The $7.99 Leg of Lamb
A week ago, I made the case that a new livestock farmer should focus on wholesale auction sales rather than jumping immediately into the retail market. You can read that article here . My reasoning was simple: before a farmer starts worrying about customers, marketing, farmers markets, and retail sales, they need to develop solid production systems and understand their costs. Through my own experience—and conversations with many other farmers—I believe there is a strong case for starting with wholesale sales. Recently, however, I came across something that highlights just how difficult the retail market can be. One of our family’s favorite cuts of lamb is a butterflied leg of lamb. Back when Beth and I sold lamb at farmers markets, it was one of our best-selling products. During the cooler months, we typically had the butcher leave the legs whole. But once summer arrived, we switched to butterflied legs because customers loved grilling them. The cut is tender, flavorful, and easy to p...
