SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
Okay, who wants bacon?? We all know that when we buy direct from our local farmers, we get a better product (quite often for a better price), we minimise transport emissions, we directly support a local business, we strengthen the local economy by keeping our dollars in the community, and we foster good personal relationships with our producers - this is what the "got local?" campaign is all about! There are a number of local producers that deserve our business. Yesterday we met Robert Doyle, a farmer who raises pigs and cattle just 30 kms out of Bundaberg in Pine Creek. He is offering locally grown, hormone free, free/semi free range (not force fed), whole processed pigs with accurate paddock to plate traceability for significantly less than you can buy "generic" pork in the supermarkets!
A lot of us might not have room in the freezer for a whole pig, but would love to take advantage of this great deal, get high quality meat and support a local farmer. This leads me to believe that it's time to start a SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group, to share in opportunities like this one - the Doyles are preparing an order for pickup in Gin Gin in early June, so let's get organised! If you would be willing to coordinate the buying group, or would like to participate in it, please reply or contact us.
The farm gate price for a whole, local, pig (approximately 60kg) is $3.50/kg plus processing costs (which are extremely reasonable). Now compare that to a local supermarket that is advertising specials this week of $16.99/kg for pork loin steaks and $15.93/kg for double smoked leg ham - with no mention of where the meat is from, how far it had to travel, how it's raised or how much the farmer is paid!
We ring Robert on 4157 9916 to place an order; he'll phone the week before the pig goes in; we phone the butcher on the Tuesday of the week it is processed to nominate what we want done with each section, then pick up our goods.
So who's in??
SustainaBundy
Want to join this group?
To get started, you'll need to create an account - or, if you already have an account on this website, login.
User login
Who's online
Online users
May 2nd, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
April 30th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
Hi Andi,
This sounds like a great way to buy locally and cheaply. We would like to to be involved and would like to be able to purchase a side of pig with half fresh cuts and half cured if that is at all possible.
I know this is early notice, but we operate a mango farm and use sustainable and almost (but not quite) totally organic practices. I am horrifed when I still see mangoes from all over the country selling for ridiculous prices in the supermarkets while we end up having to just dispose of much of our produce because it is so difficult for a small operator to break into the market. So come mango season, I would love to be able to offer some of our produce to locals for a much reduced price if that is of any interest to you & your organisation. Please contact me if you need further details.
Regards,
Angela Skerman
April 30th, 2008
Sustainabundy FGBG-Re: Mangoes
Hi Ange,
Sounds great! We'll be interested in being part of a group buy from you next season as I'd like to dry them to store away and to make preserves etc.
Leah
April 30th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
Ange, thanks for posting! At this stage I've gotten three emails, including yours, from people wanting to be in on the group pork buy!
Because we're so extremely tied up with all the other SustainaBundy commitments, neither Dean nor I will be able to coordinate any group buys. Is anyone willing to put up their hand to organise it, preferably ASAP so SustainaBundy can participate in the Doyle's early June pork order? I think the Farm Gate Buying Group Coordinator would need to:
1. Collect orders and money from everyone that's interested in participating
2. Place the order and make payment to Robert Doyle for the pig
3. Contact the butcher in Gin Gin to organise pickup
4. Pay for and pick up the processed order in Gin Gin when ready (fresh
and cured are ready at different times, will require two trips)
5. Set up a distribution system to get everyone their order
6. Keep records of the entire process
Perhaps someone will have better ideas on streamlining the process - this is where group effort comes in, to spread the workload around and make things go smoothly! Please step up if you'd like to see this succeed. Thanks!
Andi
May 3rd, 2008
Being out of town, I can't
Being out of town, I can't do the money collecting & distributing of the orders, but if Leah can do that, I can place the order & contact the butcher & do the paperwork. We can probably pick up our own order (depending on timing) as DH travels through Gin Gin on his way home from work, but because of of limited storage room, I probably wouldn't be able to pick up any other orders - Sorry.
Ange
May 4th, 2008
Re: Being out of town, I can't
May 5th, 2008
Re: Being out of town, I can't
About a week ago I offered to Andi off forum to do the ordering, processing, collecting & distributing because I live in Gin Gin and already have my own cattle slaughtered there so I am familiar with the process. I really don't want to collect cash because I live miles away and direct deposit would be the way to go (Bendigo Bank).
With regard to collection - I think Neil would be happy to freeze the order (I'd still need to check this) but I certainly don't think he would be happy having everyone pick up their orders individually because he doesn't have room in his coldroom for people to fluff around. There is also the chance of stuff ups becsause he is not to know what belongs to who. A private kill is technically for one person and he expects to have those carcases in his coolroom ONLY for the time - he gets very annoyed if you don't pick up when you say you will!
Getting a small order to Bundy ( 5x60kg pigs) is not problem - we can pick it up and meet you there. Those people who can't be there need to arrange with another person in the buying group to pick up for them. But for large orders - over 6 or more pigs someone else will have to come out and give us a hand. The butcher is open for business from 6am to 4-ish every day and 5am to 11am Saturday. (They work bloody hard!)
Notes: A 60 kg pig packs into 2 or 3 of the butcher's boxes depending on how you have it cut. (remember a 60kg pig is not 60kg of meat) We can also decide how we want the sides cut - BUT to make it easy for Neil it is best if we just agree on a standard cut for everyone. [NOTE: Neil does REAL bacon - it is evil - I love it - I have to take 5 kg with me every time I go home to the Gold Coast to appease the family gods]
Yum Yum Yum - porky bits are GO!
have fun y'all (background dueling banjo fades)
Tamara Kelly
BTW: I HIGHLY RECOMMEND CURING THE PORK!!! NEIL DOES THE BEST BACON - PROPERLY SMOKED. (note this is very strong so you may want to try some before having a whole side done that way.
May 5th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
Sorry not to have responded promptly. With World Environment Day fast approaching and Dean out of town, I'm up to my eyeballs in meetings, scheduling advertising, calculating carbon emissions, putting together the library display, confirming stallholders, speakers, demos and displays... Jacqui, Carol and I did visit the Doyle farm on the weekend and saw their operation, I had hoped to make time to blog about it and post some photos but I don't think it'll happen today.
With all this going on neither Dean nor I are in a position to be able to coordinate or even guide the group buy effort at this time, and we won't be participating in the June order. Susanne, Ange, Leah and Tamara, it sounds like you are all keen to participate - I would suggest you try to coordinate with one another off list to take advantage of the opportunity. When you're ready to order, Robert Doyle's phone number is 4157 9916 - good luck, please report back and let us know how it goes!
May 6th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
THANKYOU!!!
Right-o ladies, place your inital orders and I shall get the pigs squealing ...oink oink oink!!!
Tam
May 8th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
Tamara,
I'd like to order a side of fresh mixed cuts and maybe about 5kg of bacon if that is possible please?? So, just to clarify that would be about 30kg....right??Do they always slaughter them at around the 60kg size...........was just wondering on that one. Also,can you let me know when the money needs to be deposited by as well? It seems like an awful lot of work for you to take on so many thanks for doing this for us!!
regards,
Leah
May 9th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group CORRECTION
OH!!! Sorry, I thought 60kg was the liveweight - bugger. Now I am rereading the original email for the initial proposal and realise it is 60kg dressed weight. Yes, you'll end up with 30kg of porky pig!
Have fun
T
May 9th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
Hi Leah,
I can order a side of piggy for you but not just 5kg of bacon because this is a prime cut. Someone else might sell you 5 kg of bacon or you could add it to our order from Neil - it's about $14 a kg retail. An alternative is you go halves with someone else on a cured side and decide when you recieve the meat how you will divy it up.
Liveweight to dressed weight with pigs is between 70 and 76%. If the pig is 60kg liveweight - it might dress down to about 45kg - hence a side would be around the 22kg mark.
This isn't a lot of work for me - it's a lot of work for the farmer and butcher :-)
Cool?
Tam
May 9th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
Hi Tam,
I'll go for the side of fresh cuts then please. And if anyone ends up with more bacon than they need then I will buy some from them :-)....Anyone??
thanks for that Tam,
Leah
May 10th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
Leah,
Would you like to shares in a pig with me. I would like half a pig including the ham & bacon,but would also like some fresh cuts?
ANge
May 9th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
...and even more work for the pig!! ;)
May 9th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
Yes, we need one of those Hitchhiker's Guide Pigs that happily fattens up and nicks out back to willingly top itself for our consumption.
T
May 6th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
Hi Tam,
Thanks for taking this on.
I would like to order a side of pig with a mixture of cured and fresh cuts I know someone else mentioned they didn't think they could handle a whole pig so can I share with them?????
Can you let me know more details about when you are planning pickup date / time so I can get organised as we try not to go to Bundy too frequently.
When do you need the money in by?
Ange
May 6th, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
Yes the amount of meat can be a bit overwhelming and 1/2 a pig is a good way to go. You and the other person can divy it up when it arrives. E.G. This means one person will get a leg of ham and the other person a leg of roast. Next time you order you can swop the cuts because as you realise the differing cuts and treatments (blowave?) have varying values. You need a generous nature to do this.
I will ring Neil tomorrow and see what cuts and treatments he can do with pigs and post them tomorrow night and see if we can get a general consensus on how we would like it processed. eg proportion of sausages, roasts, rolled roasts, etc...
THEN how we want it packed. First he bags it and I suggest we simply have everything bagged by 1kg weight and then I'll see if he can pack them by the side (this could be awkward). BTW Neil's standard snags are very ...ordinary... how do you all feel about gourmet snags?
Freezing Tips:
*Pack cardboard between the cuts so you can get it out of the fridge. It all tends to freeze into a big inert block! I have to use a crowbar to get the meat apart.
*If you are using a deep freeze make sure you leave air space otherwise in a few days you will have nought but rotten meat! We usually place the box bases in the bottom of the freezer with a gap between them both and between the sides of the freezer and fill these with meat leaving an inch gap before the top of the box. Turn the lids upside down and lay them on top of the initial boxes and fill these an inch from the top. Repeat.
Anyone else got some good ideas?
Tam
May 1st, 2008
Re: SustainaBundy Farm Gate Buying Group
To view this group on the web, visit The SustainaBundy Home Page
To Unsubscribe from this list visit your My Subscription page for the group
April 30th, 2008
Sustainabundy Farm Gate Buying group
Hi Andi,
I'm not able to co-ordinate the whole thing but I'd be happy to put up my hand to collect the orders/money and do (ONE) of the trips out to Gin Gin.
Leah