05/30/2026
We have come to the realization that we need to make some changes here at the farm.
When we began raising grass fed beef we did it with the intention that it would be as sustainable as we could make it with as little inputs as possible. That has worked well until the inputs we do need have far outpaced the income the cattle generate. Fuel, parts, equipment repairs and replacement have increased faster than the income the cattle provide.
For instance:
Cattle panels that were once $69.99 are now $159.99.
A battery for the wrapper remote is $307. (In what sane world is a battery small enough to fit in your t-shirt pocket $307?)
Innertube for a tractor tire is $200, more than double what it once was.
Our farm insurance reached almost $1100 / month. (Correction. Val just told me this months went to $1250.)
Fertilizer is through the roof, as it has been for 3 years now.
Freight for some of our regular supplies went from $117 to $170.
Fuel, well, we don't need to explain that to anyone.
The list is endless.
In an attempt to save money we have shut off our cable and disconnected our home phone (please note the change to our business #), drastically cut our insurance coverage and made numerous other changes, including working off the farm to supplement our income.
Yet prices still continue to rise, and with no hope of help in the long-term, changes need to happen.
We can list the increases all day long and our counter measures to attempt a course correction.
What hasn't increased is what we charge the customer for beef. We do not feel we can raise our prices any further. Yet we cannot continue to dip into savings to pay to cover these rapidly increasing costs.
Today we sold 25 head of cattle to a dealer. This cuts our herd nearly in half. We are looking at culling even more.
It's a tough decision, but the time and money needed to produce enough hay to feed them and all the costs associated with that no longer pencils out. In reality, it hasn't for the last couple years.
Although we will continue to sell and raise some beef, selection may be limited or unavailable as the herd numbers fluctuate. Sales of wholes and halves will also be greatly curtailed. We plan to continue to raise pork and eggs, and of course maple will always be our core product as it's in our dna.
We have worked endless hours and put everything into this farm, but when it is no longer able to sustain itself we need to adjust.
We are not shutting down. This is a major realignment to get ahead of the continued increase in cost associated with running a business.
If you are a business owner in this volatile economy, we see you. We will continue to try to support our local partners as much as we can, but we understand your struggles as well.
If you are a farm owner, we likewise wish you well. Few understand the blood, sweat and tears it takes to farm and the financial and psychological toll it imparts.
We appreciate everyone's support and hope you continue to patronize us as we find what parts of the farm are profitable enough to continue and what parts may need to be eliminated.
Thank you for your understanding and support. Please continue to support your local small businesses, they need you now more than ever.
