Murphysranch - Bank blues and garage sale thoughts

[ohiofarmgirl]

GREAT WORK!!!

you just watch - we are gonna see you on an infomercial being the soap queen!!!!!!!

as others have said YES you can freeze it! we freeze all of ours - even to drink. makes it fast and easy to chill that way. the only thing about freezing in bags (if this is how you get it) is that they WILL leak - no matter what you do. so just make sure they are in a container when you thaw them out.

and yep - our Debbie and Vita gave well over a gallon a day at their peak.

and you found a new friend!

you are standing at the precipice of goat-owning.. you mark my words
;-)

 

[freemotion]

$8 a gallon is the going price for pasteurized goat's milk here, about double that for raw. But keep it under your hat that you are buying from her, as there are milk nazi's everywhere. For an unlicensed backyard person, I'd say that $8 per gallon for unpasteurized milk is fair. The expenses per gallon are higher for the backyard homesteader than for the big dairy, generally.

It does not cost me anything near that to produce milk, but I don't bill myself for all the labor! I actually enjoy it.

Unless it is a bad lightening storm and I am stuck in the barn at night with the goats and all the mosquitoes.....far, far from my comfy house and my buttered popcorn...

 

[FarmerDenise]

I pay about $3 for a quart of goats milk at Trader Joes and the goat dairy where we got our kids, gets $4 per gallon wholesale.

 

[murphysranch]

Bummer of a day. I sent an em to the gal with goats milk, nice and friendly, and suggested 8 bucks a gallon.
Been a day and a half, and no answer.

Then Thursday and Saturday (today) I sold my laundry detergent at that afore mentioned store. I sold out on Thurs in 3 hours (6 gallons) and today in 5 hours (7.5 gallons). I also sold 2 ant poisons and two smoked sea salt tins (a new idea).

I expertly sold 5 of her 6 bags of Celtic Sea Salt that I noticed on her pantry shelves, by show casing it, talking about its moisture content, its color and how well it works as a finishing salt. In fact, she hadn't sold any of this salt in more than 2 months, and I about depleted her inventory. $6.95 for 6 oz in a prepackaged bag.

So my great idea was for me to return either on Thurs or Sat, and continue to sell my soap and highlight one of her products every week. I suggested that next week I could talk about Braggs ACV with a brochure, recipes, helpful hints, etc.

Her reply was that her husband normally worked the floor, and he was bent out of shape (my words) that I was there. Gosh - I was tucked back into a corner, with a little table, behind the metro shelves and only ppl who walked around the produce stands would see me. Hurt my feelings. Not invited back, cus her DH's nose was out of place.....She did say I could bring some more of my soap and put it on the shelves. But this soap will take up selling to get the clientele used to buying it. Deep sigh....

I made $62 bucks for both days, along with two days of making the detergent, dumpster diving for the bottles, washing and sanitizing them, and then filling, labeling, etc. Didn't expect it to be a big money maker, but I was willing to try to sell based upon volume/quantity. At $5 a gallon net, how could anyone not want to try the detergent....

And oh by the way, she says, if I would be interested in writing a monthly newsletter for their non profit group, and so some data entry, and follow up with the classes that will be held....and....and....

double deep sigh....

 

[kcsunshine]

Phooey. And double phooey. Sounds like the hubby was a little jealous. Keep trying, you'll find your niche soon.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I really don't know your situation, but if your stuff went well, why do you need her? (them) Can't you do what she does, but only better? (and I say better, b/c you onvioulsy did better then them at selling their own products.

 

[tortoise]

I really don't know your situation, but if your stuff went well, why do you need her? (them) Can't you do what she does, but only better? (and I say better, b/c you onvioulsy did better then them at selling their own products.

Mmmm hmm! Agreed!

 

[freemotion]

Time for a stand at the farmer's market! Or craft shows! Yep, you showed him up and his ego was bruised. A classic example of him cutting off his nose to spite his face. They are kicking out a free salesperson? SHEESH!

Maybe he'll calm down in a few days. You need to put your contact info on your soaps so people can contact you directly. Make your own newsletter, to benefit your sales. Collect e-mail addresses when you sell soap so you can email a newsletter with money-saving tips and recipes....and advertising your new products as you come up with new ideas.

It is obvious that you are good at this....you are off to a flying start!

 

[dragonlaurel]

Sounds like you need to sell at the farmers market and similar places. You are evidently a good salesperson. He looked bad in comparison, and just pouted about it.

Keep selling to that store too, Your customers may send their friends to get it, and they will also need more eventually.

 

[Dace]

I agree with everyone else, don't get discouraged. When ever a door closes another one opens....you just have to look for it!

I would suggest meeting with the lady's husband and find out from him what the problem is....it could be something you can fix, or not, but isn't it worth a try?

You increased their sales, and it cost them nothing....to not have you back is stupid. If you can find out what his objection really is, then maybe you can save this.

But don't give up, you are off to a terrific start!