[Homestead] SE PA going to identifiable non-cashsmartcardsfortransporta...

Clansgian at wmconnect.com Clansgian at wmconnect.com
Mon Nov 17 14:07:09 EST 2008



> >Once they are butchered, I can 
> net over $1000/bull in beef sales. That's the difference between regular 
> economics and old-style 'pastoral economics'...money I didn't spend is not a 
> loss to me.
> 

And it's the difference between the agribusiness model and the pastoral or 
homestead model.

Let me round the numbers for convenience's sake and say Lynn has $90 worth of 
hay along with the $10 purchase price. That's $100 at risk.  Let's suppose 
over X period of time she has ten of these bulls.  If one sickens and dies late 
in the operation (rare, since farm animals that are going to die  generally 
die young, guess the never heard that James Taylor song).  That's still $1000 at 
risk grossing $9000.

So what if one is lost??

But in the agribusiness where feed, labor, medicine, interest on the loans 
totals $950 and you are hoping to get $50 out of the deal, in a likewise unit of 
10 bulls, the loss of one means you are $500 in the hole on the operation.

The difference in the models is vast.



James



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