I've seen the first episode, and I think it's great information to share with the family.
Go HERE for YouTube or HERE for Vimeo.
Catherine
Showing posts with label economics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economics. Show all posts
Thursday, February 28, 2013
FREE in March: Economics has Consequences
I was very excited to see this announcement in my email box. We've enjoyed using products from The Compass Store before. Now they're generously streaming their film "Economics Has Consequences" on YouTube and Vimeo for FREE! during the month of March.
I've seen the first episode, and I think it's great information to share with the family.
Go HERE for YouTube or HERE for Vimeo.
Catherine
I've seen the first episode, and I think it's great information to share with the family.
Go HERE for YouTube or HERE for Vimeo.
Catherine
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
How cost effective is it for us to keep hens?
We've been keeping chickens for several years now. Actually, I think we started keeping them about the same time I started up this blog. What is it? At least six years now?
The chicken housing and run was all made up by recycling pallets and wire we already had, so the initial outlay was just for the 5 hens, which only cost us $18 each back then.
Our flock has changed in a number of ways. We started by keeping the Isa Browns, who are wonderful layers. They kept us with eggs, even through winter, but then we found that egg quality deteriorated by the end of the second year, which sometimes affected the health of our hens as well (becoming egg bound).
Then, we happened to have an Isa Brown go broody (a very RARE occurance), so we made the most of it and put some fertilised eggs under her. Those eggs were from Australorps, and the two surviving chicks which hatched from that clutch are now still with us.
Here's where our hen keeping became a little more economical, although also experimental in that first trial year. It now costs up to $25 for a pullet, but only $5 per fertilised egg. We learned a lot with our first lot of chicks, and since then have only put confirmed fertilised eggs under any broody hens, close to the time of hatching to minimise the risk of losing any.
Of the various breeds we've had here, I find I have a preference for the White Sussex and Australorps now. The Isa Browns like to boss the other breeds (yep, don't keep Isa Browns with other breeds). They are also quite adventurous. I don't know how many times we'd find they'd managed to 'climb' over the fence ( .. we had one who, despite having her wings clipped, could get a foot hold on the fencing and flutter up and over). One bird regularly decided regularly venture into the neighbour's backyard, which became a nuisance as she was an elderly invalid.
The other side of the coin, though, is that Australorps and White Sussex go off the lay in winter. They also aren't regular layers, so the no. of eggs collected per day vary. Three months without a regular supply of eggs, but still having to keep up the feed, and an irregular no. of eggs coming in, has caused us to think through the economics of keeping hens. As of the beginning of November, I've started keeping a tally of eggs coming in, eggs sold and feed costs. Here's what the figures are looking like so far:
Feed - $15 / 20kg bag. The hens go through 1 1/2 bags per month. Total = $22.50
No. eggs collected over last 3 weeks with 10 hens = 116; averages 39 eggs / week.
Eggs sold: 6doz @ $4/doz = $24 ... averages to 2doz a week = $8, therefore $32 return a month.
If we only get 9 months of regular eggs collected per month, then I can expect $288 a year income. With feed costing $22.50 for 12months = $270 ..... hmm, I'll have $18 left for a few fertilised eggs this summer. Yep, we're kind of just breaking even.
I HOPE we'll have a better egg yield now that it's warming up. The notebook will definitely be used daily to record what's happening and see if it's a better economical choice to go back to Isa Browns.
The chicken housing and run was all made up by recycling pallets and wire we already had, so the initial outlay was just for the 5 hens, which only cost us $18 each back then.
Our flock has changed in a number of ways. We started by keeping the Isa Browns, who are wonderful layers. They kept us with eggs, even through winter, but then we found that egg quality deteriorated by the end of the second year, which sometimes affected the health of our hens as well (becoming egg bound).
Then, we happened to have an Isa Brown go broody (a very RARE occurance), so we made the most of it and put some fertilised eggs under her. Those eggs were from Australorps, and the two surviving chicks which hatched from that clutch are now still with us.
Our first Australorps, hatched December 2009.
Here's where our hen keeping became a little more economical, although also experimental in that first trial year. It now costs up to $25 for a pullet, but only $5 per fertilised egg. We learned a lot with our first lot of chicks, and since then have only put confirmed fertilised eggs under any broody hens, close to the time of hatching to minimise the risk of losing any.
Of the various breeds we've had here, I find I have a preference for the White Sussex and Australorps now. The Isa Browns like to boss the other breeds (yep, don't keep Isa Browns with other breeds). They are also quite adventurous. I don't know how many times we'd find they'd managed to 'climb' over the fence ( .. we had one who, despite having her wings clipped, could get a foot hold on the fencing and flutter up and over). One bird regularly decided regularly venture into the neighbour's backyard, which became a nuisance as she was an elderly invalid.
The other side of the coin, though, is that Australorps and White Sussex go off the lay in winter. They also aren't regular layers, so the no. of eggs collected per day vary. Three months without a regular supply of eggs, but still having to keep up the feed, and an irregular no. of eggs coming in, has caused us to think through the economics of keeping hens. As of the beginning of November, I've started keeping a tally of eggs coming in, eggs sold and feed costs. Here's what the figures are looking like so far:
Feed - $15 / 20kg bag. The hens go through 1 1/2 bags per month. Total = $22.50
No. eggs collected over last 3 weeks with 10 hens = 116; averages 39 eggs / week.
Eggs sold: 6doz @ $4/doz = $24 ... averages to 2doz a week = $8, therefore $32 return a month.
If we only get 9 months of regular eggs collected per month, then I can expect $288 a year income. With feed costing $22.50 for 12months = $270 ..... hmm, I'll have $18 left for a few fertilised eggs this summer. Yep, we're kind of just breaking even.
I HOPE we'll have a better egg yield now that it's warming up. The notebook will definitely be used daily to record what's happening and see if it's a better economical choice to go back to Isa Browns.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Opening our children's eyes to consumerism
Teaching our children about how marketing works can start at a young age, especially as it's the young who are often targeted. But immaturity does make the emotional reasoning difficult to control, so consistent education about how it works is necessary through to adulthood.
The very young and their mothers are 'set up' so that products will be bought because of nagging and/or tantrums, and those who are setting up the market will admit to this tactic. From there we see the learned behaviour of satisfying wants with unnecessary consumerism escalate right through the age brackets, and more deliberate targeting to those audiences, right through to setting up levels of socio-economic status quos.
How do we then teach our children the real difference between a real NEED and a want? How can they see through the perceived bargains and look for quality and the true cost of items? How can our children outsmart the system?
There are many places you can start, but I remember deliberately starting by asking my children to help with the shopping. They had a shopping list (not too long, about six items) and they needed to find the items on the shelves themselves. Then, they were asked to find the prices of the different brands, and tell me on which shelf the most expensive and least expensive was placed. If they could write the prices down, they did. Sometimes we had to calculate the better deal when there were different weight options; is it better to buy 2kg or 500g to save money in the long run? Even now, my children know that when they help me with the shopping, I expect a good reason why they chose a particular brand, not just grabbing the first one they could see.
Then, a good look at advertising on the television, radio, magazines (if you buy them) or catalogues (junk mail) is another really good eye-opener. If you turn the sound off and watch a tv commercial, can you guess what they are trying to sell to you? Are they telling you (body language) that their product is going to make you smart, have fun, look pretty/handsome?
One thing is for certain: you can very easily find a teaching point at almost any venue when it comes to marketing. Being armed with some knowledge and the time to slowly figure things out (instead of rushing into any purchasing) is necessary.
I've been very thankful for some documentaries which have been on television. Now that Maestro is 13, we're allowing him to watch one that is currently viewing on Thursday evenings, called Secrets of the Superbrands. It is on late, so we've recorded it and then watched it together later, discussing key points. Due to some more sensitive topics, we'll not watch all of this with Mariposa (age10) until she's a little older.
After that series finishes, I think it would be worth us having a look at The Corporation. I'd first seen this on tv, but then borrowed it again from the library. The 'Behind the Scenes' interviews were huge eye-openers, as this is where marketers admitted to appealing to a nagging child to make a sale. Our children need to hear that this is how they are trying to make their money, so they can be wise enough to not be outdone and lose theirs.
Then there's a book entitled Affluenza, which I had borrowed some time back and wouldn't mind reading again. The focus is on Australia's addiction to over-consumerism, the acquiring of so much that ends up being thrown out, and discusses what the real meaning of choice is.
We want our children to be wise about this subject, so that they are in control as opposed to being controlled. If you know of other great documentaries or books on this subject, please do share! We're including these sorts of studies in our work with regard to media studies and economics.
To finish up, I'll share a song that one of my older singing students is learning. She's asked to perform it at a competition in July, and when I read the lyrics I could see why the satire appealed to her. It's on a bit of a tangent to what I've been discussing, but it's certainly a symptom we're all familiar with. I hope you enjoy it!
The trouble with the world today, it seems to me, Is coffee in a cardboard cup. The trouble with the affluent society Is coffee in a cardboard cup. No one's ever casual and nonchalant, No one waits a minute in a restaurant, No one wants a waitress passing pleasantries Like "How're you, Miss?" "How're you, Sir?" "May I take your order please?" The trouble with the world today is plain to see, Is everything is hurry up. It's rush it through, and don't be slow, And BLT on rye to go, With coffee (I think she said) Coffee (I know she said) Coffee in a cardboard cup.
The trouble with the helter-skelter life we lead Is coffee in a cardboard cup. The trouble, the psychologists have all agreed, Is coffee in a cardboard cup. Tell me, what could possibly be drearier Than seafood from the Belnord cafeteria? Seems to me a gentleman would much prefer "Afternoon!" "How've you been?" "Would you like the special, sir?" The trouble with the world today is plain to see, Is everything is hurry up. There's ready-wear, and instant tea, And minute rice, and my oh me, There's coffee (I think she said) Coffee (I know she said) Coffee in a cardboard cup.
The trouble with the world today, beyond a doubt, Is coffee in a cardboard cup. The trouble is the way we like to take things out, Like coffee in a cardboard cup. No one knows the meaning of utopia Is dining at the corner cornucopia, Seems to me we wouldn't be such nervous wrecks With "Hello, there!" "Be right back!" "Would you care for separate checks?" The trouble with the world today is plain to see, Is everything is hurry up. It's all become looney tunes With sugar packs and plastic spoons And coffee (I think she said) Coffee (I know she said) Coffee (I'm sure she said) Coffee (She must have said) Coffee in a cardboard cup.
The very young and their mothers are 'set up' so that products will be bought because of nagging and/or tantrums, and those who are setting up the market will admit to this tactic. From there we see the learned behaviour of satisfying wants with unnecessary consumerism escalate right through the age brackets, and more deliberate targeting to those audiences, right through to setting up levels of socio-economic status quos.
How do we then teach our children the real difference between a real NEED and a want? How can they see through the perceived bargains and look for quality and the true cost of items? How can our children outsmart the system?
There are many places you can start, but I remember deliberately starting by asking my children to help with the shopping. They had a shopping list (not too long, about six items) and they needed to find the items on the shelves themselves. Then, they were asked to find the prices of the different brands, and tell me on which shelf the most expensive and least expensive was placed. If they could write the prices down, they did. Sometimes we had to calculate the better deal when there were different weight options; is it better to buy 2kg or 500g to save money in the long run? Even now, my children know that when they help me with the shopping, I expect a good reason why they chose a particular brand, not just grabbing the first one they could see.
Then, a good look at advertising on the television, radio, magazines (if you buy them) or catalogues (junk mail) is another really good eye-opener. If you turn the sound off and watch a tv commercial, can you guess what they are trying to sell to you? Are they telling you (body language) that their product is going to make you smart, have fun, look pretty/handsome?
One thing is for certain: you can very easily find a teaching point at almost any venue when it comes to marketing. Being armed with some knowledge and the time to slowly figure things out (instead of rushing into any purchasing) is necessary.
I've been very thankful for some documentaries which have been on television. Now that Maestro is 13, we're allowing him to watch one that is currently viewing on Thursday evenings, called Secrets of the Superbrands. It is on late, so we've recorded it and then watched it together later, discussing key points. Due to some more sensitive topics, we'll not watch all of this with Mariposa (age10) until she's a little older.
After that series finishes, I think it would be worth us having a look at The Corporation. I'd first seen this on tv, but then borrowed it again from the library. The 'Behind the Scenes' interviews were huge eye-openers, as this is where marketers admitted to appealing to a nagging child to make a sale. Our children need to hear that this is how they are trying to make their money, so they can be wise enough to not be outdone and lose theirs.Then there's a book entitled Affluenza, which I had borrowed some time back and wouldn't mind reading again. The focus is on Australia's addiction to over-consumerism, the acquiring of so much that ends up being thrown out, and discusses what the real meaning of choice is.
We want our children to be wise about this subject, so that they are in control as opposed to being controlled. If you know of other great documentaries or books on this subject, please do share! We're including these sorts of studies in our work with regard to media studies and economics.
To finish up, I'll share a song that one of my older singing students is learning. She's asked to perform it at a competition in July, and when I read the lyrics I could see why the satire appealed to her. It's on a bit of a tangent to what I've been discussing, but it's certainly a symptom we're all familiar with. I hope you enjoy it!
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