Maryland Crabs For Sale -- Significantly Below Market Price

[yearroundcrabs]

that's a mythical scenario mr. breeze. I wish I could buy at 35 and sell at 110. doesn't happen.

[Mr. Breeze]

do you buy in Fairmont and transport and sell in baltimore?  Personally,  I doubt that you are buying at 35, but fact is that the end in baltimore is paying much more off the truck. I know it's in excess of 100 for good #1's off the truck.  The variable is what you pay for your crabs.  I would hope you're giving a fair price to the crabber.

[parttimecrabber]

[shiz] guys i talked to a few guys i know at hoppers island they are seeling them for 35 a bushell whats up with that [shiz]?

I catch, i buy, I sell whole and retail, taint' nooo one selling boys at 35 a B, if they are I don't know why cuz' no one else is-----send me their info and I'll make sure they get triple that.  Out of all me crabber lifetime friends, no one has called me with that dollar amount.

[antman]

$35 a bushel for local jimmy's

That's HORSE DUNG

[yearroundcrabs]

I pay my crabbers very well as anyone on here who has dealt with me can attest. Of course there is a markup between what I buy at and what I sell. But its not near what you think. I also buy everything a crabber puts out even if I may not be able to sell them all. My point is I make money but its not anywhere near a 70 markup.

How about the retailer who buys at 110 and sells them for 65 a dozen and makes 300 plus a bushel? but he has overhead, spoilage, etc.

But I do agree with you that crabbers should be paid well and I try to do exactly that.

[Mr. Breeze]

I don't know you, but I believe that you do pay your crabbers well, and they deserve it.  I hear it in all your posts, and not just from what you write.  I can feel your integrity through your words.  Keep up the good work, and fight the good fight.  Times are tough, and this season may be the toughest in a while for us.  I hope we can make it thru.

[yearroundcrabs]

This is going to be a very tough year. What scares the [Sam Hill] out of me is the lack of visas for crab pickers. There are going to be a lot of picking houses that may not open this year and that will send the market into a tailspin. Maybe we should organize a campaign to call our senators. This is a serious problem. In MD they are looking into using prision labor to pick crab! Can you believe that?

[PvilleChickenecker]

I used to work for the Prison Industry that was the subject of the article in the paper the other day. And, I was a civilian, not an inmate . You would be extremely surprised to know the things that are made all through this state by inmate labor. It's not just license plates. They have had a meat processing plant at Cumberland for several years now. They assist the DNR with aquaculture at Cumberland by helping grow native species of fish to be released into the surrounding rivers. I see it as a great chance to kill a couple of birds with one stone. No need to jump through the flaming hoops of the Gov't to obtain work visas. I know the time I spent at the DOC, their meat plant was inspected just as much as privatized businesses and was always found to be one of the cleanest in the country. So, I do not see a problem with cleanliness or sanitation. The biggest issue, would be the logistics in getting the inmate labor to the picking houses in a timely manner and as safe and secure as possible. Let's not forget that we are talking about Gov't here. Timeliness, is not there thing. I think there would be a better chance of this being successful, if the crabs were brought to Jessup, to the Women's Facility. However, there will end up being a cost to transport those crabs(Hoopers Island--->DOC---> ) and I don't know who will end up footing the bill. I'm sure the picking houses are in no position to take on added costs...

[Dreampixels]

What and extraordinary way to discard people said Jeffrey Dahmer.................joking

But it came to mind

 

[captaincrab55]

This is going to be a very tough year. What scares the [Sam Hill] out of me is the lack of visas for crab pickers. There are going to be a lot of picking houses that may not open this year and that will send the market into a tailspin. Maybe we should organize a campaign to call our senators. This is a serious problem. In MD they are looking into using prision labor to pick crab! Can you believe that?

Just what we need, more thieves in the crab market!     I think they should lock up the people selling crabs by the bushel with a water soaked basket....

[antman]

I used to work for the Prison Industry that was the subject of the article in the paper the other day. And, I was a civilian, not an inmate . You would be extremely surprised to know the things that are made all through this state by inmate labor. It's not just license plates. They have had a meat processing plant at Cumberland for several years now. They assist the DNR with aquaculture at Cumberland by helping grow native species of fish to be released into the surrounding rivers. I see it as a great chance to kill a couple of birds with one stone. No need to jump through the flaming hoops of the Gov't to obtain work visas. I know the time I spent at the DOC, their meat plant was inspected just as much as privatized businesses and was always found to be one of the cleanest in the country. So, I do not see a problem with cleanliness or sanitation. The biggest issue, would be the logistics in getting the inmate labor to the picking houses in a timely manner and as safe and secure as possible. Let's not forget that we are talking about Gov't here. Timeliness, is not there thing. I think there would be a better chance of this being successful, if the crabs were brought to Jessup, to the Women's Facility. However, there will end up being a cost to transport those crabs(Hoopers Island--->DOC---> ) and I don't know who will end up footing the bill. I'm sure the picking houses are in no position to take on added costs...

I too was "INVOLVED" with Maryland's Division of Corrections

I was a Correctional Officer at the Maryland House of Correction.....and I'll tell you it's NO WAY IN HE LL I'd buy crabmeat picked by inmates!  Granted I was at a max prison but, the food service guys (kitchen workers) have not the first bit of hometraining just like most of these guys in prison.
I've seen guys making tuna salad in big vats....almost like commercial crab steamers with no top.....mixing this stuff up with their hands, NO GLOVES.........and be all the way up to the elbow into it.....problem is some of these guys had open sores on their arms from dope.  Maybe things have changed since I left in 95'....NOT

And for the record....picking crabs is almost like shucking oysters......it's some skill involved.  IMO you can't just take some drug dealer and expect him to pick 300lbs of crabmeat a day. 
I haven't had a chance to read the article yet but, I'll read it.

[antman]

Just what we need, move thieves in the crab market!     I think they should lock up the people selling crabs by the bushel with a water soaked basket....

I would hope you meant MORE

[mdjohn]

I too was "INVOLVED" with Maryland's Division of Corrections

I was a Correctional Officer at the Maryland House of Correction.....and I'll tell you it's NO WAY IN HE LL I'd buy crabmeat picked by inmates!  Granted I was at a max prison but, the food service guys (kitchen workers) have not the first bit of hometraining just like most of these guys in prison.
I've seen guys making tuna salad in big vats....almost like commercial crab steamers with no top.....mixing this stuff up with their hands, NO GLOVES.........and be all the way up to the elbow into it.....problem is some of these guys had open sores on their arms from dope.  Maybe things have changed since I left in 95'....NOT

And for the record....picking crabs is almost like shucking oysters......it's some skill involved.  IMO you can't just take some drug dealer and expect him to pick 300lbs of crabmeat a day. 
I haven't had a chance to read the article yet but, I'll read it.

I think I will pass on the body fluids in my crab meat - whether added by accident or on purpose ( is that barf or spit in the crab meat )   

If prisoners are playing with my food - I won't buy it because I know what I would do in that situation 

[tugcapt]

I will pass also, but remember when you buy that cheap Venezuelan, or Mexican crabmeat for $4.95 a pound you are getting the same thing. 



"October 2, 2007

HIV Drops, AIDS Cases Rise in Maryland Prisons



Maryland is the state with the highest number of confirmed AIDS cases in prisons in the nation, according to a new study by the U.S. Justice Department.

The study looked at 41 states at the end of 2005 and found that the number of confirmed prison AIDS cases in Maryland doubled from 204 in 2004 to more than 400 in 2005.

The report showed that HIV prevalence among Maryland’s inmates was 1.8 percent. The states with the next highest rates were Connecticut, New York and Delaware, at 1.1 percent each.

These results contrast with recent data from the Justice Department that shows a drop in HIV cases among inmates in recent years. This data showed that the number of Maryland inmates who tested positive for HIV dropped to 671 in 2005, down from 792 the previous year."

[genecrabman]

Not to mention Hepatitis C   ...

I have a friend that works at a local small prison, one of her friends got in Big trouble for telling some of the inmates that a guy in there had Hepatitis......the Bosses says that was private information and shouldn't be spread around.. ONLY IN AMERICA........Would they have rather spread Hepatitis around..

[dfran]

Not to mention Hepatitis C   ...

I have a friend that works at a local small prison, one of her friends got in Big trouble for telling some of the inmates that a guy in there had Hepatitis......the Bosses says that was private information and shouldn't be spread around.. ONLY IN AMERICA........Would they have rather spread Hepatitis around..

Gene......whats the matter with you?.........This is America, the prisoners have more rights than we do. Read Sad Obituary in the supporting members section.

[Crabslayer]

 I think they should lock up the people selling crabs by the bushel with a water soaked basket....

A water soaked basket will keep the crabs cooler and help them to live longer. 

[Crab Shack]

Not to mention Hepatitis C   ...

I have a friend that works at a local small prison, one of her friends got in Big trouble for telling some of the inmates that a guy in there had Hepatitis......the Bosses says that was private information and shouldn't be spread around.. ONLY IN AMERICA........Would they have rather spread Hepatitis around..

God forbid in the "politically correct" world we live in today,  we hurt a criminal's feelings rather then have him/her commit some heinous crime ....

[MDBayMike]

Do you deliver to Baltimore?
MDBAYMIKE

[Mr. Ray III]

I thought the same thing.....7 or 8 dozen in a basket?  Yeah, I too wanted to post but didn't want to slam him.  Gott'a love this business!     By the way, we are pulling some from Va., nothing to write home about with the size/quality as of yet...water too cold as well.

comin from a part time crabber...

[parttimecrabber]

comin from a part time crabber...

Yeah, what of it?  Part time crabber, part-time crab cooker, part-time crab wholeseller, part-time crab retailer, part-time seafood restaurant owner.......they all equal to full time plus business. Your point is what?  Laughing face icon you can keep.

[maxine]

I am very grateful to have found this crabber offering a bushel of #1 Jimmies at such a reasonable price.  We were raised in Maryland and now live across the country and still want to support small operated crabbers, especially in this economy.  If more crabbers offered their catch at signifcantly lower market prices rather than being greedy more folks like us would appreciate the opportunity to buy them, and alot more often.  Just sayin'

[flounderpounder]

I am very grateful to have found this crabber offering a bushel of #1 Jimmies at such a reasonable price.  We were raised in Maryland and now live across the country and still want to support small operated crabbers, especially in this economy.  If more crabbers offered their catch at signifcantly lower market prices rather than being greedy more folks like us would appreciate the opportunity to buy them, and alot more often.  Just sayin'

what crabber? this post is like 2 years old

[R D]

Maxine,I GIVE plenty of seafood away each year but if I am going to market with crabs or anything else then I want market price for that product,I am not in business to swap money and break even or to undercut those who are in the same business,with your train of thought I would expect when crabs get very cheap for you to give more than market price to help make sure that crabber can buy gas to go catch more crabs. This thread reminds me of the two guys who went in to the business of buying and selling watermelons,buying at .50 apiece they loaded the truck up and went to market and sold everyone they had at .50 divided the money up and seen they didn't make any money for all that work so the solution they come up with was to buy a bigger truck so the could haul more melons. 

[on the hook]

Maxine,I GIVE plenty of seafood away each year but if I am going to market with crabs or anything else then I want market price for that product,I am not in business to swap money and break even or to undercut those who are in the same business,with your train of thought I would expect when crabs get very cheap for you to give more than market price to help make sure that crabber can buy gas to go catch more crabs. This thread reminds me of the two guys who went in to the business of buying and selling watermelons,buying at .50 apiece they loaded the truck up and went to market and sold everyone they had at .50 divided the money up and seen they didn't make any money for all that work so the solution they come up with was to buy a bigger truck so the could haul more melons. 

And??..........................what's your point Sounds like the democratic way to do bidniss............