We direct market lamb for more than twice the price we could get for them in the regular market. Using the typical cow/lamb ratio of 6 or 7, we get the equivalent of 3600 to 4200 for an 8 month old calf off a cow. 

We advertise by word of mouth, a bit of social media, etc. Once people know you have fresh/frozen boxed lamb, they go crazy for it. Also, make sure you raise something that will not turn them off. We raise hair sheep, which is very mild flavored. We have been told by the greeks we know, and south Africans, that it is the best lamb they have ever tasted. Once this happens, you will not have near enough animals to supply the market.

Yes, these are mainly people far, far removed from farming. We are not bashful about posting cute pics on social media, we have a blog which uses all the right jargon for today's consumer.

I figure if consumers want to know their lambs are out eating grass and jumping and playing, who am I to not tap into the market? An idiot!

Once you establish a market, you will not be able to fill it. People who eat lamb, will pay for lamb, so it is a distinct market already. And for them, the price we charge is a great price vs. grocery store prices, IF they can even find lamb. Let alone local lamb. Which is another reason to grow lamb. I would rather grow something that we do not produce enough of in our country, than grow a commodity we have far too much of. Gives you far more market power.

We are going to do the exact same thing with pork. People are paying 4 bucks a lb hanging.

A market my wife is tapping into is the rapidly growing and high valued hatching egg ,market. A dozen eggs of certain breeds are worth stupid dollars. Often $100 or more a dozen. If you hatch these eggs, the chicks are double the egg price in most cases. People want their fancy breeds, and they are willing to pay high prices. We have an incubator full right now. If we get an 80% hatch rate, the chicks in there are worth 400 bucks. Squeaking, squawking guinea fowl are all the rage right now. Everyone wants them for their apparent tick control. They are worth a lot of money as feathered youngsters. $40 or so a pair.

And this is in the most rural area of Saskatchewan possible in the farmland area. We do not need city buyers yet. If we tried to tap into the cities, we would need to expand our flocks by at least 10X what it is now. 

I agree with your sentiment regarding the buzzwords of today. My wife and I chuckle at what some of our customers think about certain things. You do not have to believe in that side of things to produce them. You have  to feed the market, and rely on what your consumer wants. If they are willing to pay crazy dollars for something, I intend to grow it for them!!!

I am confident in today's world, one could make an amazing living on a single quarter of well managed land, if you produce the right things.