| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| MustangSuzie |
Posted - Sep 30 2006 : 12:18:24 PM
Hi everyone! I can't remember if I asked this here or not so here goes. I would love to be able to make a living from the land. I am wondering if any of you sell at farmer's markets? And if so, how much can I realistically except to make money wise just starting out. I am desperately searching for a way to not have to drive 50 miles one way to my job. It would be so great to work doing something I love. Any suggestions/pointers/advice will be appreciated.
Thanks!!
Sarah |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Forrester Farm |
Posted - Oct 13 2006 : 2:44:46 PM
Sarah,
One of my friends just began beekeeping in April. She is not ready to make money at it yet, but that is her goal for the future. A fun book to read is The Secret Life of Bee's. It is fiction, but really stirs up the desire to keep bees!
I was going to spend the day at an orchard/pumpkin farm today with my 5 yr. old too. The field trip date was changed due to the snow that we are having!
Have a great weekend,
Ann Forrester
http://annforrester.tohe.com
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| MustangSuzie |
Posted - Oct 13 2006 : 1:51:38 PM
Thanks Ann. What you said has been very inspirational.
Does anyone market bees/honey? I've been talking with a bee farmer and it sounds very interesting. Just wondering how profitable it is.
I spent the day at a pumpkin farm with one of my sons. It is so gentile and refreshing to look out into a huge field of nothing but pumpkins or corn or whatever. I gotta get out of town soon!!!!
Have a great weekend farmgirls!
Sarah |
| Forrester Farm |
Posted - Oct 13 2006 : 10:14:40 AM
Hi there. I'm new to posting, but have been telling so many "farmgirl at heart" friends about this website.
I have been growing and selling cut flowers at our local farmer's market in Rockford, MI for the past 5 years. I learn something new every year both at the market and in my garden. I love everything about the market - the sounds, colors, customers, vendors, the whole atmosphere. The market has been a great launching pad for other aspects of my business...wedding flowers, pressed flower products, and now Taste of Home Entertaining consulting.
Some advice that I would give to someone who is pondering being a vendor at the farmer's market is:
1. Don't be intimidated by larger vendors - everyone has to start somewhere. Everyone starts small.
2. You have to love it. There is so much more work that goes into the market that what is seen. If you love what you are doing, the work is worth it.
3. Just begin. If we always waited for a perfect time to start new things...we would never start. Don't think that you have to have everything just perfect before you start. As you are on the path of doing, you'll know what else you would like to implement into your plan.
Hope this helps. Have a sunny day - even if it is snowing in your neck of the woods.
Ann Forrester
http://annforrester.tohe.com
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| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Oct 09 2006 : 08:11:00 AM
I'm also a consumer, and shop my farmers market every Saturday morning for the upcoming week's menu...this is going to sound silly, but the "early bird gets the worm!" Our market opens at 9:00 and often, there are only a few stands set up. I'm still waiting on vendors to get there at 9:45 or 10:00, and then they still have to put up the tenttop, etc...I'm not unreasonable, I do realize it's difficult, and lugging all that stuff in is labor intensive, time consuming, etc...but if I can find it early,and it's reasonably priced, I'll buy it and be out of there before the other vendors even get there, because I have a gazillion things to do. Additionally, talk to your customers--greet them, and give them a highlight at your stand "it's peach pie season mam, and I've got a bushel for $4.00....I have a general idea of what I want, but can ALWAYS be persuaded. I'm always surprised when I hear people ask "what is that" pointing to a turnip--so also be prepared to give recommendations and describe flavors--like Daisyfarm with the Kohlrabi, you'd be surprised how many people have never even had a sweet potato!!! Also, I like stands that have a lot of variety--if I can get eggs at your stand, three different fruits and some onions, it's better for me. Anything to keep me out of a big box grocery! I buy my meat from a local farm--(she brings it in a huge freezer), hormone free beef and pork. It's my favorite part of the farmers market...She knows her meat, and always has recipes and suggestions for the customers. I hate to say it, but depending on where your farmers market is (ours is in yuppie-ville), presentation matters. One lady sells fresh cut flowers and decorative produce (mums, squash, etc..), along with some jams. She uses vintage table cloths and big baskets, cornucopias, etc.. and it's really a pretty picture--colorful and bright, really welcoming. She makes a killing off of her flowers!
I personally just like food, so I'm game to pretty much anything. If it's organically grown, I prefer it, if it's reasonably priced, I'm there. These are just some thoughts from a consumer, who also envies your lifestyle!!! Good luck!
Just think of all of the roads there are...all of the things I haven't seen....yet. |
| Lovin Life |
Posted - Oct 08 2006 : 7:32:26 PM
Hi Suzie,
Ijust started selling at a farmer's market this year. I am very small (farm size-that is) but figured I would start out and see where I needed to make changes for the second season ie..what to grow more of, or what to forget all together (carrots!) too much trouble for the space they take up  IMHO. People in this area were looking for cooking herbs, leeks, kohlrabi, cilantro in addition to the usual vegetables. I sold goat milk soap and veggies this year and made approx. 500.00 in 9 market days. 3 hours per day. I was happy to find out that our market coordinator is looking into finding a "winter market" location for us to continue to sell our stuff through the fall, only 1 or 2 times a month as opposed to every Saturday. The social aspect of being part of a community and having the public appreciate your hard work and dedication to providing a healthy, LOCAL alternative to the supermarket fare is very rewarding!
Plus you make a lot of friends with the other vendors and meet some interesting people.
It's fun, and next year I plan to enlarge my garden and just pick a few types of veggies and grow more of them so I can do two markets, instead of trying to have a little of everything. Blueberries and raspberries go really fast!! and they fetch a high price too.
Have fun planning over the winter
Lisa
I'd rather live my life with a "full plate" than an empty one. Life is not a rehearsal... eat up! |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Oct 08 2006 : 10:16:32 AM
It is nice to hear that somebody likes bumpy apples, Michelle, but I have bumpy apples and I won't take them to the farmer's market because they are too ugly and I am ashamed of them. For every consumer that appreciates the "unsprayed" look there are 100 that expect everything to look like it came from Kroger's.
I did take a bushel of nice winter pears to the farmer's market yesterday - priced them at $2.00 a gallon or 10 cents each - I sold exactly $3.00 worth.... they were small and the skin had brown patches. Not all that attractive. The Amish guy across the aisle from me had people lined up at his booth - I'm not sure whether he actually raises his produce or perhaps he purchases it at the produce auction - it comes in nicely boxed cardboard crates - his fruit was all perfect and very large (I assume there are lots of insecticides and fertilizer involved, whoever raises it!) but he was costumed appropriately...
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| westernhorse51 |
Posted - Oct 07 2006 : 7:17:37 PM
I am not a farmer but I am a consumer. When I buy produce I dont want the perfect looking stuff because the perfect looking stuff is not usually organic or natural. Like Joanie Mitchell sang, " I dont care about SPOTS on my apples leave me the birds & the bees". Natural produce usually has spots, bumps or something on it, I dont want it any other way. I understand the whole food & art thing, I go through that when Im baking my breads but just like spinning my own yarns, if I wanted perfect, I'd buy the store stuff. Thats just me.
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
| craftychick06 |
Posted - Oct 06 2006 : 5:48:40 PM
Daisy Farm gave great advise!!! We have done the local markets this year and yes people want perfect veggies and fruits!!! In fact the local newspaper came out and took pics of my booth, LOL being a crafter i put things in baskets and had gingham covers and old crates for displays and they thought it was very attractive!! We didnt make a whole lot of money but there is alot of competition out there so you have to be kind of cheap!! GOOD LUCK I hope you do it!! It is a very satisfying living!!
Have fun with farming too!!
**LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY** |
| ThymeForEweFarm |
Posted - Oct 01 2006 : 04:38:27 AM
quote:
"safe and sane sustainable, organic methods"
That's reallllllllly good!
http://www.farm-garden.com/marketfarmer This column should have articles that are helpful.
Robin
www.thymeforewe.com
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| willowtreecreek |
Posted - Sep 30 2006 : 6:31:24 PM
Tina thanks for the link!
Jewelry, art, baskets, etc.
www.willowtreecreek.com |
| DaisyFarm |
Posted - Sep 30 2006 : 1:33:58 PM
Hi Sarah,
We sold at our local farmer's market for three years before folks discovered they could come to the farm and now we just sell from here. What applied to our market may not apply to yours, but here are my observations:
1. Sell only the best of what you have and make sure it's clean and well presented. Unfortunately a lot of people still want "art" in the food they buy. Never sell an inferior product.
2. Make your prices reasonable. People's grocery budgets are often stretched thin. Having said that, make sure you get what you deserve for your offerings. There's a lot of grey area there, and I always found it difficult to know what to charge. What I ended up doing was going to the local grocery store and writing down their prices that week and charging 50 cents less per pound.
3. Try and attend your market on a regular basis. I found most customers would look for the vendors they had purchased from previously, and you want it to be you!
4. If you have the time, try and offer baking, flowers and other products along with your produce. It brings another type of buyer to your table and encourages impulse buying. Having one or two unusual things can be fun too. I remember one older man yelling in fun and with laughter across the market to his wife "hey Betty, ever seen one of these things?". It was a kohlrabi and I ended up selling him one to try something new.
5. Have on hand a recipe or two that customers can take with them, using the products you have for sale. Salsa was always a good recipe to have on hand when I had a lot of tomatoes and peppers! People will often ask you what you do to prepare certain things...be ready with lots of appealing ideas.
6. "Organic" is a HUGE seller here. Be honest with your customers about your growing practices. We were not certified and never ever claimed to be, but we did advertise as non-certified organic and always took the time to explain the "why" to our customers. This was more important where our eggs were concerned...everyone here is paranoid about anything storebought it seems.
7. Print up a little brochure about your farm and what you have sell. Ours stated we practiced "safe and sane sustainable, organic methods" and that seemed to really catch people's attention. Like I said, organic is huge here.
8. Try to strike up conversation with your customers and be super friendly. I found a lot of city folks who came out to the country market wanted the whole experience and were intrigued by us farmer folks...lol. It was always a good opportunity to educate about farming as well. Many city folks have no clue as to the hurdles faced by farmers today.
Okay I'm rambling. I hope you'll enjoy your market experience if you decide to do it. It is a lot of work, but we met some of the most wonderful folks and I miss the sharing of stories and laughter we had every Sunday.
Di |
| Tina Michelle |
Posted - Sep 30 2006 : 12:39:30 PM
here is a very helpful article.
http://www.newfarm.org/features/0504/farmmarkets/index.shtml
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
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