Roadside stands - selling your produce

[Stubbornhillfarm]

I have some people who would like to purchase some of my vegtables. I would like to just be able to bless people and "give" them some produce. However, being that "stubborn New Englanders" don't really like to take any help from anyone, they will force the issue until I take something. Has anyone ever charged for their produce? I really think that at this point, I am going to have squash, tomatoes, cukes and some green beans maybe. Any ideas will be helpful!

 

[lesa]

The only thing I have actually sold from my garden, are bird house gourds. You put a lot of work into those veggies- don't feel bad about charging for them!! Next time you go to the grocery store- do a quick price check...

 

[skeeter9]

I have the same problem with my eggs, Stubbornhill. Lots of people don't like to take them for nothing, so I just charge a nominal fee. It does kinda help with the feed bill, but I like to give them to people. The little Hmong farmers around here (little meaning small acreage, not the size of the Hmong themselves) charge about two dollars for gallon bag that isa little over half-full of things like green beans and squash. Tomatoes are about the same price for 4 large or 6 medium tomatoes. Maybe something like that would seem reasonable for your area?

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

you could always put out a can to collect any kind of 'donations' for the upkeep of the garden. and i know about the issue with some people that won't take or even bother to ask you if you don't have set prices posted.

 

[berry_Bob]

you could always put out a can to collect any kind of 'donations' for the upkeep of the garden. and i know about the issue with some people that won't take or even bother to ask you if you don't have set prices posted.

X2

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Great ideas! Thank you all. You are right, it does take work and money to grow things. I guess that me not wanting to take a couple of bucks for my veggies is no better then, them not wanting to take my veggies for free! I like the donation can idea. I saw a sign down the road from me that said squash 50cents a pound. I don't want to go through the hassle of putting a scale down by the road. I'm not worried about the money and some people may be intimidated by it. Lets hope all of our gardens have a bountiful harvest so this is something that we truly have to worry about!!

 

[Kassaundra]

I have a huge problem w/ giving my hard earned veggies away to able bodied people. I don't mind giving them to the elderly or infirmed, but have a huge issue giving them to people sitting in their air conditioned comfy chair, drinking their cold iced tea while I'm slaving in the heat, and bugs. I work full time (a minimum of 50 hrs/wk sometimes up to 70) and really like to garden and raise my own veggies, but would let them be chicken food before giving them to able bodied people (I will however sell them to suppport my garden/chicken habit!)

 

[lesa]

Kassandra- I hear you. I hate to be selfish- but I have a certain friend- able bodied indeed. He thinks nothing of using a few dozen of my eggs a week, and will help himself to garden goodies, too. I do enjoy sharing my bounty- but he makes me mad! No reason on earth he couldn't put in his own garden. He is out of work- but has been on 2 interviews in 4 years... His 70 something year old father still goes to work at 4am to support his able bodied son. Grrr! Okay, vent over!

 

[momofdrew]

Stubborn: do you live near Bond Mountain Road??? have friends with a tree farm there...makes us neighbors LOL

 

[Jared77]

Lot of folks out here have coffee cans to deposit money into. It usually pretty simple set ups, a card table in the shade with produce on it. Its all on your honor, and most folks don't want to see anything go to waste. Id rather give it to someone who needs it than have it end up on the compost pile. Besides if someone needs to steal a coffee can with a few dollars in it, they got bigger problems than just needing fresh produce in my opinion.

My wife's dropped off a few boxes of our extra produce to the battered women's shelter last year. They are a stepping stone for women and their children to escape abusive relationships to help them get their feet on the ground and then move on with their lives. My wife's a nurse and was able to make the donation through one of the social workers at the hospital she works at. Few weeks later we got a letter thanking us as they were thrilled to have extra fresh produce since most of what they get is canned or dry goods. We plan on doing that again with our extras this year. Even if they are stubborn NE folk, if you look around you'll find someone who could put extra produce to good use.

There was a summer when I was out of work. My garden was more carefully planned out that year for things we could can, store, and designed to get the most out of what we put in with lots of proven performers and more hybrid varieties than I usually plant because it was all about volume for us that year to help cut our food bill. I was extra diligent too pushing to get the most I could out of it and it I know it helped us dramatically. Id always had a garden before but that summer it put a things in a different perspective and I keep that in mind now each spring when I'm planning out the garden.