T1B

As most of you know, I got ulceratative colitis last fall and am still pretty fucked up. The economy also pretty much took out my specialty construction and excavation business, and as a result I need to find another way to make a living, or something that will contribute to my income a bit, with no capital costs.

The local caterers seem to do pretty good at the local Farmers Markets and other people events in our local area, with some pretty damn good food choice. Brisket, pulled pork,Mexican, middle eastern etc. They seem to be taking off about $ 8 for a main dish, with 2 sides. Drink extra. Plus, it is all CASH..... :D :D :D :D :D

I have done all the number crunching and it seems I could do about $7 for a burger on a good bun, ice cream scoop of 2 sides, or one side and chips, with drink extra. Got everything I need, BBQ, canopy, coolers, dishes, enclosed trailer. That doubles my cost.

The reason I choice I choose elk and bison is

1. No body else is doing those menu items.
2. Homeboy has herd of buffalo 1/2 mile away.
3. Elk ranch 20 miles away
4. COMPLETELY ORGANIC
5. Very healthful red meat choices.

Looking for input here on your perceptions of how this might work...

Derron's bowels are inflamed? What a shocker.

I'd say you could do both. The burgers and the raw meat.

Sounds like a good idea.

At the farmers market that I go to every Saturday (in Vista, CA) there are a couple of taco vendors that seem to do a good business, plus a guy that does coffee drinks and Italian sodas, funnel cakes, kettle corn and maybe a few others that sell food for consumption on-site. I personally don't buy stuff to eat while I'm there.

There's a guy that sells fresh fish who usually has a pretty good selection. Another guy that sells jerky from various exotic animals. There used to be a guy who owns a German style meat shop locally who would come and sell sausages, cold cuts and some awesome dried beef-stick type stuff. I was dropping about $20 per week with that guy but they no longer come around for some reason.

There's a whole circuit of farmers markets around here and most of the vendors go to one or two locations every day of the week. The buffalo and elk sounds like a winner to me, if you do it right. You should definitely think about selling fresh cuts (or frozen?) as well as the prepared meals, and look into making sausages and jerky as well.

Thanks all for the input.

I could sell the raw materials, but at 3 of the 5 venues I plan on going to, homeboy with the buffalo ranch is also there, selling the raw meat, jerky's, etc and building traffic to his retail store at his ranch. So it does not make much sense to sell the raw product, since he won't cut me a deal unless I buy the whole fucking animal. I get that, he is trying to keep his margins up with the farm to consumer thing.

I am looking at margins here. The prepared meal combo makes me 50% margin and the raw products would be hard to make 15% and handle the stuff. I am going to stay simple and collect the cash.

Condiments will come from my organic garden, tomatoes, lettuce etc, the sides all prepared from Resers Fine Foods. Costco the plates, napkins etc.

Mikey wrote:Sounds like a good idea.

I was dropping about $20 per week with that guy but they no longer come around for some reason.

We used to do the Farmers Markets with plants from our nursery. ( 15 years ago) We used to figure everyone intended bringing $ 20 to the market to spend. That is up now, since the whole organic vegetable and fruit thing is taking off, most people will spend twice that now.

Jsc810 wrote:There probably are some programs or assistance available for a small start up business, check with the local college. For that matter, you might even qualify for a federal grant, go click around at this site and you might find some stuff.

Nice suggestion..but this is a small time operation. I have done the small business thing, over 200K in equipment.

Grant or not, too much work involved, and I have everything I need except the fresh meat inventory.

Completely off the grid here to keep the gubmint the fuck out of it.

Derron wrote:

Mikey wrote:Sounds like a good idea.

I was dropping about $20 per week with that guy but they no longer come around for some reason.

We used to do the Farmers Markets with plants from our nursery. ( 15 years ago) We used to figure everyone intended bringing $ 20 to the market to spend. That is up now, since the whole organic vegetable and fruit thing is taking off, most people will spend twice that now.

I started out at about $20 or $30 per week.

But now with the fish guy, the bread guy, the guy with the expensive olive oil and imported Greek cheeses, the chips and salsa guy, the hummos and flatbread guy, I'm now averaging about $80 I think. And that's without the $20 per week I used to dump on the German meat guy.

Derron wrote:Resers Fine Foods

A misnomer if ever there was one.

But if you have a strong stomach, you can go to the factory and get a hellacious deal on a 55 gallon drum of potato salad.

I used to live a few blocks from there years ago, and ate way too much of their vomitous stuff.

Mikey wrote: And that's without the $20 per week I used to dump on the German meat guy.

that's the gayest thing I've read all week.

there is an excellent tex mex place nearby that specializes in bison. their bison chili is out. fukking. standing. if i was yous, i would start playing around with a bison chili recipe. it is a great thing to peddle out of a wagon as you can make a big bucket of it hours ahead of time and it just gets better as it simmers all day.

Great idea.

You could just save up those discarded and leftover bison burgers and make a big batch of chili once a week.
Every week just add to whatever was left from the week before.

No waste, no leftovers.

Mikey wrote:You could just save up those discarded and leftover bison burgers and make a big batch of chili once a week.
Every week just add to whatever was left from the week before.

I believe this technique is known as "authentic Mexican."

Dinsdale wrote:

Mikey wrote:You could just save up those discarded and leftover bison burgers and make a big batch of chili once a week.
Every week just add to whatever was left from the week before.

I believe this technique is known as "authentic Mexican."

Negative. No way a Mexican is spending the money for even a starter product lean cut of red meat when there is soooo many cats out there to be utilized yet.