FARMER'S MARKETS or ROAD STANDS

[Bess Kelly]

Having found myself in the unemployed/forced "retirement" situation

I am looking for something to "do" that would combine some enjoyment and a little earning power. The garden has always been a pleasurable event for me as I like to grow, harvest, work in them -- and I have been successful in production. This year I have a tractor to help with the initial prep, more time than I have in 20 yrs, etc. Looking at seed catalogs and websites for various seeds, plants and such. Hey, tomatoes are $2-3 a pound and that's NOT organic, not even vine ripe! I have given away a fortune!

My thought is to enlarge the garden and sell some of the produce. After all, grocery prices are the pits and I use organic methods. Have access to 3 very good "road sites" and 2 cities farmer's markets. NO, I'm not thinking I will make a fortune.....nor am I considering manning all the sites.

Primarily it would be a Fri-Sun exposure. Will offer fresh cut flowers & my sons beautifully crafted bird house & bat houses.....just because I'd be there anyway.

I'm wondering if any others on the forum have involved themselves with such efforts == pros/cons,

experiences, suggestions, etc., etc.

There are many forum members who do/offer seasonal, from home, crafted items........if other than produce from garden.......please share. I want to support the cost of the effort, make some pocket money. I am not thinking this will make me rich

but, it will get me out with people and all those things.

What have you all found fullfilling and reasonably cost effective??

 

[coopermini]

We do not grow vegetables for sale we do many other items here on the farm that we sell right here. There are several differnt options to selling your produce that work well here. Friends of ours have a self serve produce stand that does very well. They used to grow much of their own and supplemented with produce from his sister (they have commercial veg. operation) Now he gets most everything fom his sisters farm. He has a wooden shed painted up nicely and clean and also a 10x 20 canopy set up. He has tables and benches set with produce and prices well labled. Even dollar amounts and a box to deposit money in. Most are very honest and only a couple times has he lost any cash. Most of the time they are not out with the stand.

The past two summers there has been a new famers market here in town. Most of the venders are small similar to what you are proposing to do. They have been quite successfull. They have been after us to join and I would except we just do not have the extra person here to send to market every Sat. The time it takes going to farmer markets does add up and is something to keep in mind. On the other hand as more and more consumers are getting concerned where the food they buy comes from the demand for quality local produce keeps growing. You might have to expand your acreage to keep up with demand.

We sell our maple syrup to a couple farm stands and one that sets up at a couple farmers markets. They really do seem to move alot of product. They get good prices and have mostly repeat customers. Friendly service is huge in those type of settings.

Best of Luck!

Mark

 

[Jill]

I have not ever grown anything to sell, but I love going to the farmer's market! Here they also have really nice baked goods. Thinking about it makes me wish it was the right time of year to go to it in Warrenton!!!

 

[nootka]

I love shopping with locally-grown produce stands. Around my neck of the woods, it's tough to get anything locally grown due to our climate, but inland of here is a lot of great agricultural land.

Keeping your money local is hugely importand and can reduce one's carbon footprint as well as rebuilding the local and domestic economy.

My suggestion would be to try and fill in any gaps in what you offer with another "partner" such as someone who makes baskets or ? could offer their wares at your site (of course you'd have to look into the headache stuff if that worked out things like liability and legal agreements as to the split of finances).

Other than that, build a following for your "better" produce and try to get some publicity where ever you can. Nice signs always draw me in (i.e. well-painted, well-placed and well-maintained).

I don't like to see the sign and stand all at once as I'm flying by at 50 mph. I will rarely turn around, so appreciate a quarter mile or so warning with perhaps easily recognized signs in previous locations. Maybe print up some flyers that look like your signs so that people will be pre-programmed by the time they are near your actual stand (i.e. in the doorway to the supermarkets, laundromats, local businesses that will agree to let you advertise).

Good luck!!

Liz

 

[Bess Kelly]

Thanks for some great input -- forum never fails!!!

Jill, I too love to browse a good farmer's market. So, I'm hoping to add some things that I like to see when I'm at one. A couple other friends have some nice craft items, custom embroidery, etc.

Hoping to have some things to pull lookers into buyers, develop interest & return customers, etc. I plan to he able to provide "taste samples" on a couple items.......may even offer some baked goods each week (checking on health reqmts for those). I do have a daughter & DIL who can/will help on a weekend if I want "off". Their pay is that they eat from my garden!

Any more ideas?

 

[Marnie]

I didn't catch it, is this going to be on your farm or in town? By joining them, did you mean in town? If it would be set up on the farm, you could also have an enclosed area where you have a few pets for kids to go in and play with, a mini horse, maybe donkey, fainting goats (they don't get out) a Flemish Giant rabbit (the biggest and friendliest) silky chickens (also don't fly and are friendly). Just something like this to attract more people, good luck, it sounds like alot of work but alot of fun too.

 

[Sterling]

Sounds like a great plan for the spring and summer months! We live in a farming community and I just love browsing the stands for fresh veggies and fruits. Some even offer a few home made crafts and baked goods. For us...me, my Mom and sister since we love making home made crafts and such, we find that craft fairs are the place to be. We do at least one a year and enjoy attending others as shoppers when we don't have one of our own to do. We tried once putting out some crafts during a yard sale....that did'nt work because people kept negotiating on the prices!

So...learned our lesson on that one....

I can't wait for spring!

 

[Cathy_H]

I don't know if this has been mentioned or not, but check with your local restaurants. They might use you as a regualr source of certain in season veggies........ I saw a person on tv once that grew herbs and supplied their local restaurants with them.