Farmers Markets?

[MTNCKN]

There is a farmers market that started around where I live last summer. I would like to take somestuff to this market. What would be some of your guys/gals idea of what to grow? What would y'all buy if given the chance?

 

[jojo54]

Some of the big sellers around here were tomatoes, baby potatoes, grapes, melons, cukes, garlic, fruit (cherries, plums, raspberries, etc)

Peas and beans did good as did new beets.

Carrots didn't do so well. Neither did cabbage, broccoli, turnips, pumpkin.

Lettuce, spinach, zuchinni varied from week to week.

 

[HiDelight]

my husband and grandson are going to try this ..in the summer and I am excited!

so please lets keep this going with ideas for how to run a table at a farmers market! I know the subject has come up but there has not be a real thread on the topic anywhere has there? so thank you for starting it(!!! Pity fest ahead ..just the perk up I need today ...pity me please I am sick the idea of sunshine and tables at a farmers market make me feel the world is brighter than it is ..the sky is sitting directly on our heads here as well..ok pity fest over sorry )

so far I tossed around some ideas but mostly
I am going to give them 50 cent seed packets I will make up and use a sharpie to label (I am not doing anything that requires talent I just cant) of proven seeds and mixed greens ..some herb starts..veggie starts..really unusual house plant starts ....I have a few dahlias bulbs...
sedum starts ..ground cover starts...herb bunches fresh and dried ..and hopefully lots of sunflowers because I plan to grow double what I grew last year and last year I could have covered a table with beautiful bunches by the end of the summer!

also if you do not mind me being a big thread hog

can we talk about containers what is the best most economical way you get starter pots that can be sold with the starts...I am proud to say I barely take in a dozen a year but that does not give me many to work with

so how do you source these reasonably?

and what do you like to use for starter medium that is cost effective


I am going to go nap and then selfishly hope you guy have filled this thread with all kinds of great ideas...

this could be the chipmunks college fund

 

[digitS']

Welcome to TEG, MTNCKN !

I buy tree fruit at the farmers' market. I sell cut flowers, salad greens/Asian greens, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a few other things.

Of course, what sells well for you may depend on what is in short supply at the other vendors' booths. Out-of-season choices can bring "instant" sales but, of course, they are difficult to grow.

Generally, the items with the highest value per square foot of garden are the ones that require the greatest processing time. Cut flowers can be cleaned of foliage and made into bouquets . . . very time-consuming. Salad greens need to be washed - carefully.

Having regular buyers is a key to success. If you have nice produce consistently, you will gain loyal customers. Showing up with a boat-load of a single product a couple of marketdays, may or may not work.

Best of Luck!

Steve

 

[bid]

I think small pots of herbs would sell well. Mints, chives, basils, oegano...anything people use on a regular basis or some more obscure varieties as well. If you had the set up to start them early eough so they could attain some size to them, it would be quite profitable and you wouldn't have the concern of spoilage. They would also make for an attractive display on your table/s.

I know around here some folks make a deal with established roadside stands to sell surplus veggies and fruits.

 

[jojo54]

As far as pots and containers to use, here are some ideas that have worked for me:

1) freecycle http://www.freecycle.org/ I received a bunch of pots - quite a nice size and attractive, others the kind you buy starter plants in. Check what people are giving away and also post "wanted - Pots"

2) garage sales - I got some very cheap pots plus also a bunch of free flats, etc from different garage sales. Some people have a free stuff table and you can find all sorts of stuff

3) grocery stores, etc that sell plants in the spring - last year I got a trunk full of flats, individual pots and also multipack pots (4 pack, 6 pack) They had several large bags by the cashout that the clerk said that were just going to recycle.

Sometimes you just have to ask. It also sometimes takes being in the right place at the right time.

 

[wifezilla]

Great thread

There is a church that hold farmer's markets in the summer and all it costs to put up a booth is a donation to the church ($10 is customary).

I thought about selling plants last year. Turns out a LOT of other people had the same idea. So scratch that...LOL

I have wanted to offer fresh cut herbs. Basil is popular at the big farmer's market down town. It would be worth a try since they don't take up a lot of room and I have a LOT of herbs in my garden.

I should have plenty of quail and duck eggs for sale. Possibly some hatchlings too.

Pumpkins and squash do well in my area. I am planting butternut squash so i can sell extras. I also seem to have a knack for growing dragon tongue beans. I have never seem those at our farmer's markets. Those could be really fun for people to buy, and if they don't sell, I have no problem eating them myself. (The ducks will also help if I ask them )

I had a bumper crop of grapes last year so maybe I can sell grapes.

Tomatoes sell well in my area. Well, anything required to make salsa sells really well I have not been able to grow enough for my personal consumption yet, but if I had extra, I know I could sell those. Same with jalapenos or other peppers.

Zucchini sell well...mainly because people don't want to give up garden space to grow them and they are sold pretty cheap.

Carrots...not sure. I never bought any. If there was an exotic variety I couldn't get at the store I probably would. They are hard to grow here because of the hard ground. Green beans went very well at the big farmer's market. I know I bought a lot before mine were ready

Melons, berries and peaches sell well here and command a good price. I am planting some Collective Farm Woman melons, ground cherries and alpine strawberries. Surplus can go to the market, but I doubt there will be much extra...hee hee hee

I also have 2 apple trees. A late frost killed all the blooms last spring, but the trees are at the age where they should produce a lot of apples weather permitting.

Basically anything I would be selling is something I really like for myself. If I don't sell a single thing, I still have a personal use for it, can freeze or preserve it, or trade it to friends.

 

[boggybranch]

If your market is like our's, most anything will sell. Down here, early....onions, mustard greens, collard greens, new potatoes, rutabags, and turnips sell out quick. Later, tomatoes and melons are hot sellers. Something that sells quick, and few people offer, is stalks of sugar cane. And don't forget fresh herbs......always in demand (and REAL expensive to buy at the grocery stores)

AND, be the first on the market with vine ripened tomatoes and you'll have to call in the "Brinks" truck and give out numbers, like at a very popular deli.

 

[Catalina]

I have to vote for herbs.
Last year I wanted to buy some basil and NO ONE had any to sell. It also seemed like everyone was selling the same things. The same varieties of onions, tomatoes, peppers, everything. They also mostly had the same prices. Some sold by weight and some per item, but the price was still about the same.

 

[MTNCKN]

Wifezilla How you doing decided to jump over here from backyard chickens hehe. Anyone know if there would be any laws against selling egg and live stock(chickens or bunnies) or there meat at farmers markets also maybe cheese and butter? I have a portable fridge that might be useful?