Farmers Markets

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wordwiz

I came up with this idea as a way for the local Agricultural Society (they hold the county fair) to make some money. We got too late a start last year to do any good but the powers that are said it is a go for this year.

Does anyone here sell any of their plants or produce at one of these or do you shop at them? With the economy as it is, I foresee this being a great way to either make some revenue or spend less on food, or at least get homegrown food at a price comparable to what one pays at the store for nearly artificial food.

Also, if you have been involved in one of these, any suggestions? I pretty much get to set the ground rules as far as what can be sold (for instance, we are going to allow a business sell potting soil, containers, nuits, etc., if they want to pay the weekly fee.

I hope to sell a bunch of my plants in the early spring then have produce in the summer and fall. Hopefully, my overwintered peppers will start producing pods in May or earlier!

Mike
 
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A friend of mone runs a market garden near where I live. The big things for her were mandatory third party insurance for the sellers (in case someone gets ill off of what they grow), and advertising. In two months they went from 300 people to 2500, mainly because people heard about it. It also helps that they are in a swanky area, and the market specialises in organic and bio-dynamic stuff, the people there arent afraid to pay through the nose for happy feelgood food.
 
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I don't sell but I buy stuff at the farmers market in MPLS & it's always packed with people. so if your farmer market is anything like that one, you shouldn't have a problem selling chile plants or produce. chile & tomatoe plants sell fast here. offer different types that others don't sell & you'll be a hit when it comes to chile plants.
 
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The Ag Society carries insurance so that is one problem I don't need to worry about. This market will be on a Thursday but on Tuesdays, about a mile up the street is another market - a rather snobby one, but still a great source for people looking for more produce.

This would be a grat year for me to have an AJ crop of both peppers and toms!

Mike
 
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I am sure you will have a good year Mike...I have thought about making a wooden body for my truck where the sides/back hinge upward and are supported by locking struts...inside the bed I will have a rack that the plants sit on at an angle so you can see whats there...I figure I can show about 360 plants and have another 200-300 under the rack...the rack will be about 2 feet off the bottom of the bed....when the sides/back up you would be able to walk around the truck and see a bunch of plants...

that way, you would have minor setup and you wouldn't have to mess with the plants if you wanted to make multiple stops in a day...

This is how the Watkin's Linament man that was the traveling country salesman showed his wares back in southern Mississippi in the 50s......
 
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I've been looking into the farmer's/public market thing for many years but its very competetive here. The bigger markets want nearly a thousand bucks a week for a stall and the smaller markets are just pathetic. Also some of the bigger farmer's markets, you also need to be a registered farmer, otherwise too many re-sellers start taking over
 
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I have only been to one so far....paid $10 for a spot and netted $11 for four hours...not very good for my first try, but I was selling dehydrated peppers and a few fresh superhots...

I really think I will have better luck selling seedlings...
 
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AJ,

I plan on selling plants in May and early June but not sure what to do from mid-June until mid-July. If I get enough peas and beans (I need to save enough for my own use during the year) as well as lettuce, I could sell it. I'm also thinking about planting some Siletz toms in my hydro units (I have nine 5-inch pots I can use) and hope they are indeed early (55 days). They are not completely seedless but have very few seeds, plus they are somewhat parthenocarpic (if that is possible!).

Mike
 
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