Discuss your tips, tricks and experiences growing and selling vegetables, fruits, flowers, plants and herbs.
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#136 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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They're fine for now, but they grow fast. You can always pop one out of the container and look at the roots to gauge transplanting.
I try to order gallon pots, but they seem to be always out of stock. The sunflowers were in "trade size" gallon pots. I'd guess 85-90% of a gallon. Truthfully, they would have liked a bigger pot. My other ones are 1.2 gallons I think. I would use those next time. |
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#137 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: AL
Posts: 1,993
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Thanks Cole! Another blistering hot day, so I guess I'll sit under a tree and scrub and sterilize the smaller pots today. Have the plants under a raised screen right now as the birds keep looking as those sprouts as a tasty meal.
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#138 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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I took three weeks off from going to market. Normally, I would have high tunnel tomatoes during this time, but the very cold May weather pushed everything back. I've had tomatoes to eat, just not enough to sell.
This was yesterday's table: http://i.imgur.com/D9m7tUQ.jpg That's all I had to take, but I sold about an equal amount Wednesday of this week. It took me two hours to sell out, and that was surprising. I think I'm the only one at market with heirlooms, other than the $4/lb organic vendor. Market rate for hybrids yesterday was $1.75/lb. Mine were about $2/lb. There were a lot of tomatoes at market, but everyone grows the same thing - extra-firm hybrids. I am hoping to get some repeat customers next week. |
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#139 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b
Posts: 1,369
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Way to represent Cole!
Feels good to get the first one under you Talked to my buddy who is the auction buyer at an auction in PA. He said tomatoes were going for 119 per 25 lb box last week. Nobody has product right now. 10 lb heirloom were rolling 30-40. These are wholesale prices. |
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#140 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
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Yeah looks good Cole, I was the first one at my market with heirlooms and I sold out of them in about 45mins. I'm charging $4 lb and $3 for R&R hybrids. Several customers thought Taxi were unripe tomatoes. Never even seen yellow ones. Always surprises me. I was glad they sold fast I was worried about it but everything I'm reading says charge enough to make it worth it and they are 4.99 in grocery here from Mexico.
I was also the first with mixed cherry baskets and I charged $5 for them lol. We are finding out our market has 2 customer groups. The wealthy a nd those using vouchers, Snap etc so I'm hoping to win over the wealthy crowd since they don't seem to care how much stuff cost and they will try new things much easier. |
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#141 |
Tomatoville® Recipe Keeper
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Roseburg, Oregon - zone 7
Posts: 2,821
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Fantastic tomatoes, Cole Robbie. Our market prices are in the $4 range for first of year toms and 3.50 - 2.50 later on. I think one vendor sells Cherokee Purple by the 20 lb case for $25 in late summer. RR toms are in the $1.50 - $2 lb range. Our area has an interesting mix of depressed economy, senior retirees and foodies that like fresh, local, naturally grown produce. Can be difficult to find the right pricing. Those who sell high usually go home with produce. I tend to price lower so I can sell it.
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Corona~Barb Now an Oregon gal |
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#142 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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Thanks, everyone.
Supply is really tremendous here. Every 3rd vendor has a truckload of red baseballs to sell. At one smaller town market last week, they were down to $1.50 a pound already. By the next week or two, at smaller markets, there will be someone selling for $1 a pound. This is what my competition looks like. The $2 price is from two weeks ago: |
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#143 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b
Posts: 1,369
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How is zone 6 getting all that production now? HTunnel growers?
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#144 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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Yeah, high tunnels are the norm, or at least starting under plastic of some sort. There is one vendor who always has ripe (gassed) tomatoes in the first week of April. He sells everything he brings, even though they are the worst I have ever tasted, much worse than the grocery store.
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#145 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Illinois, zone 5a
Posts: 579
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Looks delicious, Cole Robbie! I won't see a ripe tomato for another month, at least, and those will just be the cherries. Envy...
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#146 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 4,350
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Mine are just starting to turn in the h tunnels. I have picked maybe 10 so far but they are beautiful. A lot of work, though. I had a customer complain a few years ago about a tomato being 75 each in a basket... I told her feel free to put up a structure and grow them herself...
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carolyn k |
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#147 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
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I think we've all had one or two like that.
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#148 |
Riding The Crazy Train Again
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: San Marcos, California
Posts: 2,562
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75 cents for a homegrown good tasting tomato? I'd leap at that!
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"The righteous one cares for the needs of his animal". Proverbs 12:10 |
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#149 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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I went to a mid-week market today. Here's a few more pics.
Packed last night: http://i.imgur.com/xl4CMRn.jpg Table today: http://i.imgur.com/vKdRE09.jpg http://i.imgur.com/e0cdPs4.jpg http://i.imgur.com/njaK0WC.jpg |
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#150 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Zone 6 Northern Kentucky
Posts: 1,094
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Those look great. I'm curious how you are able to accommodate people using the snap cards or do you? Do you have to have a card reader or how does that work?
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