Here we are in March already. It has been a busy winter in our area, and we are looking forward to Spring being around the corner. Along with this newsletter is our beautiful Belties 2008 magazine. Jane Faul (KY) skillfully and efficiently produced this publication for us. I am very impressed at the level of talent that this organization brings to the table. I would also like to give a big thanks to the advertisers. The publication is a great tool for our breed to get our message out to potential buyers. The information is very informative and entertaining. I look forward to reading my copy of the magazine.

In our culture today, there is a huge interest in organic, farm raised, or humanely raised animals for consumption. It seems that the consumer is demanding more in these areas. The Belted Galloway breed is such a great fit, whether it is a small homestead farm or a larger, production-oriented farm. Our cattle hold their own, not to mention the eye appeal that attracts them to the casual passerby.  Our Spring Council Meeting is in Fryeburg, ME, April 25-27, 2008.  If there is anything that you would like the Council to look at or to discuss, please get in touch with Laura Glassman to include it on the agenda. The 18th National Belted Galloway Sale will be held April 26, 2008. For more information,  please contact Brud McCabe (VT).

The Lifetime Awards are included in this newsletter. The list is certainly growing! The animals achieved the distinction of earning highest points during the 2007 Belted Galloway show season. The animals listed were shown, or their progeny were successfully shown, thus accumulating enough points to be designated as Silver or Gold Lifetime Achievement members. Congratulations to all breeders and exhibitors! Special thanks to Michelle Ogle (NJ) for tabulating the totals.

So, as you can see we are off to a good start in ' 08. I am looking forward to seeing many cow friends at the upcoming events. I'm sure you are too. Until then  … may you and your cows be blessed in this calving season.

Your copy of this year's promotional magazine is enclosed with the printed edition of the newsletter. We thank the profile subjects who shared their experiences, and the advertisers old and new who supported the publication.

Ad revenue exceeded cost estimates, which permitted an increase in print quantity to 3500 and covered the new, higher mailing costs. (The U.S.P.O. hit us in the pocketbook for bulk mailing -- $500 more this year than last.) The remaining revenue surplus will be used to ship & mail books out during the year.

We hope you enjoy reading Belties 2008. Please keep in mind that you can request additional copies from the Secretary at any time -- for your prospective customers, to hand out at events, or to distribute wherever you feel they will do the most good toward promoting our breed.

Last month I covered the topic of selling your beef direct to the public at Farmer’s Markets. Two other venues we will investigate this month include local restaurants and health or specialty food stores.

If your plans are to process one or two animals per month, you need to decide what cuts you will want to offer to restaurants and stores. As you know, there are only “so many” primal cuts available. You may want to save these for your retail customers to maximize your income (specialty food stores will require wholesale pricing, and restaurants may want to negotiate off of full retail). One of the “higher-end” restaurants we supply to changes their menu weekly, and will often buy cuts like short ribs, brisket, tongue, and other cuts that your retail customers may not be interested in.

Making Contact 

Making initial contact with a restaurant or retail store shouldn’t be an intimidating experience. Remember that you are proposing a relationship that won’t just create business for you, but additional business for the restaurant or store proprietor. When making a first call on a restaurant, it may be helpful to go through the chef as opposed to the owner. We typically will get the chef’s name, send him a letter about our product, then follow up within days with a phone call, arrange for a meeting and delivery of samples. You may be surprised to find what an “easy sell” this is. Keep in mind that we are producing lean, and in most cases, all-natural products that can be turned into “health-conscious” dishes, and we often forget the novelty appeal of the breed.

Health food and whole food stores are extremely popular. Many already carry natural meat products.  Just because a store already carries beef doesn’t mean they can’t offer variety (how many different brands of bread or cereal does your local supermarket carry?). When approaching a store owner or manager, plan to drop off samples, literature and pricing information, then do a follow-up call about a week later (sometimes it’s better to drop in unannounced with your samples and literature). Since many stores have limited freezer space, you may want to consider a small 3-foot square “stand-alone’ unit with a glass top.  Adding graphics and advertising to these freezers is inexpensive, and providing your own freezer can be a strong incentive for a store to carry your product. We have found that approximately $600 covers the cost of a small freezer including graphics. Also keep in mind that you will need to wholesale your product to retail stores. Since typically you will need to allow for a 40% standard markup by the store, and considering that you still need to have an acceptable retail price, you may want to limit your offering to ground beef in retail stores. As an example, we sell our ground beef to retail stores for $3.83 per pound, and it retails for $5.79. This pricing scenario covers our costs and allows for some profit, keeps the price acceptable to the consumer, and as important as anything else, allows us to move the quantities of ground beef that we need to in order to keep processing and producing primal cuts that have significantly higher margins.

Opportunities

Many states have money available for promoting beef. In 2006, our Kentucky Cattleman’s Association had money available for direct marketing of beef. With their approval of a business plan, they matched up to $5,000 for such things as web sites, brochures, Farmer’s market displays, and in-store displays (including freezers). Another example from Kentucky; under the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s “Kentucky Proud” program, they have made funds available for in-store promotions. Many states offer similar programs. Your County Extension Agent, your state Cattleman’s Association and the Internet are great sources, but you have to seek them out. We have a unique beef product. We need to make consumers aware of it!

In the real estate market, it’s all about “location … location … location.” For us, it’s all about “promotion … promotion. … promotion.”

Next month I will look at niche marketing, and how to move some of the less popular cuts of meat. I know many of you have had success selling your beef. Please email me at info@sherwoodacresbeef.com and share your stories and ideas. 

Females
Anderson Hill Sugar  17600B
Antietam Magnolia 20290B
Bur-Mer Abby  10932
Curtiswood Lady Dunsmore (AI) 16424D
E&H Julia (AI)
Enniscorthy Loretta 259L  24484B
Holbrook Hill Lilly (AI)(ET)
Oak Valley Page  23308B
Prock Ridge Dazzle  20628B
Prock Ridge Dotty  15478D,W
Rose Farm Millie  19474B
Spurwink Maggy  13742B
Sunnybrook Elaine (AI)  24684B
Uphill Eleanor 18740B
Wayside Valley Blue Moon 15678D,W,PBXX

Females
4WF Candy Cane 81H  14664R,PBXX
Aldermere Crocus  15414B
Anderson Hill Lorli  8474
Anderson Hill Regina  15688D
Anderson Hill Sebina (AI)  17542D
Anderson Hill Wise Maiden  22408B
Arcadia Ruby (AI)  13866B
Choptank Liz Thouron (AI)
Circle R Florita  13162B,PBXX
Driftwood Hollyhock  A7692B3/4,BGXX
Driftwood Lina  A8492B7/8,BGXX
Du Rapide Gina 27G (AI)(ET)
Holbrook Hill Farfel (AI)  13204B
Marben’s Belles (AI)  9788
Mitchell Ledge Scarlett  13664B
Prock Ridge Razzle  21412B
Stonecroft Sybilka  3768
Uphill Excitement  18734B
Wayside Valley Elizabeth  20284B
Wayside Valley Emerald  17492B

Females
Ademia Eugenie  5206
Aldermere Liza II (AI)  18804B
Aldermere Sharon  6828
Anderson Hill Judge Battle 6772D
Anderson Hill Ohio Rose  11520D
Anderson Hill Patricia (AI)  12792B
Anderson Hill Ruffles 15448D
Anderson Hill Weekend Gal  22430D
Anderson Hill Wise Maiden  22408B
Antietam Hannah  14538B
Beaver Dam Colly 549 (ET)  11136
Bramley Mtn Beula (AI) (ET)  9422
Choptank Ethel Roosevelt  10848
Dirigo Flower (ET) 13886B
Driftwood Minaret  14422B
E&H Lilly (AI)  18884B
Highland Farm Louise  9928
Klover Korners Ginnie  12830B
Oreo Acre's Moesha 12836B
Ponderosa Querida 11440B
Prock Ridge Kristi  9194
Prock Ridge Misty (AI)  7676
Spurwink Emma  13408B
Spurwink Jujube  15948B
Spurwink Magnolia  19908B
W.A. Coleen 7824
Wayside Valley Pepper Ann 20644B

Females
Aldermere Manda 13518B
Aldermere Marty (AI) 12960B
Aldermere Riga 12012B
Aldermere Ronda  12016B
Anderson Hill Orly 11514D
Anderson Hill Pistolette  11662B
Anderson Hill Qui  14162D
Anderson Hill Tara (AI) 18484D
Angel Camp's Glory 13434B
Choptank Liz  19932B
Dirigo Dunfermline 11462D
Goose Creek Virginia Redding  13010B
Marben's Curry Powder 18158D, W
Mitchell Ledge Saks  13662B
Pine Valley Estelle 3E  12526B
Prock Ridge Alaskan Rain 17214B
Prock Ridge Autumn (AI)  19410D
Prock Ridge Fiesta (AI) 15486B
Prock Ridge Mystic  17212B
Sholtey's B&B Josie  16924B
Stonecroft Feather  5858D
Stonecroft Jessica  8528
Wincrest Reba  7502

Exhibitors, Aldermere Farm (ME), Breezy Knoll, (ME), E&H Cattle Co. (ME), Holbrook Hill Farm (NH), Meadow View Farm (VT), Mitchell Ledge Farm (ME), Moonshadow Farm (ME), Findview Farm (ME), Ponderosa Farm (ME), Rousseau Farm (NH), The Meadowlark Homestead (ME), Turner Farm (ME), Winterwood Farm LLC (ME).

Spring Heifer, Ponderosa Carla. Junior Heifer Class, Rousseau Farm. Senior Heifer Calf, Aldermere Shasta.

Calf Champion, Aldermere Shasta. Reserve, E&H Saphire.

Summer Yearling Female, Hollbrook Hill Sepia. Spring Yearling Female, Aldermere Sara.

Junior Champion, Aldermere Sara.  Reserve, Holbrook Hill Sepia.

Junior Yearling Female, Prock Ridge Paris. Senior Yearling Female, Rousseau Farm Lizabetta.

Senior Champion Female, Prock Ridge Paris. Reserve, Rousseau Farm Lizabetta.

Grand Champion Female, Aldermere Sara. Reserve, Aldermere Shasta.

Spring Bull Calf, Moonshadow Evin. Junior Bull Calf, Aldermere Tennyson. Senior Bull Calf, Prock Ridge Calgary.

Calf Champion, Prock Ridge Calgary. Reserve, E&H Bubba.

Summer Yearling Bull, E&H Newman. Spring Yearling Bull, Aldermere Seth.

Junior Champion Bull, E&H Newman.   Reserve, Aldermere Seth.

Grand Champion Bull, Prock Ridge Calgary. Reserve, E&H Newman.

Supreme Champion, Aldermere Sara

Pair of Calves, Aldermere Farm. Pair of Yearlings, Aldermere Farm. Group of Two bulls, Pineview Farm.

Group of Two Females, Aldermere Farm. Get of Sire, Pineview Farm. Best Six Head, Aldermere Farm.

The Belted Galloway female, known for her longevity and strong maternal traits, has often been known to live and reproduce beyond the age of 20. Every year breeders nominate their geriatric dams who continue to raise a healthy calf. The Belted Galloway Society awards a free registration certificate for the progeny of the oldest producing dam. 

The results are in and we are pleased to announce that our 2007 Oldest Producing Dam is nineteen-year-old CVF’s Beauty Mark APP1890X3/4, d.o.b. 11/05/88. She is raising a bull calf born in September, 2007. Beauty Mark is  owned by Thomas Jade, Memphis, TN.

Honorable Mentions include: 

Highland Farm Kelly #6192, d.o.b. 6/13/90, calved 6/25/07, owned by Marlin Sherbine, Somerset, PA.

Wiggs Hill Celeste APP3540, d.o.b. 11/24/90, calved on 6/21/07, owned by Thomas Jade, Memphis, TN.

Craven’s Sarah, #8338, d.o.b. 8/24/92, calved on 3/11/07, owned by  Catherine and Jim Cain, KS. 

Grand View Chancy #10256, d.o.b. 5/13/94, calved on 8/28/07, owned by Sue & Brian Ashworth, MA..

Use the letter U as the official Year Code when tattooing animals born in 2008. The letter T applies to animals born in 2007. 

18th National Belted Galloway Sale
Saturday, April 26, 2008 at Fryeburg, ME. 
Contact Brud McCabe (802) 748-5107 (VT), (603) 694-2101 (NH), (603) 694-2103 (Fax) or nwgrange@fairpoint.net.

Spring Council Meeting 
April 25-27 at Fryeburg, ME.
Contact Laura Glassmann (717) 677-9655 or beltiecows@aol.com.

Northeast Livestock Expo
May 16-18, 2008 at Windsor, ME.
Contact Kim Mackay, (207) 453-7890 or cnkangus@roadrunner.com.

Great Lakes Belted Galloway Association Blow and Go Show
July 5, 2008, Pecatonica, IL. 
Contact Lisa Lovett (815) 652-3789 or lovett@essex1.com.

Great Lakes Belted Galloway Association Annual Field Day and Show
August 2, 2008, Johnson County Fairgrounds, Iowa City, IA. 
Contact Greg & Pat Hipple (319) 624-2812 or sbelties@southslope.net.

Secretarial Office Phone Hours ...
Phone hours are Monday through Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (EST). A detailed message may be left at any time. 
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