Is it possible to 'advertise' homemade butter for sale? Since there is some processing involved, I would think the health dept. would be on my doorstep if I put out a 'Butter for sale' sign. And I've never seen anyone with that sign, just eggs for sale. If it has to be 'advertised' just by word-of-mouth, what are the most effective ways? I really have more butter than I can use and don't mind making it up; I just want something in return for the effort rather than giving it away. A local fruitstand sells real butter from a regulated dairy for almost $5/pound. I wouldn't get (or charge) quite that much, though. Everyone that has had my butter lauds it as the best they've ever had, but folks just don't eat country butter like they used to. I've contemplated anonymously calling the extension office just to see what kind of regulations there are, but I don't what to excite the officials into thinking that they need to try and track me down! Anyway, they probably have caller ID!! Any ideas are welcome.

-- jdye (jdye_24088@yahoo.com), July 07, 2000

Answers

Regulations vary from state to state, as well as their enforcement. Try calling the extension office from a pay phone. I know some people sell goat milk marked not for human consumption, but this is unlikely to work for butter.

-- Ken Scharabok (scharabo@aol.com), July 07, 2000.

Rather than hang a sign, just start selling it to whomever wants to buy it in your social circle, church, etc. I have no idea if it's "legal" to sell cow's milk straight from the cow, but have a friend who can't produce enough to sell and she doesn't advertise. One reason I'm wanting milk cows, I can sell milk and butter that we can't use. I buy the milk from that lady, I know her, her personal habits, etc. and I trust her a good deal more than what I'm getting from the store. Maybe I'm just a rebel...

Over at the meat locker we use, the USDA has such tight regulations, we've lost MOST of the meat lockers in KS because of their regulations. They've never had the USDA pick up one bit of E Coli, yet the meat packing plant 30 mi. away, just had a recall because of the E-coli getting into their meat... There are 2 sets of regulations. One for the little guy trying to make it on his own, and one for the big corporation with the lobby to put you out of business "for the sake of your customers well being." They have actually opened up boxes of hamburger with cow poop right on top of the meat. No one shuts them down. I doubt that your kitchen is any dirtier than these plants, and your equipment is probably easier to clean, and you probably have pride in your work and the praise of your friends and family and their only motivation is the bottom line... What's that tell you? Sell your butter. I'm telling you, if we all don't stand up and be counted LOUD & CLEARLY, we're going to be real surprised when we won't even be allowed to use it for our own families...

-- Louise Whitley (whitley@terraworld.net), July 07, 2000.

I occasionally buy milk and butter from a lady at the local farmer's market. It is fresh, unpasturized, unadulterated milk. She has to mark it "Pet Food" in order to sell it without all the official permits/inspections/etc. When I first contacted her, she explained the situation to me and invited me to come out anytime and personally inspect her milkhouse and handling procedures. I never got around to doing that, and now don't feel particularly motivated to since the product is great and I pasturize it at home before use anyway. Her openess to have me check her operation out is what sold me. If I had felt she had something to hide, I wouldn't have bought from her. And she pointed out that most people who are interested in fresh dairy products are more willing to trust their own inspection than that of a harried government inspector who has to allow for so many "parts per million rat hairs", etc.

-- Lori Price (klnprice@yahoo.com), July 07, 2000.

Just let the word out in your community that you have butter for sale. Don't put an ad in the paper or anything like that. In the community where I live a lot of people sell stuff and word just gets around that so-and-so has eggs for sale or butter for sale or whatever. If you live in a small town or rural area word will get around. I'm not suggesting you break any laws but I am for freedom and I don't think the government should prohibit a person from making an honest dollar.

-- Joe Cole (jcole@apha.com), July 07, 2000.

I keep a business card up at the health food store in town. Most folks who want want milk, butter, milk etc. usually go there to ask. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 07, 2000.

jdye, I sure wish you lived in my "neck of the woods". I would buy your butter, anyday. That stuff they sell in the store does not taste the same as real butter. I know one of my local health food stores sells cleaned chickens and ducks which were fed only natural foods, no steroids or anything else. I once met a commercial chicken farmer. He told me they could not touch the commercial chicken feed with their bare hands. The feed would burn their flesh. He said "once chick to market took ten weeks, but the improved "flesh burning" feed, put chicks to market in six weeks". I had no reason to doubt his word.

-- Biscuits and (re@lbutter.yum), July 07, 2000.

I know people who sell egg cartons for one dollar and throw in a dozen eggs for free, or give you a rabbit and charge you five dollars to clean it out...sell butter dishes

-- Grant Eversoll (thegrange@earthlink.net), July 08, 2000.

the county i am in wants no one to make a living but them, here are few ideas "a friend " told me about. never say for human use, get a p.o. box address, if married use your maiden name, if its alive make sure it leaves that way, if its eggs they are to be hatched, if it slaughtered it is picked up at the meat house,if anyone asks they must have you mixed up with some one else. we were turned into the county by the neighbor from hell for running a slaughter house, at thanksgiving we gave friends turkeys and cleaned them here, now they leave alive and we go to their house. the county could not do any thing about it no proof. i also think if you get "caught" plead stupidity it works for every one else!

-- renee oneill (oneillsr@home.com), July 08, 2000.

The answer is you cant-legally. Regulations are not only state but federally mandated. They require a great deal of expensive equipment. The best advertising is your customers. Also you can give demonstrations as long as you dont give samples. People will come and buy it at your door. Try festivals, historic farms and 4H.

-- Susie Stretton (nightsong@beci.net), July 12, 2000.