EDBERG, Alta. – For Gerrit and Laurie Beekman, hindsight shows what they should have done.
When the couple bought their 80-sow hog farm in 1991, they should have built an on-farm processing plant instead of expanding to a 200-sow operation.
Then in 1998, when the price of hogs collapsed, the couple should have taken another serious look at off-farm sales – something they dabbled in when prices were low. In one month they had sold 120 animals off the farm and even bought processing equipment, but when prices started to rise, they pushed the equipment back into the corner.
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Looking back, each of those milestones was also a stepping stone to appreciating their new venture.
“In some ways I’m thankful I wound up here,” said Gerrit, who is now reducing their sows to 40 over the next year.
He believes they can make a living putting the offspring of a 40-sow farm through their on-farm butcher shop. When he sells his hogs to one of the two main hog processing plants, he makes about $120 an animal. When he sells it off his farm or from one of the local farmers’ markets, he makes about $300 an animal. Laurie estimates the same meat in a grocery store sells for more than $600.
Working long hours inside the hog barn wasn’t something Gerrit could picture himself doing for another 20 years.
But developing new sausages, meeting new people at farmers’ markets and making money from his hogs are things he can see himself doing for years to come. Taking control of how they sell their animals has given the Beekmans a new lease on life.
“You live again. This is very enjoyable,” he said. “You make money on every pound you sell.”
For many farmers, starting an on-farm processing plant isn’t a natural fit. Farmers are trained to produce plenty of inexpensive grain or animals. For the Beckmans, it’s a natural extension of their life. Both Gerrit and Laurie grew up butchering animals and experimenting with food.
“Working with meat is like a hobby to me,” said Gerrit, who has developed his own rouladen recipe, a boneless loin roast rolled and stuffed with spices, spinach and feta cheese.
The couple has won contests for its pork rib barbecue recipe and they won’t promote a product if it hasn’t passed their personal taste test.
Gerrit owns eight barbecues, each with a special cooking purpose. Some are better for smoking and others are better for large pieces of meat.
“They’re all special to me,” he said.
When the couple branched out to their new venture, Gerrit was worried he wouldn’t like the sales and marketing required to promote the products. He said he’s pleasantly surprised with the response he gets selling his meat at local stores and farmers’ markets.
Customers are searching for some connection to the farm when they buy their food. It’s here the Beekmans get direct feedback on their sausage, salami, bacon or smoked hams.
“I like interacting with people. Working in a hog barn is like working in a coal mine,” he said.
Since BSE, more people are asking how his food is made.
“They like it when we say we made the feed, we made the pig and we processed it,” he said.
Even the feed truck driver believes in the product. Jeff Keck stopped in at their on-farm butcher shop after delivering a load of soy meal to the farm.
“It’s better than the store. It tastes better. I don’t buy anything at the store anymore,” said Keck before driving back to Red Deer.
