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meat & poultry shares



>From the subject of value added products for the CSA, & coordination with 
surrounding farms to more fully fulfill customers' food needs:
   I raise pastured broilers in Oregon, which for the past 2 years have 
marketed solely to customers who come to the farm on processing day to 
pick up their birds, every other week. The legal margin in which we 
operate is very slight, consisting in selling the birds live (done by 
requiring a deposit for each bird ahead of time), not charging for the 
processing, and selling on the farm. We are not as of yet inspected by 
either the state or USDA (making our birds more healthy to some). While 
we have had several CSAs mention us in their newsletters, very few sales 
have resulted.
  This year we would like to market the birds through some neighbouring 
CSAs much more actively. The present idea is to retain the "share" 
structure - one share equals two frozen birds every other week. There 
would be two sizes, each with its own price. If folks want more birds, 
they simply purchase more shares. Flexibility might be added by supplying 
our batch calendar, and customers could choose the distribution dates of 
their shares. Bins of frozen birds (one bin per size) would then be 
delivered to the CSA farm the day of delivery to be included in their 
distribution.
   I am curious as to how to structure this all legally. As the birds are 
not inspected, they are not available for resale. I'm assuming that the 
resale issue is circumvented by the CSA doing the actual purchasing (the 
check I as producer receive). I as producer can then give the CSA a small 
fee for marketing (they should get some pennies for their time involved 
in the distribution). I have heard of several CSAs either raising poultry 
& other meats themselves & offering shares, or working with neighboring 
producers. While the legalities of meat varies among states, there should 
be some similarities.

How have these CSAs constructed their meat & poultry shares 
(amounts,$,timing,legalities)?

Aaron Silverman
Creative Growers



>I have a small CSA (4) and work with a farm (Silver Creek Farm) nearby
>that has a larger membership (100). They offer a number of extra shares.
>Some of the things they offer are a chicken share, a lamb meat share, a
>knitting share which has sweaters and mittens knit from the on farm
>fiber, a beer share where you participate in the brewing of beer and
>then divide up the bottled product at the end, a goat cheese share, an
>egg share, and a flower share. Some of these shares are coordinated with
>other organic farms in the area or individuals who have an interest in
>working with the farm.
>
>Jan Goodland Metz
>Meadowlark Farm


Creative Growers: Quality Produce & Pastured Poultry
Aaron Silverman
88741 Torrence Rd.
Noti, Or. 97461
cgrowers@pond.net