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Entrepreneurship:  Wild berries  |
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Lena@HickoryGroveFarm
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Marlena
Brunson
SC
USA
33 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 14 2005 : 10:29:46 AM
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We have a few huge stands of wild blackberries that are at this moment producing zillions of berries. Since no one has farmed on this land for at least 50 years, and we have plenty of barrier forest on all sides, these are pesticide free, and as organic as you can get. Not certified, however.
Since we are just starting out, I dedided to "begin to begin..." which in this case means selling what we have- berries. I'm looking for suggestions; here is my idea:
Can the berries as tightly packed as they will allow in a quart sized jar, put it in a pie pan, with a recipe for the crust (good old pate brisee) and pie on a decorative card and a matching tea towel to pull it all together. Maybe some other ingredients, or helpful utensils?
I found a wonderful resource for plant art: see http://www.illustratedgarden.org/mobot/rarebooks/taxa.asp?relation=QK313J271828T6 for old french illustrations. With a little technical savvy, you can do the cards and towels yourself.
The idea is to sell a berry pie kit, rather than an actual pie, or just berries. Do you think it'll float? Suggestions for improvement? Much appreciated!
Lena
Budding Farm Girl and Eccentric Artist
see www.marlenam.com |
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MeadowLark
True Blue Farmgirl
2206 Posts
USA
2206 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2005 : 10:40:41 AM
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Lena, I think it is a wonderful idea! I would buy one from you! Are you going to sell them at a farmer's market? I tried to get into the website but it said it couldn't find the site...maybe it's my computer acting up. With you artistic talent these would be a treasure! I would hate to even use the tea towel.
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Rumi, 13th century. http://www.xs4all.nl/~josvg/cits/sb/sb101.html |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2005 : 10:53:05 AM
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Lena, I don't think you can technically say they are organic because they are not certified, but you can certainly say they are "natural", which is the term alot of people use when they don't want to go to the expense of certification.
This is a very cute idea. Berries do bruise easily, so handle with care!
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
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Lena@HickoryGroveFarm
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Marlena
Brunson
SC
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2005 : 11:39:16 AM
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Actually, you need no talent at all to do the tea towl/card idea... just scan art, or use one of those botanical prints from the web site I sent the link for, and print on transfer. There are other tecniques too. Hey, maybe I should share all my marketing ideas, with how-to's. What I know how to do is market. One problem: I don't think I know how to farm yet! 
Here is a quick one: laminate business cards and add a magnet to the back- people will alway stick it to the fridge and will know right where to find you. You can stick them to your car, too, with another magnet sign that says, "take one." Putting your web site, or Farm slogan on your car is another one, a moving billboard.
The web site is working, probably a glitch in the server. Anyway, it needs updating very badly.
Re: berries... I'm experimenting with canning formulas. I really don't want to water them down, and I'm going to try cooking them down next, to see how that works, and how they look. It's not all bad, we get to eat all the experiments!
Budding Farm Girl and Eccentric Artist
see www.marlenam.com |
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bramble
True Blue Farmgirl
2044 Posts
2044 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2005 : 2:05:57 PM
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Marlena - some good ideas and I want to check out that artwork myself !Our friend who has a farm market installed a pie baking machine because they sold more premade pies than the kits she also stocked. They (the kits) seemed to be a fall seller as most folks are not thinking of firing up the oven in the heat.She premakes and freezes before baking so that they can be fresh as needed.
What about blackberry syrup? Jam or jellies? That you could do til your hearts content and it wouldn't be season specific and you would have a specialty item that you might have multiple outlets to sell to.
Easy for me to have ideas, harder for you because you're the one doing the work! Good luck and keep us posted with your develpoments!
with a happy heart |
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ThymeForEweFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
705 Posts
Robin
An organic farm in the forest in
Maine
USA
705 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2005 : 02:27:37 AM
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Blackberries mold quickly so you'll want to keep most of them in a cooler while displaying one or two.
If you're selling under $5,000 in produce that is grown organically it can be called organic without certification. "Wild harvested" is a big hit around here. People generally understand my wild harvested blueberries didn't come from sprayed fields.
Robin
Thyme For Ewe Farm
www.thymeforewe.com |
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prairiemaid
True Blue Farmgirl
200 Posts
Margret
Canada
200 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2005 : 06:55:31 AM
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Love your ideas! That's so nice that you have so many wild blackberries. I'd buy some off you! I like the idea of selling ready-made pies. Lots of people can't make a good pie crust and wouldn't attempt it. I'd sell them fresh as long as I could, can the excess then sell the canned when the fresh are done.
When you are picking, watch out for bears!
Call me old fashioned. |
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quiltedess
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Nancy
Priest River
ID
USA
296 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2005 : 07:53:28 AM
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I admire you for wanting to pick blackberries. Those vines are dangerous, evil things (at least around here) I try to get rid of black berries here every year, they are like the Kudzu of the south in my yard. Their thorns can poke through the toughest leather gloves and the microscopic thorn tips can get stuck in my hands for weeks. And my arms are nearly scratched to shreds after a day of ridding them from my rhododendrons. The vines would cover everything if I let them. But, yes, they are tasty.
Nancy |
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Lena@HickoryGroveFarm
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Marlena
Brunson
SC
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2005 : 09:02:53 AM
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Regarding the evil, wicked thorns: YES! I can't seem to help myself when it comes to picking blackberries, and I'll stretch way into a bush to get a fat, juicy one out of my reach. Then I have to deal with "blackberry's revenge..." Talk about biological warfare! Those darn things mean business. Halfway through my picking, I start thinking of myself as the "crazy blackberry lady." I should run an ad in the paper: "crazy woman braves thorns to pick blackberries for you." Dunno. Something to that effect. Anyway, I've developed tecniques for getting to the berries with a stick and one gloved hand, but it's never enough for protection.
We do have black bears here, but more of an issue is snakes. We have every poisonous snake in North America here, and their prey loves blackberries. I take a Sawyer Snakebite kit along. No reports of bears yet, but it could happen. They love the more mountainous areas.
Anyway, on the recipe front. Thanks soooo much for your ideas. All good. I started out with the premade pie idea, but it's so much work I'm afraid the pies would be ridiculously expensive. I've seen them go for $35, but I've never been able to bring myself to buy one! So far, I've canned the berries: need less water, more berries. I'm thinking none- let the berry juice be the water. Accidentally made jam. YUM. Good mistake. Tomorrow, I think I will try an experiment to can the berries using foodsaver bags- wish me luck. Theory: put hot berries in bag, remove as much air as I can, then do the hot water bath to create a complete vacuum. You can boil these bags. I will let you know if it blows up or if it works!
Ok, so THEN what do I do with them? Basket with pie/muffin recipes? Try the premade pie idea? Would anyone buy an expensive pie? My crust is pretty good, although the only one I can make consistently is pate brisee. Just berries? And I LOVE the idea of Wild Harvested as a classification. Because that is exactly what these are.
I'm not sure I have a market for fresh here... I'll try some in the country store, good idea!
Budding Farm Girl and Eccentric Artist
see www.marlenam.com |
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quiltedess
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Nancy
Priest River
ID
USA
296 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2005 : 6:11:07 PM
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Huckleberries are BIG in north Idaho and Montana. They do all kinds of stuff with them that I'm sure would work with blackberries too. My favorite is the BBQ sauce. Pies are expensive but people do buy them. There's jam, jelly, honey, syrup (for pancakes and ice cream), pie filling, and candy (blackberry fudge would be good). And there are mixes - dry mixes for muffins, cookies, cakes, brownies, and biscuits (with dried berries in them). The sky's the limit! And don't forget the "already baked" cookies, brownies and muffins, people will just slurp those up.
Nancy
PS: Eye protection might be a good idea while you're picking too, depending on how far into the vines you're reaching. |
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Lena@HickoryGroveFarm
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Marlena
Brunson
SC
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2005 : 04:26:27 AM
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I planted huckleberries, and ground cherries, too. If you've never had a ground cherry, they are a treat; their flavor is impossible to describe. Suffice it to say my grandma used to make ground cherry tarts, and the last one I ate was at age 16. I'm 40 now, and can still remember how they tasted! When I found the seeds at www.rareseeds.com, I had to have them. They make the cutest tiny little sprouts! Hopefully, I'll be able to get them to grow so I can fulfill a 24 year craving...
BBQ sauce from huckleberries? Sounds yummy! I think I'm into farming because I love food... in fact I studied food in college- dietetics! It wasn't until later that I realized what I had done in choosing my major. But at any rate, can you share a recipe? I've never had a huckleberry before, but I sure hope to.
As for eye protection, you're right! I can't tell you the number of times that I've reached over and found a thorny branch right in front of my eyes... I've taken to wearing my glasses in the field. And I'm trying to be more careful. I don't know what comes over me... just have to get that berry! I'm off to do just that.
The fellow who runs the country store agreed to carry some fresh blackberries to try them out on people- will let you know how that goes!
Budding Farm Girl and Eccentric Artist
see www.marlenam.com |
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JoyIowa
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Joy
273 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2005 : 9:18:15 PM
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Lena,
Have you considered dehydrating them? You can do a whole bunch of berries up on food safe screening and good old sunshine. They would work well in your muffin recipes. How about pancake mix?
Have a great day!
To live without farm life is merely existing, to live with farm life is living life to it very last experience. |
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Lena@HickoryGroveFarm
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Marlena
Brunson
SC
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2005 : 05:30:40 AM
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Hi there, I was away for a couple weeks, and lost the thread. Just want to thank everyone for their input! The berries are done doing their thing, I made lots of jam, but quit trying to market it for the moment. I think I will start working on a plan for next year now, which is probably the best idea.
Picking is a LOT of work- there is no way to break even; the main goal is to get the farm's name out into the community. I think I'm going to focus on my web site now, with today's addition being an entire page dedicated to the farm and farm life, and another page added for MJ's farm, and showcasing the sites of other farm girls. So, if you have a site you'd like to have listed, give me a holler!
Lena
Budding Farm Girl and member of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Art
see www.marlenam.com |
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Entrepreneurship: Wild berries |
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Wild berries
