Discuss your tips, tricks and experiences growing and selling vegetables, fruits, flowers, plants and herbs.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 682
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We only have two farmers markets and they are small and set up in parking lots, maybe ten booths in each one on a peak day.
We do have a flea market though that is pretty large with good traffic. I could probably count the number of varieties of seedlings sold at all three venues on one hand. Mainly this post is related to flea markets but also wanted to ask if one were to carry only 5 - 10 varieties what would you sell. So far my ideals of what to sell would be: Brandywine Sudduth Kellogg's Breakfast Amish Paste Mortgage Lifter Tiffin Mennonite Cherokee Purple Bonny Best Hillbilly Sungold Black Cherry Anything else you would add to the list as far as tomatoes. Also I have never seen peppers offered so a few sweet peppers and a few hot pepper suggestions would help as I think they would be great sellers. Latter in the season I thought about buying sweet corn, green beans, etc whole sale from a community of Mennonites that I know to add to the produce selection. I can buy it from them cheaper than I could grow it. Anyone else do this as well? Still deciding on if I should try my hand selling the seedlings but have thought about selling the produce for a few years. Last edited by Stepheninky; August 30, 2010 at 12:35 AM. Reason: adding suggestions to post |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Kansas CIty
Posts: 560
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Definitely need to add a cherry tomato or two to the list. Sungold, Black Cherry, Pink Ping Pong, or something along those lines I'd say.
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seattle
Posts: 581
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Location is important: Offer only what will grow well there, and if the locals only eat store-bought, avoid exotic types which they will probably not want to try.
I would also offer a couple cherry tomatoes, especially some that grow well in containers. Many people can't grow in a yard, or just prefer something that can sit on the porch or deck. (They are more likely to succeed if it is right there where they see it every day, rather than buried on the far side of the garage.) Once a new gardener gets to taste a sun ripened cherry, he will be a repeat customer for years. |
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 682
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Really not sure on the exotic side as far as if they would sell, pretty much the only source of tomato plants is grow from seed or buy from the box store or one of the High schools selling plants.
avg prices here are $3 for a six pack or $2.50 - $3.00 for the single plants that come in the 16oz cups and about $5 for a 1 gal plant. Was thinking of selling in either the cups or 4in sq pots and selling the plants for $2 - 2.50 each though did find an affordable choice of 4in azalea pots that come with the holder trays. If i do it was thinking of trying to play it safe and limit the varieties to 10 at most and then as I talk to people the first year I can get a feel for what local people are looking for. |
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 682
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edited due to double post
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: PA
Posts: 100
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Make sure you have some kind of info sheet with your list of seedling varieties, specs (fruit size, shape, color, season [early/mid/late]), and especially photos. The photos will really help you sell... Nothing like a picture of that nice ripe tomato their plant will grow for them to convince a customer to buy your seedlings.
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 269
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Whistler has some good ideas there, and I think you have it right I'd stick to about 10 varietys your first year, and your list looks just about right for variety you have 2 good cherrys thats probably enough, I would just add Black Krim. Don't know your location in Ky, depending on your population maybe 100-150 each?
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#8 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NW Indiana
Posts: 1,150
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There are a few vendors at our local farmer's market who sell seedlings in the spring. They're generally pretty spindly. This may seem obvious, but once you select your best varieties, grow the best looking seedling you can - make sure they're well-tended, disease free and stocky - I'd think they'd sell themselves. |
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: S.E. Michigan (Livonia)
Posts: 1,264
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Looks like a decent list, I'd buy at least 4-5 of those listed.
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: PA
Posts: 100
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When talking with your customers, don't be surprised when many of them say "I just want a nice big red tomato to put on a sandwich"...
I sold about 100 types of heirloom tomato seedlings this year (from my house... too many to lug around in the SUV), and I learned that variety is fine, but make sure you have plenty of red beefsteak-type plants too. |
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#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 682
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Brandywine Sudduth - Pink
Mortgage Lifter - Pink Tiffin Mennonite - Pink So of these three pinks which two are keepers and what would your suggestion for a red be. Brandywine Sudduth - I think will sell well Mortgage Lifter - Familiar name and good story behind it Tiffin Mennonite - area where I am selling has Mennonite and Amish populations that surround it, also we have the Shaker Museum as well so anything with those catch words probably will sell well. Some parts around here you can drive and see horse drawn wagons on the rural highways. Some possible reds: Neves Azorean Red Aker's West Virginia Believe It Or Not Coustralee Delicious Magnum Aussie Red brandywine Are some ideals for reds that pop to mind though happy for any suggestions |
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