Any Ideas For Marketing Geese

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I have had a great deal of luck raising geese in the past, and I'd like to do it again......but I'd like to make some money at it this time. I'm looking for ideas on ways to market them or their by-products. I'm convinced that if I could find a way to market them, I'd have no problem raising enough to meet any demand. The area in which I live is perfect for raising them and even ducks. While I could do it in confinement, I'm really interested in raising them outside, with no chemicals in them, their feed or the grass that they'll be on. I am located within driving distance of DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and even NYC. I would welcome any ideas anyone might have. And thoughts on what I may want to

-- Fran (on MD's Eastern Shore) (SimpleplesurzGuy@aol.com), December 27, 2001

Answers

How about selling before christmas? Goose is a traditional christmas dinner. When my brother was a teen he did this with thanksgiving turkeys one year. Raised 20 of them from day old and corn fattened them. We gave the option of buying them live or having them processed at a local mom & pop butcher shop. Most bought them processed for the extra fee. They all sold like hot cakes and we kept 3 for ourselves. It was one of the few real money making FFA projects that year. And I can tell you that the money wasn't made by businessmen paying inflated prices for champion steers that are going straight to the butcher anyway. The money was from an honest to goodness "business" that anyone could have run.

-- ellie (elnorams@aol.com), December 27, 2001.

Colonel Scharabo's Tennesee Fried Goose. Aunt Abigail's Goose Pot Pie. Hardy Mesquite's Barbequed Goose. Downhome Donna's Goose and Dumplings. Sojourner's Good for Souls and Colds Goose Soup. Gertrude's Goose Tenders. Gomer's Goose Fried Steaks. Fran's Junkyard Geese.

-- paul (primrose@centex.net), December 28, 2001.

Contact some of the fancy eating eastablishments, fancy hotels and see if they are interested in fresh fowl. What state requirements do you need to meet to be able to sell? (can you even legally sell them?) What is your market price for a goose? Aside from a holiday meal, I am not sure how often people even think about geese as food. Might take some marketing. I would think that you would need to be able to dress the bird to make it sellable in most cases. As for duck, what duck is used in peaking duck? Maybe an asian market is an outlet?

-- gary (gws@columbus.rr.com), December 28, 2001.

in our area about an hour from us they have a poultry auction each week---I have taken things there before----never even had them auctioned as I put down the tail gate of my truck & people saw them & asked to buy them-----

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), December 28, 2001.

I'd like to get the name and number of the mom & pop butcher outfit that will butcher geese. I can't find anyone in the greater DC area that will touch them.

In Maryland, you can sell up to 25,000 birds a year without inspection or license as long as you sell them DIRECTLY TO THE CONSUMER. This info from Dr. Abraham at the FSIS District office in Montgomery County, 301-504-2136

There is a good niche market for Ducks and Geese, especially with the Asian/oriental/indian segment. There is also a very good market for their eggs, and in selling them you can get around some of the normal regulations and such required for selling chicken eggs.

You are best off selling them directly to the public, but building up a clientele is the most difficult part. Perhaps if you left ads at oriental/asian restaurants, dropped by nail salons (seems like everyone around here that does nails is from Thailand) you might find some customers.

I ran into a guy at our local livestock auction that buys ducks and geese and such and sells them on his farm to the local immigrant and migrant worker population. $2 a pound live weight, no haggling. He allows them to slaughter the animals themselves on his farm, and provides them with an area to do it. Apparently does a pretty good business, since that's his full time profession. he only has a few acres, too, as I remember. Might be an idea, if you aren't too far from civilization. When you sell to restaurants and stores you must worry about USDA inspections and such, which can be very difficult unless you happen to know an Army Vet with lots of spare time.

In our area I've searched extensively for a processor who will slaughter chickens, ducks, and geese for me, on a small scale basis. (less than 1000 at a time). No luck. There's a guy in greencastle, PA who raises ducks by the thousands, and processes them, but he won't do them for me, worried about importing diseases into his own flock.

Let us know what you find, and good luck!



-- chuck in md (woah@mission4me.com), December 28, 2001.



Fran: I raised a few geese this year and managed to sell a few. I also have friends down the road that sell geese too. I'm on the west coast of Canada but here's what we do. I raised Chinese geese which are a light breed but may be ideal for marketing because they yield a small (about 8-9 lbs.) carcass and a truly LEAN. When I was trying to sell these ahead of time, everyone kept yapping about grease. Well, when we finally ate one there was a bit more grease than a turkey but it was no problem. All the meat is dark and to me, tasted like roast beef. You don't get a lot of meat but it is very rich and good. I don't think these geese are like any other and could be marketed as a real specialty. I sole mine for $4.00/lb. which is the going rate around here for fresh home-grown goose. We are blessed with a number of small processors around here so I didn't have to learn how to butcher. The other interesting thing about Chinese geese is they are very active foragers which translates into feed savings and maximin grass nutrition. I believe that if your pasture is very good, you should not have to feed with grain except for the first few weeks of life on chick starter. I did not "finish" my geese on corn. Because my pasture wasn't perfect, I did feed them on hen scratch, as much as they would eat over the day. I had them butchered in November and in this climate we have grass almost all year around (albeit not high in priotein in hte winter) so you might say we "finished" them partly on grass.

-- Kathy M. (homefarmbc@pacificcoast.net), December 29, 2001.

Fran: I raised a few geese this year and managed to sell a few. I also have friends down the road that sell geese too. I'm on the west coast of Canada but here's what we do. I raised Chinese geese which are a light breed but may be ideal for marketing because they yield a small (about 8-9 lbs.) carcass and are truly LEAN. When I was trying to sell these ahead of time, everyone kept yapping about grease. Well, when we finally ate one there was a bit more grease than a turkey but it was no problem. All the meat is dark and to me, tasted like roast beef. You don't get a lot of meat but it is very rich and good. I don't think these geese are like any other and could be marketed as a real specialty. I sold mine for $4.00/lb. which is the going rate around here for fresh home-grown goose. We are blessed with a number of small processors around here so I didn't have to learn how to butcher. The other interesting thing about Chinese geese is they are very active foragers which translates into feed savings and maximin grass nutrition. I believe that if your pasture is very good, you should not have to feed with grain except for the first few weeks of life on chick starter. I did not "finish" my geese on corn. Because my pasture wasn't perfect, I did feed them on hen scratch, as much as they would eat over the day. I had them butchered in November and in this climate we have grass almost all year around (albeit not high in priotein in hte winter) so you might say we "finished" them partly on grass. My friends sell to the oriental market and ship theirs out as New York hung which means the only thing removed are the feathers. They have a plucking machine. They feed theirs exclusively on pasture using rotations and irrigation. They use Embdens. Hope this helps.

-- Kathy M. (homefarmbc@pacificcoast.net), December 29, 2001.

Thanks so much for the ideas. The wheels are now turning and I've got several ideas now to start planning this goose venture. I'll let you know how it turns out. Actually, I'm glad I've finally visited this forum. I've gotten so many ideas for other ventures as well which should make it possible for me to make a little money from this place yet

-- Fran (on MD's Eastern Shore) (SimpleplesurzGuy@aol.com), December 30, 2001.

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