FW: Shenandoah Valley Beef
Bendfeldt, Eric
Greetings:
Jackie Lohr of the Shenandoah Valley Beef Cooperative asked that I forward the attachment and information below onto potentially interested individuals and businesses.
Please share as you see fit.
Best regards,
Eric
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Eric S. Bendfeldt
Extension Specialist, Community Viability
Virginia Cooperative Extension
2322 Blue Stone Hills Drive, Suite 140
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801
Phone: (540) 432-6029 Cell: (540) 383-5393
Fax: (540) 432-6251
Email: eben...@vt.edu
Serving the Commonwealth of Virginia
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From: Jackie Lohr
[mailto:endless...@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 4:53 PM
To: Williams,Tad; The Myers; te...@stonehill4va.com; Nicole Landes;
mon...@manorfarm.us; Mohler, Kenneth W. (DOF);
Mike.ca...@vdacs.virginia.gov; Meg Campbell; Love, Kenner; Kevin Craun;
Keith and Audrey Liskey; joe.bl...@gmail.com; jer...@rappfarmsva.com; Jeff
Kaufman; janetb...@att.net; Grove, Jacob; fox...@shentel.net; Bendfeldt,
Eric; Doug Howdyshell; Dorthy Miller; Dolly Lawson; Dave Seymour; Chuck and
Sandy Sevigny; Charlie Drumheller; Chad Mathias; Catherine Tatman; Buff and
Debbie Showalter; Bernie Miller; Ben Peart; B. Harold Armstrong
Cc: Chip Saufley II; John W. Flora
Subject: Shenandoah Valley Beef
Please find attached an information sheet about the first offering of beef from Shenandoah Valley Beef Cooperative. The first cattle sold through the CoOp will give us the opportunity to develop our slaughter and marketing processes, gather data about some of the cattle in our group, and work out a number details. This is the beginning of something that we hope will be very big. But, we need your help. Please forward this information to anyone you think would be interested in purchasing beef for their freezers. We have about ten head available for purchase this month and plan to offer more in the coming months. If you have any questions, please contact Charlie Drumheller at (540) 337-6768 or c.drum...@qisinspect.com.
Thank you and have a great day!!
Jackie Lohr
Local Farmers offer Local Beef for Sale
Last Spring, a group of beef farmers met to form the Shenandoah Valley Beef Cooperative. Now those farmers are ready to offer local, grain finished beef to Valley consumers. Shenandoah Valley Farmers have the knowledge and work ethic to produce locally produced beef for Valley residents. They will produce a fresh, quality product that is locally raised, keeping more dollars in their pockets and a wholesome product on consumer plates.
The group first met March 2009 at a presentation by Doc and Connie Hatfield, members of a similar group of producers in Oregon. The event was organized by Extension Specialist for Community Viability, Eric Bendfeldt, as a way for area farmers to market their beef to local markets. Bendfeldt was also a driving force behind the Shenandoah Produce Auction.
Since March, the group has become Incorporated, filed for USDA grant assistance, formed a Board of Directors and is planning to offer memberships to the cooperative this spring.
After numerous meetings and planning sessions, the Shenandoah Valley Beef Cooperative will begin to offer beef in January. The animals offered for sale are grain finished on the Shenandoah Valley Farm they were born and raised on, with no antibiotics. The animals will be less than 25 months of age and have been pasture raised and fed grain and corn silage. They will be processed by T&E Meats and packaged to the customer’s specifications.
Animals will be sold on a per carcass pound basis with approximately 85% due before slaughter and the balance plus the cost of packaging due at the time of pickup. The cooperative will offer whole animals, halves and split sides. A split side is half of the cuts from a half an animal (not the front or rear quarter). The price per pound is $2.25 based on carcass weight. A quarter will cost approximately $375, a half will cost approximately $750 and whole beef will cost approximately $1500, plus $0.65 per pound for packaging, hamburger patties are an additional $0.50 per pound of patties.
To place an order or for more information, please contact Charlie Drumheller at (540) 337-6768 or c.drum...@qisinspect.com