Michael, We are in Sebastopol and maintain between 20 and 30 American Blackbelly sheep depending on the time of year. We butcher 7-8 lambs and sell about 200-300 lbs of meat once a year for $10-11 per lb wrapped weight. Around here a live blackbelly sheep runs $150 to $250, sometimes more.
David Sussman > On Oct 11, 2015, at 08:37, Michael Smith <mwsmotorspo...@gmail.com> wrote: > > That is a great ad, and only about an hour north of me. Healdsburg is right > outside California's gourmet-ordinated Napa Valley wine country. One thing, > though, about the price. You can ask whatever you want, but the market will > tell you what they are worth. Perhaps this informed breeder can ask that much > because they do have well trained chefs locally. If they are on this list, it > could be great if they introduce themselves. If they are not, I might email > them and let them know about it. They would be a great addition our knowledge > pool. > > In Northern California, where this market is, years ago, I bought my two best > ewes and one ram, from a breeder in Vacaville that sold them to me for $40 a > head. I knew a good deal when I had it and grabbed the best 3 I saw and got > out of there before they changed their mind :-). They put out the > best-looking AB lambs of any in my small herd. > > Michael, Perino Ranch Blackbellies > >> On Oct 10, 2015, at 3:01 PM, Carol Elkins <celk...@critterhaven.biz> wrote: >> >> I was very impressed with this Craigslist ad for American Blackbelly sheep. >> The owner has done a great job talking about the benefits of the breed, of >> building the reader's confidence that the owner is a good person to do >> business with, and has priced the sheep at what I believe is a fair value -- >> $325-$400 each. >> >> http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/grd/5260382151.html >> >> The only way the American Blackbelly breed as a whole will begin to command >> higher prices is by breeders recognizing the gourmet quality lamb and >> easy-care sheep that they have and working harder to market those traits. >> Every week I see so many ads for mutt hair sheep selling for $75 to $125 as >> adults. Gaack! They are worth at least $300 as freezer lamb! And American >> Blackbelly are even better! >> >> It just takes a bit of extra work to have some business cards printed ($10 >> for 500 cards at Vistaprint.com) and to hand them out to everyone you meet. >> Make sure your doctors get a card, and pin a card up at the local health >> food store and anywhere else diet-conscious, health-conscious people hang >> out who are willing to spend money on gourmet-quality, all-natural, chemical >> free lamb. Find a way to help those people buy your sheep and get it >> butchered. Know how to help them BEFORE they contact you so that when they >> do, you'll have all of their questions answered and their problems solved. >> Once they taste your lamb, they will be lifetime customers. Market your >> sheep by becoming an evangelist for the breed--if you've eaten your >> home-grown lamb, you already know that it can easily compete with the best >> t-bone steak available AND WIN! Quit keeping this to yourself, and spread >> the word. >> >> The only people who can increase the value of your sheep breed is YOU! >> >> Carol >> >> _______________________________________________ >> This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list >> Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info > _______________________________________________ > This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list > Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info _______________________________________________ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
