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Post by JanetM on Jun 24, 2010 7:24:33 GMT -5
Hi! Saw this subject and wondered if anyone was selling at their local Farmer's Markets and how they were doing.
I don't have any thing to sell, since I live in a woods and don't grow product, but I am a musician and have been proforming to suport my local FB here in Floyds Knobs, IN.
I hope everyone is doing well. Janet
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jun 24, 2010 13:40:42 GMT -5
The markets I attend regularly start this week.
I always think that I am going to sell greens, so I pick them, and semi clean them and put them on ice and then they don't sell so I vow to never again take greens. And then since I have grown them I take more greens the next week and they don't sell.... I am so happy when it gets too hot and I get to till under the spinach and lettuce.
This year (must be resolute) I am adopting a policy that I will only bring greens "by request" on the following week. Perhaps I'll ask for a $1 deposit.
I normally sell all the onions I take to market.
My current crops are: lettuce, spinach, chives, mints, green onions, walking onions, beets, turnips, radishes.
Within 10 days I'll add: peas, strawberries.
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Post by JanetM on Jun 24, 2010 15:52:31 GMT -5
Joseph, that sounds great! I am not seeing much at my local market but baked breads, jams etc. I am looking forward to the Tomatos when they get there.
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Post by reubent on May 23, 2011 0:13:53 GMT -5
going at it this year, maters mainly, 53 varieties, around 750 plants, but some peppers, eggplant, and beans. Gotta build a cedar vending trailer, truck will be too small.
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Post by littleminnie on May 24, 2011 22:34:27 GMT -5
First week of market was horrible- cold and wet. Second week was awesome, steady the whole time and no getting bored and cold. I have mostly sold plants which are selling ok. I also put an ad on Craig's list with my tomatoes and peppers. A guy come to my home today from about 1.5 hours away to buy pepper plants! It is hard for me to sell hot peppers at market. I have made a good stash of money selling plants off craig's list from work or home.
This week I will have scallions, baby garlic, rhubarb and radishes but spinach and bok choy would do better with one more week. The only fresh produce at market so far has been onions/garlic, rhubarb and asparagus between us all. The customers have been begging for radishes but it is the latest spring I have ever seen. Although in the last week things have really grown.
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on May 24, 2011 22:46:42 GMT -5
It is hard for me to sell hot peppers at market. I have basically stopped trying to sell hot peppers. This year I am only growing jalapenos and poblanos. The jalapenos for those that just need a little bit of hot pepper for canning, and the poblanos for those that want a mildly hot pepper for eating or cooking. This week I will have scallions, baby garlic, rhubarb and radishes but spinach and bok choy would do better with one more week. The only fresh produce at market so far has been onions/garlic, rhubarb and asparagus between us all. The customers have been begging for radishes but it is the latest spring I have ever seen. Although in the last week things have really grown. My market starts June 1st. I expect to have onions, chives, garlic-chives, spinach, lettuce, and radishes. I have some huge bok choy, but the leaves are so riddled with flea beetle holes that I don't know if I dare take them to market. For the first day of market I want to have lots of stuff, even if it means I pick things before they are really ready. What is baby garlic? Just a small bulb? Guess I could dig one and look. It's a late growing season for me too. |
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Post by bunkie on May 25, 2011 12:13:48 GMT -5
they're calling for snow here tonight joseph! we're going really slow this year.
just a thought on selling hot peppers. we grow mainly Cayenne, Jalapeno and Serrano. they sell slow when they're fresh, but go like hot cakes when i hang them on threads...to dry. they slowly turn different colors...might be the attraction, not sure, but it works.
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Post by keen101 (Biolumo / Andrew B.) on May 25, 2011 15:00:49 GMT -5
Roasted Anaheim peppers are my favorite. I used to eat lots of jalapenos, but for some reason i don't like them much anymore. It could be partly because of all the "sweet" jalapenos everyone is growing now, but maybe it's because they are so popular. I don't know. All i know is that over here whenever i see a roasted chili stand, there are always people rushing over to buy them. I'm pretty sure they usually use Anaheim
I guess most Anaheim are pretty mild peppers, but i always love when i get a really hot one.
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Post by seedywen on May 27, 2011 14:39:16 GMT -5
My ten varieties of peppers with many of each are still in the house, overflowing the small grow-up and all south-facing windowsills. Echoing other areas on the continent spring so far, almost constant below average temperatures and rain, rain, rain!
Both conditions not favored by peppers. Also the weather is affecting sales at the various local Farmers' Markets. People seem to be are waiting for better weather to buy plants. And the crowds aren't coming out as usual to buy produce.
I did my best sales of peppers/tomatoes on our local Farmers' list-serv and even then it was mostly trading. However not complaining. Homemade ravioli, fresh-ground flour, oysters, other varieties of tomatoes etc. for trade is....a wonderful exchange. And at least we're 'feeding' each other ;D
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Post by littleminnie on May 30, 2011 22:11:47 GMT -5
I am glad our market starts when it does so i can sell plenty of plants. The first week was poor as I mentioned, and last week was a holiday weekend so not as great as the week before, but I have sold over $400 in plants. I am dropping the price this week and then will give away or throw away anything that is leftover.
baby garlic for me is any little clove I missed last year sprouting here and there. They won't form a nice bulb and aren't where they should be. I use baby garlic in everything this time of year- chopping the whole thing like scallions into all sorts of things.
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Post by honeydew on Jun 2, 2011 17:41:56 GMT -5
I have been at the market the last couple of weeks. We have ours 2 days per week.
So far, I have been selling tomato & pepper seedlings - mostly all heirloom varieties.
It's funny, as soon as people hear the word heirloom, they perk up and it's just a matter of picking the variety that matches what they like.
As for peppers, I have been selling mostly sweet peppers. I would say 90%.
We have had a late spring too, and half my garden was under water until just recently. It has been receding, but is not totally gone and wet in one corner still. One greenhouse has been out of commission because of the water levels.
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Post by raymondo on Jun 6, 2011 6:45:03 GMT -5
I decided to try growing for market starting with some mustard spinach. It was very popular but I learned pretty quickly that I need to sow a hell of a lot more than I did. The cool weather means it's just not replenishing itself fast enough so I've had to stop. A poor start but at least it was a start. I'll need to plan a lot better if I'm to make any sort of living out of this!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2011 22:20:08 GMT -5
Peaches have been thinned to 18 inches apart, grew to bigger than softball size, and have been bartered for useful things.
An acquaintance says that, if you want to sell by the pound or ounce, an inspector will have to come and certify your scale.
To sell plants and produce requires two, separate licenses.
Private bazaars attract decent business without the same legal restrictions.
I am being told that a truck stop would be swamped with potential customers, who are used to gas station food.
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Post by oxbowfarm on Aug 10, 2011 23:00:03 GMT -5
I never sell by the pound. On top of having your scale certified, the scale becomes a choke point at busy moments when there are multiple customers and transactions occuring. I feel it is better to use unit pricing for everything so you can move the transactions along faster to keep the people who are waiting from giving up and moving on to another vendor. IMO you make more money on the folks that don't walk away in frustration than you lose by getting every last cent out of each ounce of produce. YMMV
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Aug 11, 2011 0:20:44 GMT -5
I am being told that a truck stop would be swamped with potential customers, who are used to gas station food. Based on what truck drivers ask me for, I'd think that a truck stop would be helpful only for vegetables that can be eaten out of hand without preparation: cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, berries, small fruits. Around here the regulations for getting vegetables ready to eat are so onerous that it's not worth the bother. I'd never offer greens at a truck stop, or anything that needed to be washed before eating. But if you don't mind the cottage industry license, and the food handler's permit, and the vegetable processor permit, and the site inspections, and the business license, and the bonding.... I might weigh things into one pound lots while I am in the field and put them into a bag, but I do it for my convenience. It makes it easier to price things. I never say "that bag has a pound in it." Selling things by the bag makes pricing lots easier... I can put however much produce in the bag I want so that it ends up at $1, or $2, or $5. That way I don't have to deal with coins. I also like pricing things as 5/$1 or whatever. |
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