Chicken Counting

My wife was watching a homesteading video made by an excited homesteader. It seemed to be about all the money he made raising livestock.  My wife commented “ watch this and tell me if it makes sense.”   She restarted the video. The homesteader was talking about the thousands made from a small number of livestock.  I could not follow the numbers he presented. I did notice that he was talking about selling custom ordered meats without considering the butchering costs. Then my wife caught it … the man had not yet sold a single animal processed or not.  He was selling himself as a livestock and marketing expert without having sold a single animal.

John F Dean wrote: He was selling himself...

This is the crucial part - selling himself!

It's a weird mindset to me but it's getting very common. Sell videos, sell courses, don't worry about the content so long as they sell.

I have heard a lot of ranchers are selling their beef to custom cut meat suppliers.  There is no butchering involved.

Who was this guy trying to sell himself to?  A commodities broker?

Hi Anne,

To the viewer.  The video is the only product the presently in  motion. I normally don’t watch such things .  I find myself screaming at the screen, “Get to the point!”

He seemed to be selling the meat to the end user. The problem is that it wasn’t clear if any end users were signed on….or even knew if he existed. So I am pretty sure processing costs for him are in there somewhere. He was also vague on depreciation.  I did not hear marketing costs.  He seemed to be relying on his confident knowledge that plenty of people would want and pay a premium price for his product.

I raise Kune Kunes …for myself.  Yes, from time to time I sell one.   I am aware even a good sale price does not offset my costs.