Move over chickens it is time for a new bird to take the lead.  Well, perhaps not the lead but definitely a better seat at the table.  Three years ago well-known speaker and Podcaster Jack Spirko, along with his wife Dorothy decided to step into farming for profit, and Nine Mile Farm was born.  Initially focusing on chickens for farm fresh pastured eggs and meat they also kept a small flock of ducks just for fun.  They soon stumbled into a new and growing niche, pastured local duck eggs.

It took a bit of effort to get their customers to try duck eggs but once they did the next decision was simple, out with the chickens and ramp up the ducks.  Rather than fight with over a hundred local producers to sell chicken eggs for 5-6 dollars a dozen the couple now stays constantly sold out selling duck eggs at 8 dollars a dozen.  With about 50% of their sales going to high-end restaurants and farm to table markets (Ida Clair, Cadillac Ranch, Ellerbe Fine Foods, Farm to Fork Foods) and their other 50% going to direct to consumer sales.

In his presentation, Jack will cover how to build up a flock fast and build a customer base just as quickly.  He will also discuss the importance of looking like a professional farm in web presence, social media and even a dedicated phone number in gaining customers.  Jack will be discussing the top breeds for profit, why he doesn’t even think about “meat ducks” and how to use a single specialized product such as this to build a multiple product offering, while only needing to build a customer base once.

Additionally, in this presentation, you will learn some of the amazing reasons farming ducks for eggs makes more sense for many small land owners then chickens.  These include; less competition, higher profits, breeds that outlay chickens, a herdable and trainable flock, greater suitability for brittle land and more.

You can learn  more about Jack and Dorothy Spirko’s duck exploits at their website www.ninemile.farm and though their YouTube miniseries located at www.theduckchronicles.com

Key Takeaways:

• Ducks represent and underrated niche market
• Ducks are perfectly suited to the part time farmer
• Ducks can help you build a customer base for other product sales
• Ducks are soft on land when properly rotated and improve brittle land

In this presentation, you will learn…

• How to inexpensively build a customer base
• The right breeds for profitability
• How to easily set up rotational grazing with ducks
• Low-tech water solutions that spread fertility
• How to get 100% of your customers to come to you
• How to work a list if you ever have a surplus of eggs
• Management practices that produce a superior product
• How to make your cull ducks worth more than a so-called “meat duck”