[FiB]

Hi we are getting some large blacks (eeeeeeek  )... Number to be determined in next few days.  I have 'advertised' amongst my friends  and a few have said they want to commit to a half...... Because it would be a disaster for us to be let down at the end (we can fit 3 in the freezer, but no more.....) we are think of a deposit, or monthly payment (we are going to work on a cost basis, plus separate donation for my effort /time. W'll see how that works, out but these are friends and family....  It will benefit us to have more pigs on the plot of land and I figure it is not much more effort /commitment to look after 5 than 3.......


Would really value input for community farms or co operatives on what's worked..... Also how clear are you on risk sharing?  I have indicated that I will be keeping an open spreadsheet with all the costs on and that vet bills etc will be included..... But what if one dies?  Hopefully extreeeemly unlikely relative to sheep, but still needs talking about?  Many thanks, fi

[benkt]

The first time we did a 'pig club' I think we charged £50 deposit and £20 a month for four months. Now we have a fully fledged community farm everything is done on monthly subs for members. We also now get through enough pigs to have one or two spare (which would otherwise be sold on to folk on our 'Friends of the farm' mailing list) which covers us for unexpected losses. We did have a bit of a pig problem last year, but in the end solved it by getting a bigger than intended second batch of pigs and some people (us included!) agreed to get their half pig a few months late.

We always refer to the standard CSA phrasing of 'sharing the risks and rewards of farming' with our members - they get a fixed fraction of the farm veg for example, regardless of whether that is loads or a bit meagre. Eggs are available when they are available - although we're currently having a great year and members are taking home twice as many eggs as they were told they would get!
I think in retrospect we were underprepared the first time we ran the little pig club (six families sharing three pigs) and got lucky with no vet bills or other problems. Now we've got to the stage of being big enough to absorb the odd unexpected bill and as we share all our produce we can try to compensate folks by providing more of what's doing well if and when one crop has a problem.

So my advice is to go all out and start a community farm - it makes it all a lot easier!

[FiB]

Brilliant thanks so much... I was think of you when I asked the q but couldn't remeber your username .  I think we will do the deposit/monthly thing.  Thanks a lot again, fi x


We were lucky first time too... No illness or vets, nothing unexpected.... But conscious this time that other peoples money and expectations are involved so want to try and prepare us all