Selling Feed to people with different cultural backgrounds

I am not a good salesman. I don't start high and dicker. I start low and get grumpier.

Friday morning our friend Jose was out for coffee. He wanted a plastic barrel for water. His wife is convinced the power is going to go off again and she wants water for dishes and the bathroom.

Jose, being a farmer like the rest of us, over achieved. He brought his wife a 350 gallon plastic tote. "We will never have to fetch water again," says Jose.

The wife did not approve.

This was pretty funny as I could imagine the reaction to a giant Round-Up tote in my front yard, even with the best of intentions.

I found him a nicer 55 gallon barrel that was clean and didn't look bad. 

We were talking about selling oats. Oats are not selling. There are not as many cows out there as we imagine. The price got so high people just sold them. 

His buddy has cows and is always looking for cheap feed. I told Jose I would sell a big bag that weighed 800-1000lbs for $120 or $100 to him. He gets on the phone to his friend and makes the sale. I did tell Jose he could have it for $100 and keep the difference...

Later in the afternoon his friend shows up. New pickup and fancy wheels. He is overjoyed to get such a good deal on my "special," oats and hands me $150! He just bought a 1000lbs of screenings for $300 a ton. (groats-oats with the hulls stripped off by the combine)

Sad thing is that this guy will not buy my oat, barley, corn pellets for $350-$450 per ton. Too expensive... But he will pay $350 a ton to his friend who seriously upsold a bag of screenings!

Got a good laugh out of that one...

These are Baylor Oats which had the hulls knocked of in the combine. (groats) They should be higher protein in proportion to fiber without hulls. Are they a premium product or are they screening?

On top of the world! Newphews are now on there way home. Oregon or Bust mode...or so I hear

 I just got this "proof of life," picture in my messages. They are at the top of Monarch Pass in Colorado and headed home! It is running fine. The word is vacuum leaks and a spark plug problem. One plug had the electrode bent down some how. We did not get an update gas mileage report.

The illustrious 1970, 71, 72 Ford F250 Hi-Boy at 11,312 Feet atop the Continental divide. Its all downhill from there!

You got to stand and face it, Life is so complicated-License issues with Making feed from your own farm grown ingredients in Oregon

Yesterday was cold and wet. Yesterday was not a day that inspired productivity.

However, I had a customer who ran out of pig feed and I had a bin of Chicken feed pellets setting in the barn absorbing moisture. So I pulled myself out of my easy chair and went to work...

I was thinking I should boost the peas and corn ratios for pigs or add barley. The mix was 17 percent protein but much of the protein was from clover seed and I feel peas are better for the pigs.

But, my customer was happy with the mix and so I filled a couple barrels for her.

I set up to bag the rest and put an ad on FaceBook marketplace when it hit me.

I can't sell a whole feed ration in Oregon without a license and label.

Well, that is not a big deal, I will get the license and three labels. Sum Pig, Super Chicken, and Oats/Alfalfa.

Except, that is not as simple as I thought.

If I am doing a custom mix for a customer, the label or invoice must include, my name and address, the customer, date of delivery, net weight, ingredients by name, guaranteed analysis, Crude Protein (min), Crude Fat (min), Crude Fiber (max), Moisture (max)

This is where it gets sticky. 

I can make custom mixes with a basic license. I can sell the customer the grain and then process it to the customer's specifications because I can take the customer's grain and charge him to process it. It seems like I don't need a license for that.

But it is a grey area.

AND, I can't sell what is left over.

If I go with a labeled feed then I have to keep the ingredients constant and I have to provide more information on the label. Of course I just have to do that once and print a bunch of labels. But, I just wanted to do batches for individuals. The business model was not to be selling 40lb bags to random individuals on Marketplace, the idea was to have regular monthly customers who would buy 40lb bags or 1000lb bags, or 55 gallon drums. Technically this also won't work because I can't make one batch and sell to 15 people.

Here is a link to the actual law. (Click Here)

This is my current build sheet for a ration. I can use this to figure the cost to me or the customer. I then add on the processing fees. Mixing grinding 1/2 hr $60, pellet mill 1 hr $120, extra ingredients: Garlic (1lb) $10, Red Pepper (1lb) $9. It appears I need to add Crude Fat and Crude Fiber. More complicated...

In the past I consulted with a local feed seller and I called the Department of Agriculture. No one really seemed to care what I was doing as I was raising my own ingredients and selling from my own farm.

At the minimum I am going to have to add columns for Crude Fat, and Crude Fiber to my spreadsheet. 

As the Straw Man said to Dorothy, "I wish I had a brain..."

This is the 4 mm pellet out of the new PelletMasters mill. This is the above mentioned chicken mix. Pellets held up pretty well in an open bin

This is my rather crude hopper. I have it mounted on a pallet so I can move it with the forklift. It is tall enough I can fill a 55 gallon drum. I need to put a block under the 40lb bags.

My plan to dedicate my PowerBook 180 to calculating feed has come to naught. For some reason it will not start up. The power supply still puts out 7.5 volts. It might be that storage in a damp shop has finally killed it. It also means I can't play Bolo on my AppleTalk network anymore...

Vicegripgarage is a bad influence on my Nephews-They drag a vintage F250 out of the blackberries and attempt to drive it to Colorado

My nephews are on a road trip to Colorado...

We live in Oregon.

I think they are stuck in Idaho...

They decided to drag the 1971 F250 out of the black berries. They found the original 390, reinstalled the 390, gave it a tune up. Put disk brake front axles and a different rearend and transfer case, fixed the lights, and took off.

Most of this was done over Christmas Break.

I blame binge watching www.ViceGripGarage.com.

There should be a "Sponsored by The Lazy Farmer," sticker on the back as I gave them four beef sticks, a box of Chicken in a Biscuit, and $8. (it was a slow feed sales day)

Those of you who read the Daily Strumpet newspaper may recognize "Mom's Pickup," from 1996. It was red and came from South Beach, OR. Eventually the cab just rusted off. This cab was applied but it was not driven long in this format. This truck has pulled a Freeman 200 baler, rakes, had a big fuel tank (which we almost lost in the Yamhill river late one night) and generally been around the block. It was a slight embarrassment to my Mother who did not appreciate junk but somehow ended up with her name on the title.

All the essentials for a trip. Handiman Jack, extra gas, a spare, and yellow/black totes for storage.

Lots of stickers are important. MacAuto Supply provided extra stickers. I donated my last "Keep America Beautiful," sticker. 

What could go wrong? We all Support the rainbow flag!

Unfortunately, they kept the Edelbrock carburetor... After about ten hours she started pulling down and backfiring under load.

They cleaned the fuel tank, changed distributor, coil, plug wires (maybe), cleaned fuel lines. They pulled the filter in the carb to discover it was actually missing and there was dirt in the filter housing area.

I spent some time on the phone with them Sunday. They left Friday and had struggled their way to Post Falls, Idaho by then. This is a common problem with Edelbrocks and FE 390's. You start by removing the Fuel cap, checking the rubber lines to see if they suck shut under load, check filters, check fuel pump, check carb filter, check for vacuum leaks.

The last I heard, they suspected carb gasket leak. Hopefully it is not a manifold gasket. I know they did the spray starting fluid test.

Hopefully they are out of Idaho...

7.7 mpg...

Someone is doing a Best of The Daily Strumpet, but I can't figure out the traffic source

Something strange has happened to my blog.

Someone is reading old entries. Like they have posted a best of. Well, 12 hits in one day will set off by excitement meter as this blog has become pathetic.

I used to be a lot more entertaining!

Back in the old days, 2013. I was more entertaining and better looking an no one had backed a forklift into the store air conditioner. I also had a big wrench.

Stanley was still alive. Stanley was an awesome dog!

You never know what you have until it is gone. 

The first story that caught my attention (13 views) what when Scooter boy lost his pigs and shocked the piss out of himself by picking up a live fence wire! I had forgotten about that one. I actually laughed out loud! (Click here for Scooter Boy, The Pigs, and What not to do with electric fences...)

Of course there is always the old faithful (20 hits this week), "An affront to German Engineering, I repair a Dual 1019," this one is linked somewhere and brings in a steady stream. Also the one about the Freeman Baler Company which isn't a very good post.

Next with 22 hits is just a random straw baling post with the MM G1355. (Click here)

This one called "Sunday Decisions and my Lack of Enthusiasm,"  had 18 views and it is about me staying home from Church to read a book and fix the sink and the book is boring and the waterline breaks and makes a fountain. I also rant about men's groups and I sound rather antisocial. Sort of funny.

"No news is Good News," is about bicycle crashes. Lots of comments.

This one got 18 views and is one sentence about finding eggs in the barn!

There are a few others but I am going to bed. I was a lot more entertaining before I went to work Linfield and got the soul depleted from my body...

Speaking of soul depleting jobs, this one also got 20 hits, it is titled, "I have yet to get fired..." That was prophetic. 

This one didn't get any hits, it was from day three of my new job. I can't believe I was there eight years... What a Maroon!

Edit: Five minutes after posting I see that someone in Portland is reading this blog! Its a Sunday night, you should be in bed! You probably have a real job...

I increase production by 500 percent-Upgrading to a 16" Pellet Mill

I got a new pellet mill!

I found private financing, or rather, private financing found me...

I went all out and got the PelletMaster 16" PTO flat die pellet mill. I traded in the stock 6 mm die for a 4mm.

They even sent me a new hopper for my old 9" mill which I want to dress up a little and sell.

The mill takes a little bit of set up.

It does not come with oil in the massive gearbox. You have to fill it with oil and grease everything. It does come with its own grease gun and tools. 

I had to build brackets to get the PTO geometry to fit the Minneapolis-Moline M670 Super. This was not a huge problem. I will later build a better stand for it to set on. I want to be able to move it with a forklift and I want to have the PTO shaft set up so there is not an angle when running. (I currently have it setting on a pallet.)

I greased the rollers and the gearbox. Gearbox takes a lot of oil. I used 80/90. There is a level plug on the side that you pull out and you put oil in until it runs out. There is also a dipstick which is hard to read. (I probably should also read the instructions but I have trouble concentrating.)

It is very important to condition the die before starting. The die is a pain in the arse if you plug it up. You have to drill out all the little holes. I made that mistake with my 9" mill. 

I made a mixture of sand, vegetable oil, and oats. You start with it really goopy and then add oats until you start getting somewhat of a pellet. The instructions said run this mix for a 1/2 hour.

Save the mixture because if the mill sets in damp conditions if may need to be conditioned again.

This took all day and so I did not really get a chance to run the mill. I finished up a mix of oats/alfalfa as I had a sale. The mill ran smooth and there was definite boost in production.

Friday I did a run of chicken feed. Oats/Peas/corn/rye/alfalfa/clover screenings. I timed my output. I did 1,9500 lbs in one hour with the 4mm die. The old mill would never pass 500lbs with the 3mm die. I would spend all day on one batch.

This time I was able to do a 2400lb batch and then stop for the batch to cool. I will have to build a cooler for continuous production but I generally don't do it that way. However, I used to take me all day to do a ton! So now I can do a batch and possibly bag it in a day. (if I can get it cooled down) 

I do need to check the fuel consumption. The M670 Super was only using like 2.5 gallons an hour with the old mill. I suspect fuel consumption will increase doing a 1900lbs an hour vs 300lbs an hour.

It arrived all shiny and red, The last day of December. My accountant says I have to show it in service before the end of the year!

It is significantly larger than the 9" mill I have been using. Note the comparison in roller size.

I was happy to see it came with tools. The big socket is for the nut that adjust the roller pressure. Roller pressure is pretty important. Too much pressure will make excessive wear and horsepower usage. Also smears the pellets. Not enough pressure and it obviously doesn't make pellets. I adjusted it so I could spin the rollers by hand and there was no drag on the PTO. There is a lock nut which screws down onto the adjusting nut. Sort of a hokey setup but I bought what I could afford...

I had to laugh at the category one three point. It takes 65 PTO hp to run. Also, why did they put the slip clutch on the tractor side??? I probably should buy a new PTO shaft and swap this around as I need to use the tractor for other things. OR, I could buy another M670 Super! Or a G900! Or a White 2-85, or a G950 or a G955!

First thing is to condition the mill. I used playground sand, vegetable oil, and oat pellets. Start with a lot of oil and then add sand and oats. I mixed up half a bucket and ran that through into a second bucket while adding oats. I added oats until I started getting a gooey pellet and then just swapped buckets and added a few oats until I got a good pellet. Takes about half an hour to do it correctly. I didn't have the patience so I went into full oats after 15 minutes and it worked fine.

Making pellets in the mud! Note the size of the mill. Very heavy duty.

I will say that the key to making these pellet mills work properly is controlling the feed. This mill has a adjustable grate. I was tempted to cut it out but was in a hurry to get going. The grate turned out to be a great feature. While my mix is super fluffy going in, it did not plug up as long as I kept my feed conveyer the right speed. If I did over feed and cover the rollers the mill pulls really hard and production does not increase. I could shut down the grate and the mill cleaned out right away.

The pellets are pretty good. I need to add a binder I think. These pellets are Oats, Peas, rye, corn, alfalfa, and clover screenings. I also added garlic and red peppers. This is a chicken feed. They could be more solid so I will fool around with moisture but I really think I am going to have to buy kelp meal or clay.

How to avoid the Pearson's square when formulating a feed ration, how to get corn out of a bulk bag, and a better mouse trap

Its been a week.

I am tired. Lots of rain. Not a lot of motivation. I have been trying to clean my shop. That is depressing.

Friday it was finally decent enough to make feed. 

I have a couple pallets of feed in my shop to keep dry. The sheer volume of rain overwhelmed the aluminum roof and it leaked on my oat/alfalfa mix.

And mice have moved in.

So Friday I set about cleaning up the random 800lb bags of oats stuffed in the barn and trying to get the 3,000lb bag of corn off my truck so I can haul the oat bags to a better location.

I borrowed this handy tool from my neighbor.

You screw it into a bulk bag. I has little razor knives that cut the bag and then you thread it in to the bag. It worked amazingly well. Note: Just because 3,500lbs of corn will fit into a bag doesn't mean you can actually pick up the bag without the handles ripping...

Earlier in the week I made pig and chicken feed and then diluted it into cow feed for my friend. I just boosted the oats to get the protein down to 13%.

Friday I started getting messages about my Oat/Alfalfa pellets. They haven't been selling so I told the first guy that if he got there in an hour I would knock off $50. He showed up!

But I got more messages! This continued through Saturday. I sold another 1000lb bag. Then took an order for two more, and then another two. I figure I will actually sell three bags. I probably need to get up early Monday.

This is my current mix below.

I made this mix because my friend likes corn. But then he was worried about too much corn. So I put more oats in it. I was going to add 500lbs of alfalfa but the alfalfa was mixed with third cutting canary grass which was like 100 percent leaf and smelled good so I figured it would work.

It made nice pellets

I got a special order for a little extra. I can't believe this got mold. It has been a couple years. It stinks! 

I need to find a building. Everything is now mud.

I bought electronic mouse traps. I catch at least three mice a day

I have been trying to read. My daughter got me a couple Piers Anthony books for Christmas. I do have quality reading material already. I miss books.