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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 5:12 pm
by Broomcroft
A lot of people have said they are going to take an entry on the DBO site, but haven't got around to it yet. They have been trickling in.
I won't give details, but a lot of work has been done, at my expense in this instance, and we have managed to get a top of the range restaurant to try Dexter. The chef has just emailed to say it was "just divine". Let me add, this is not just any chef.
BUT....do we have a supplier in that area?....you've got it in one....NO.
Being divine is brill but it isn't enough, they need supplies as well! This a golden opportunity for a local producer, or possibly a few, but it could easily snow-ball (and we'll be pushing the ball) and result in other restaurants in other areas putting Dexter on the menu.
If you're sat there thinking "I'll wait to see if it works first", please don't do that. That's like sitting by a baby and saying if it lives I'll feed it. If you know someone who might be thinking of it but hasn't yet entered, please do us all a favour and have a word.
PS. I'm sorry to be pushy but this cannot wait. Could DCS help?
Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:11 am
by Woodmagic
Very frustrating for you, after all your excellent work, your site is superb, could I suggest that any member, who reads this and belongs to their local group, makes a point of bringing it up at their next meeting.
Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:22 am
by Sylvia
Frustrating is the word, I'm waiting until we get back on track before upgrading my advert to include delivery over a fairly wide area providing I can make it pay. I have 26 youngsters growing on for next year but I'm scraping around to find animals to send at present. Three go shortly but these include 2 more mature animals and I want to find out what that meat turns out like before offering it to anyone else. If I can't find a reliable outlet I am intending to offer over half the herd this summer to anyone who can make it work.
Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 9:36 am
by Mark Bowles
Come on people help the guy out! Clive is full of enthusiasm and willing to give his time, dont let him or the breed down by your own, someone else will do it, attitude.
Yes you who are reading this!
Mark
Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:49 pm
by happy hollidays
Clive, I am sorry that you are still banging your head against the brick wall. I sincerely hope that people take action sooner rather than later. I have read so many topics about what producers wanted and here it is, take advantage of it and help it grow, before it all goes to waste. If you have an area meeting shortly please ensure this is an item on the agenda. The country shows are just beginning and you need to capitalise on them. Come on guys, show some support for DBO.
Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 8:04 am
by Martin
Last night I had my second enquiry about Dexter beef from the webb site, a restaurant in Brighton is asking for complete animals in primal cuts to allow them to butcher as they require, they also produce Dexter burgers therefore have a market for everything. They require a carcass in June and I have nothing ready to kill. this is the type of trade that we should be encouraging so can anyone help out? I can supply the phone number and name of the guy that made the enquiry so you can deal direct. He has had Dexter in the past but his supplier has now given up keeping cattle, this is a serious enquiry and I do not want to let the guy down so please if you are inthe south east and can help please let me know.
Martin. Medway Valley Dexters. Kent
Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 9:08 am
by Broomcroft
Cheers Martin. There's a big hole in the map in the south generally. This guy should be able to just look at the site and find suppliers himself. Got the same problem in other areas. Only Yorkshire (and obviously Shropshire where all the best beef comes from) appears to be really covered with decent suppliers.
Are there any Council members reading this? Could DCS do a email shot to all members who have email? I have a template email ready now, telling people about the site and what do, complete with links and everything in it. That would save us all a lot of bother, be very quick to do, cost virtually zero and should do the trick. If you have a list it could be in the post tonight.
This is in the interests of members. This guy will buy other breeds if he can't get Dexter, and then he won't change back once he's gone. Just one restaurant can use a lot of beef.
Daft thing is, at the same time this opportunity is in danger of being missed, people can't sell anaimals for decent prices...how does that work??? This will help those poeple but you must refuse to sell cheap.
Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 11:06 am
by Sylvia
Can someone give me an idea of what a reasonable price is for half/whole animals per kilo. What I need to work out is how much it will cost to hire refrigerated van and cost of journeys, if I can make it work we would deliver over a pretty wide area.
Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 12:32 pm
by Martin
I think £8 per kilo isn't far out Sylvia. When I mentioned this price to the guy there was no sharp intake of breath or sounds of collapse, so it must at least be a good starting point.
Martin.
Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 1:34 pm
by Broomcroft
We've been doing it at £7 / kg, but have been told others charge £7.70 and are putting their's up. So I'm changing ours to about £8.00 / kilo for a fairly big mixed pack. That's clink-film wrapped. For a premium product, £8.00 has to be very reasonable.
What's a going rate for a carcass to a restaurant, butchered and supplied fresh?
Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 5:34 pm
by carole
HI Clive
I do take you point about needing herds now and we intend to be one of your herds. But today, right now if we had a presence on your site, we could not supply.
We are building our herd slowly, only in the mid teens now but no calves this year, and I note that you have no herds in Cornwall as yet. This makes me wonder what the average herd size is, perhaps I will start a new thread.
However I do think that your idea is an excellent way forward, I realise that this is another mail which says great idea, but does nothing today, but I wanted to let you know we are right with you and very shortly, Autumn time I would like to place and entry on the site.
Keep up the good work. Thanks again. Carole
Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 9:59 pm
by Broomcroft
Hi Carole
I've got your space earmarked. Good luck with the herd. Have you a farmer friend who could look at your land and buildings? Ask how many breeding cows he/she would keep, then multiply by about 2.25 because Dexters are small, then take off a safety margin? 27 acres would sound to me like about 12-14 breeding females to me, plus one bull and all the youngsters, maximum?
Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 10:29 pm
by sid
Clive,
I've two steers about 22 months old that i was looking at selling to a farm shop. If as you say you have an outlet then i would be willing to speak to you with regards to supplying the animals to yourself. If i had more time i would and more importantly more animals i would have a better sales pitch to a shop. The local butcher was not very interested due to the Dexter size, i thought it was more about meat quality myself. Next year i'll have four steers so maybe a better option then. Feel free to E-mail me. Pictures are available if you need them sent to you.
Regards
Sid
Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 7:46 am
by Broomcroft
Hi Sid
There are quite a few farms who will buy in stores, at around £1 per kilo liveweight as far as I am aware, usually delivered and TB tested etc. Can I suggest you contact the nearest people to you, which may or may not be me. Where are you? Or look at the members lists / farms with stock for sale list on the DCS web site. DBO may do a list of farms who buy in steers to help smaller producers, but not till the numbers are up. Also a beef wanted section, possibly.
Yes, taste should be one of the first considerations, but it isn't with butchers generally. Dexter's have a keen following to those in the know. Top-of-the-range Michelin chef's use our beef but tend to keep it a secret, and no-one seems to even be aware of this. Kobe isn't a secret! Butchers also think that Dexters are really tiny, but ones done for beef usually aren't. This is just words, but when I talk to a butcher, I call mine Beef Dexters and this seems to break down a barrier. Only need to use the term once then I drop the Beef bit.
Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 9:42 am
by Broomcroft
Sid
I've just been updated by someone on the Dexter store market. Prices are apparently around £1.20 for good animals, the buyer collects and also pays for the TB test (but I don't). It will all depend on the age and details. If they're too old, there'll be nothing left in it for the finisher, so the price has to come down, that is what I do.