The Abattoir is Hiring! If you know if anyone who might be interested, please send them our way. See below for more details.
BOOKINGS
- POULTRY – All poultry dates are fully booked until mid August. We have added extra days but still not enough to accommodate everyone’s needs. Please see below for more information.
- RED MEAT – There will be no red meat slaughter Thursday June 25 or Thursday July 9, otherwise still lots of capacity going forward.
Please look at the on-line calendar and book well in advance to ensure you get the dates you want.
Latest news:
1. 2020 Annual General Meeting
The 2020 AGM happened May 26th. It was held remotely by ZOOM. The 2020/21 board members and officers were elected as follows:
- Lisa Adams
- Fraser Baldwin (Secretary)
- Rollie Cook
- Mark Hughes
- Mike Lane (Vice President)
- Anne Macey (President)
- Danielle Osieck
- Chris Clark (Treasurer)
- Mariah Hutchinson: Non-voting staff rep; replaces Sequoia Lesosky.
- Margaret Thomson: Non-voting SSIAA liaison; replaces Tony Beck
Thanks to all who agreed to be on the board for another year and to those departing- Sequoia, Tony and Serena Hayes (our treasurer for the last 2 years).
2. Cutting instructions
Please ensure cutting instructions for pigs & lambs are sent in with your booking or by email before dropping off animals and at the latest in writing on the day of drop off. We need the information to determine how much staff time is needed the following week (deboning & grinding takes a lot more time than a standard cut). Andrew our meat cutter comes from Saturna and its problematic to make last minute changes.
3. Summer Job Placement
Our application has been approved to hire a young person between 15-30 years of age under the Canada Summer Jobs Program. If you know of anyone who might be interested in working at the abattoir, 30 hours a week (Tuesday to Friday) at $16/hr, please tell them to email us for more information: ssiabattoir@gmail.com.
If we do not fill this position in the near future, we will need additional help on Tuesday poultry days and occasionally on Wednesday mornings.
4. Poultry Bookings
We are aware that unfortunately not everyone has been able to book their ideal dates or even the latest dates they wanted for their poultry bookings. Please let Mariah know a week or more ahead if you are bringing in less birds than you booked so we can accommodate more people for the dates they want. Email ssiabattoir@gmail.com
As the weather warms up remember that Cornish X birds are easily distressed with heat exhaustion as they get nearer slaughter weight. Make sure they have water readily available and consider rationing feed to slow growth if you are having to keep them longer than intended.
5. Pricing
Given the lack of fundraising opportunities this year (no fall fair burger sales) and increases in costs of supplies, we will be introducing a small COVID surcharge in the near future. There is a lot of interest in local meat right now and increases in the price of meat at the store so hopefully this will not impact your sales. Thank you for your understanding.
6. Looking for somewhere to live
One of our staff needs a place to live. If you have an unoccupied small cabin or somewhere to park a camper van on your property, please contact the abattoir- ssiabattoir@gmail.com
Reminders:
COVID-19
The Abattoir is an essential service and will continue to operate. We will give as much notice as possible if bookings must be changed or cancelled as a result of staff shortages or lack of availability of meat inspectors. And if you are sick, please arrange for someone else to bring (and pickup) your animals or birds to the abattoir. In case of staff shortages, if you know of anyone, preferably with experience, who would be willing to work the occasional poultry day or to assist with cut & wrap, please contact: ssiabattoir@gmail.com
Waste Management
If you require the use of the abattoir’s waste management containers, please pick them up by noon the following day at the latest and return them rinsed within 24hrs.
Country Grocer Lambs
Sequoia is coordinating lamb sales to Country Grocer. Please contact him directly (sequoia.lesosky@gmail.com or 250 538 7742) if you would like to sell your lambs through him to Country Grocer.