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Entrepreneurship:  How to price and sell garden produce  |
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fudsy
True Blue Farmgirl
175 Posts
Pamela
Clark Fork
Idaho
USA
175 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 20 2010 : 4:20:15 PM
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As a new farmgirl I've scanned the forums and looked around but I don't know how to price my garden produce to sell. One year I had a whole bunch of cucumbers and extra produce to sell and put a sign in my front yard. Sold like crazy, but I really don't know how to package or price things such as lettuce, spinach, green beans etc. to sell. I was hoping for input and ideas which items are good to grow for selling. I only use a med. size garden but it could be as big as an acre if I worked at it and had a good front yard market 
Farmgirl Sister #1599
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coloquilter
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
Susan
Co
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2010 : 7:21:07 PM
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Hi Pamela, I think I would do some market research in your area. Do you have any farmers markets that you could visit ? In My opinion garden fresh produce is hands down better than grocery store produce. Grocery store produce is at a minimun of a week old. Maybe check prices at your local farmers markets,grocers, and organic markets . In my area , farmers markets are priced between the grocers and the organics.
As far as packaging goes..I would avoid plastics. maybe decorate some brown paper lunch bags or have reusable net produce bags and larger canvas on hand for sale or encourage your customers to bring their own packaging.Maybe Offer a discount if the customer brings their own packaging.With packaging Less is always better !
Good Luck
Susan |
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fudsy
True Blue Farmgirl
175 Posts
Pamela
Clark Fork
Idaho
USA
175 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2010 : 8:32:03 PM
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The closest farmers market is 25 miles away. I will see what I can find out. I love the idea of brown paper bags.
Farmgirl Sister #1599
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2010 : 05:25:54 AM
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You have to check with your local government as to how things can be sold. I found out in indiana some things can be sold by the item but some must be sold by the 'dry quart', which means a full quart ziplock bag or by the quart scoop. I found the scoops cost quite a lot and have to be mail ordered. I use ziplock bags. Then there is the labeling and/or signage. In indiana each item has to have a label or a clear and easily seen sign with name, address, and ingredients list if a homemade item. It seems confusing but only took me a day to figure it all out. The silly rules left a loophole that everyone is exploiting, though. It states that as long as you don't deliver the product to the purchaser's home and they don't pick it up within your home, you are a home based vendor and not subject to commercial kitchen laws and inspections. I saw an ad for a woman who is selling wedding cakes from a minibarn by her driveway! I went by just to see and she has photos all over the walls with ingredients lists posted and price lists! It's so cool that she has found a way to make money even if it seems a little silly. There was a buch of people there, so she must be pretty good.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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fudsy
True Blue Farmgirl
175 Posts
Pamela
Clark Fork
Idaho
USA
175 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2010 : 08:16:46 AM
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Yes, Idaho has rules covering the sale of food items. As long as I do it from my yard nobody will care. Now if I wanted to take it to the farmer's market I would have to have some kind of inspection of my garden and such. (just more control) So I won't do that. I guess rather then going to see what other people charge I was wanting to learn how a person comes up with a price in the first place.
I have someone who wants to trade canned smoked fish for vegtables and am trying to put a value on what I give him and what his fish is worth. I'm also trading eggs for garden vegtables. So like I said I'm just trying to learn and understand how to put a value on product
There won't be much selling here this year if the rain doesn't stop soon. I would be doing beets and raspberries by now. The cherries are just little green things. It is a very slow season because of the cool wet spring we have had.
Farmgirl Sister #1599
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2010 : 12:46:19 PM
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In the case of trade, I use grocery store prices for both products. That way we both feel as if we are gettin a fair shake.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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fudsy
True Blue Farmgirl
175 Posts
Pamela
Clark Fork
Idaho
USA
175 Posts |
Posted - Jun 22 2010 : 1:03:31 PM
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Thanks Angela -- That works for me
Farmgirl Sister #1599
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Windsong
True Blue Farmgirl
309 Posts
LaVonna
Decatur
Tx
309 Posts |
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fudsy
True Blue Farmgirl
175 Posts
Pamela
Clark Fork
Idaho
USA
175 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2010 : 06:21:16 AM
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I never thought of looking there. I'll check our other barter papers in this area.
Farmgirl Sister #1599
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msdoolittle
True Blue Farmgirl
1143 Posts
Amanda
East Texas
USA
1143 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2010 : 7:01:04 PM
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Pamela,
I just joined a Farmer's market, and here is what we do as far as 'loose' veggies. Everything goes for $2 a pound. Easy, huh? Now, some fruits are a little different. Large watermelons are going for 5-7 dollars each depending on size. Berries, like blackberries/raspberries, go for $3 for a really full pint.
Anyway, I have had no complaints about this pricing. I sell my hen eggs for 3/dozen and duck eggs for 6/dozen and they sell like mad. I sold out of all my eggs tonight in less than 2 minutes! I only had 4.5 dozen eggs, but I had at least 4 more people wanting more. This is the second time this market has met, so we don't have just a ton of people yet. Anyway, that is what I do.
Also, I have been sewing up some reusable produce bags/sacks and people love those, too. I need to post that in the sewing section, but I have to take pics. I hate plastic too, and I'd probably just start off with either using brown lunch sacks, recycling walmart bags if you have any, or making your own bags!
:0)
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
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TJinMT
True Blue Farmgirl
211 Posts
TJ
Billings
MT
USA
211 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2010 : 08:14:58 AM
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Wow, these are some great ideas, you guys!! I have gardens at home and in our local community garden; I'm thinking about selling fresh organic herbs, kale, rhubarb, wild lettuce mix, sorrel, baby swiss chard...
Did you guys know that the Environmental Working Group (foodnews.org) has a shopper's guide to pesticides free download - it lists the Dirty Dozen of fresh produce to buy organically, as well as the Clean 15 that are lowest in pesticides. This might be a good marketing device for some of us!! At least when we're selling kale, spinach, potatoes, bellpeppers, etc - haha.
Thanks again for the ideas everyone!!
~TJ
"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." -CS Lewis |
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Entrepreneurship: How to price and sell garden produce |
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How to price and sell garden produce
