not all dairy), and some poultry farms. Anyone have advice how to approach the farmers to ask to buy their organ and muscle meat. I am not sure if they even do their own butchering on premises.

I also found a meat cooperative that sells hormone and antibiotic free beef, lamb, pork and bison by mail or delivery. I would really love to have a good business relationship with these people but don't know how to approach them. Any ideas or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[Kerry]

Laukaouda, if the ranchers have butcher any for their own use, then you'll have more luck. For me, even the real butcher shops won't get into it. (Probably a liability, in case I decide to eat it myself... ) I'd never feed a dog raw pork, and in the case of sheep, just have your dogs tested for parasites, periodically.
I'd take some cookies to your new, country neighbors and introduce yourself. Ask them about their dogs and strike up a relationship with them, and see what they say.

[Kerry]

Also, Laukaouda, see the thread on The Cost of Wings, where we'd discussed rabbits, too.

[laukaouda]

I never thought about parasite in pork. Are dogs suseptible to trichnosis (sp?)? Off to do some research.

[JanisN]

I've fed raw pork necks with no ill effects but TERRIBLE gas. Definitely not doing that again!

JanisN

[laukaouda]

Hi Janis! Oh dear after feeding the trotters I did notice someone had gas. I thought it was dh and threatened to make him sleep downstairs .

[Currmudgeon]

With the exception of an occasional animal for the table, not too many farmers butcher their own livestock. If you find a commercial raiser, say someone who sells eggs or fryers, then approach them directly and be upfront about what you want and how much you want to buy. Dairy farmers may be willing and legally able to sell the occasional downer for animal feed, but the animals don't cark on schedule and a cow will go a helluva long way.

You may be too small to bother with, or they may be thrilled with the idea.

You might try livestock auctions. Poultry and rabbits are often sold there.

[xoxogsd]

someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I remember reading in Billinghurst's books that pork you buy in stores and from distributors is pretty much guaranteed to be free from trichinosis (sp?). I also heard on the radio that trichinosis is pretty much a thing of the past. Billinghurst indicated that it would only be the hobby farmer's pigs or wild pigs that you would have to possibly worry about.

Can anyone back that up?

I too feed pork necks - maybe every other week - and no problems that I'm aware of.