5 Things I Learned this Year

[Cole_Robbie]

I have learned that there is never any money in doing the same thing that everyone else is doing. My focus right now is on high tunnel produce to sell in April and May. Once late June arrives, outdoor gardens are producing, and everyone has a full table of produce.

My family has had the best luck in the late summer by growing crops other people simply don't want to because of the extra work and hassle. Our green beans are the best, because we have a small, tender variety called "strike." Everyone else grows blue lake, because they yield a lot more. Usually, if picking a crop is an excruciatingly back-breaking endeavor, that crop will sell. Okra (it's itchy), yellow wax beans and purple-hull peas always sell.

[SEAMSFASTER]

Originally Posted by Keger

I hear/feel a lot of that pain. Maybe being at a newer market close to such a huge city helps in my case, but I fought some of what you describe as well. During the height of the season it all gets very competetive, which is one reason I am hung up on varieties that produce in volume. I do do like the CSA deal. I havent done it, how does it work?

I supplied 15 families with most of their fresh produce during the growing season through a Community Support Agriculture program. Once a week, starting in late April and ending in early November, each customer comes to the house and picks up a bag or box of very fresh, organically grown produce. At the height the season, a box will typically weigh 25-30 lbs. and contain some 40 varieties of 20 or so types of fruits and veggies. Obviously it takes some time to harvest and organize this much produce, but the customers are very appreciative. They pay at the beginning of the season, which REALLY helps with planning. Early in the season is when I need the extra $ for soil amendments, potting mix, seeds, planting supplies, etc. So it's a win-win situation.

At the risk of getting a bit too personal and self-promoting, I thought I might pass along a copy of what I wrote a couple of months ago to a potential customer (sensitive info. removed):

Thanks for your interest in ... Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) endeavor! You ... indicated you were interested in learning more about getting a weekly box of fresh produce.

I'm a huge supporter of farmers markets over grocery stores for several reasons:
• Fresh
• Local (support the local community)
• More nutritious
• Fewer health hazards (pesticides, chemical fertilizers, etc.)
• More variety
• Better tasting

But, in my opinion, for some people at least, picking up a weekly CSA share has even more advantages:
• Even fresher (most of what I pick is within 2 hrs. of pickup)
• Even more nutritious (I use all organic methods, including addition of >70 trace minerals to the soil)
• Even more variety (approximately 1,000 total this year)
• A huge time savings for you - just come and pick up the box, filled with the most nutritious food available; depending upon where you live, this could take as few as 15 minutes per week.
• Very cost effective - when all costs are figured in, produce from ... is comparable to grocery store prices and much cheaper than farmers market prices.
• More efficient for the grower - I know what to plan for well in advance; waste is minimized; preparing for, driving to and setting up at market its very time consuming; my time is better spent getting fresh produce ready for exactly when you pick it up.
• Next year I will be doing working shares, where people can help (something I really need...) for a few hours per month on the micro-farm in exchange for a much reduced monetary cost - an arrangement that's especially helpful for those on a tight food budget.

Here's a sample of what our CSA customers are getting this week:
• Tomatoes, 6 lbs., a sampling of 10 varieties from among more than 500
• Artichoke
• Eggplant, 2 varieties of 10
• Peppers, at least 8 varieties of 130
• Squash, 3 varieties of 65
• Cucumbers, 2 varieties of 12
• Potatoes, 2 varieties of 6
• Red Malabar (a summer spinach-like green)
• Lettuce, 6 varieties of 19
• Kale, 3 varieties of 7
• Parsley, oregano, basil, mint, sage, borage, cilantro
• Arugula, Swiss chard
• Celery
• Green beans
• Amaranth
• Ground cherries, 2 varieties
• Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage
• Sweet potato leaves
• Beets, 2 varieties of 8
• Tomatillos
And melons starting next week!

So, for those who are interested in nutrition and healthy eating (whole foods, plant-based diet), this model is hard to beat.

But don't take my word for it. Feel free to call a couple of my current customers - they are expecting calls:
...

So that's it in a nutshell. When I pick for my CSA customers, I know they will use what I pick and they appreciate my efforts. My efforts are very focused and my time is used efficiently.

When I pick for farmers markets, it's a crap shoot - and I can scarcely tolerate standing around hoping when I could be working. Sales were NEVER brisk.

Oh, I've had plenty of very engaging conversations at market and had a number of repeat customers. I often did at least as well as the "lady in the next booth over". But most consumers buy few if any fresh produce items. Most of us vendors of fresh produce were repeatedly stunned at the poor sales.

And I appreciate what was said about vendors who are obviously not the growers who bring in a rented U-Haul truck full of "fresh" produce and undercut the rest of us on prices. They seem to do just fine, even though they don't seem to know much about what they are offering for sale...

On the other hand, kettle corn, cotton candy, fresh-cooked pizza, popcicles and various value-added products sell like crazy at the market. I wonder - is it really a farmers market or a carnival?

Sorry to come across as negative, but after my first serious year in business, I'm really leaning heavily towards CSA's over farmers markets. That's just me in my circumstances.

[greentiger87]

Yeah.. farmers markets aren't really markets, at least not in Houston. Most people come there and bring their families and make it into an "event". The "co-ops" are the place people go to actually buy groceries.

I'm curious, do market gardeners have mixed feelings about the rise of urban gardening, and even hydroponics? Big agriculture certainly does.

[Redbaron]

I am all for it personally. I figure the more people that get to taste how a veggie, and egg, milk etc.. is supposed to taste, even if they do have a garden, they will be more likely to buy later from another selling high quality.

But if they haven't ever tasted a real tomato before and see a "organic" or "mostly organic" or "local small farm raised" etc tomato with minor blemishes or slight cracks etc..., they may think it isn't as good as the grocery mass produced blemish free but also tasteless tomato.

So go for it! Raise the garden. Learn what a real tomato or whatever is. The market gardener or farmer will be happy to supply whatever you can't grow yourself.

Of course that is purely my own personal opinion. I don't have any knowlege of any census or opinion pole on the subject.

If you think about it though, Tomatoville is very much like this. We share varieties and tips for growing all the time. And even though free seeds get shared all the time, I venture to guess the seed sellers who are members here also actually do more business, not less. Because people who never even heard of these strange heirlooms try a few and eventually want to try even more. Or they go to a market or coop and see a paste they don't grow, but are happy to try out a sauce recipe instead of buying a jar of Ragu or Chef Boy R Dee.

I can certainly see where "big ag" might be worried. They are consistantly loosing market share each and every year. The big boys don't like that. They are NOT happy.

[Keger]

Originally Posted by SEAMSFASTER

I supplied 15 families with most of their fresh produce during the growing season through a Community Support Agriculture program. Once a week, starting in late April and ending in early November, each customer comes to the house and picks up a bag or box of very fresh, organically grown produce. At the height the season, a box will typically weigh 25-30 lbs. and contain some 40 varieties of 20 or so types of fruits and veggies. Obviously it takes some time to harvest and organize this much produce, but the customers are very appreciative. They pay at the beginning of the season, which REALLY helps with planning. Early in the season is when I need the extra $ for soil amendments, potting mix, seeds, planting supplies, etc. So it's a win-win situation.

At the risk of getting a bit too personal and self-promoting, I thought I might pass along a copy of what I wrote a couple of months ago to a potential customer (sensitive info. removed):



So that's it in a nutshell. When I pick for my CSA customers, I know they will use what I pick and they appreciate my efforts. My efforts are very focused and my time is used efficiently.

When I pick for farmers markets, it's a crap shoot - and I can scarcely tolerate standing around hoping when I could be working. Sales were NEVER brisk.

Oh, I've had plenty of very engaging conversations at market and had a number of repeat customers. I often did at least as well as the "lady in the next booth over". But most consumers buy few if any fresh produce items. Most of us vendors of fresh produce were repeatedly stunned at the poor sales.

And I appreciate what was said about vendors who are obviously not the growers who bring in a rented U-Haul truck full of "fresh" produce and undercut the rest of us on prices. They seem to do just fine, even though they don't seem to know much about what they are offering for sale...

On the other hand, kettle corn, cotton candy, fresh-cooked pizza, popcicles and various value-added products sell like crazy at the market. I wonder - is it really a farmers market or a carnival?

Sorry to come across as negative, but after my first serious year in business, I'm really leaning heavily towards CSA's over farmers markets. That's just me in my circumstances.

Thanks a bunch for that, sorry I am responding so late, how do you find a CSA? It sounds good. Thanks again for the time!

[Keger]

Originally Posted by greentiger87

Yeah.. farmers markets aren't really markets, at least not in Houston. Most people come there and bring their families and make it into an "event". The "co-ops" are the place people go to actually buy groceries.

I'm curious, do market gardeners have mixed feelings about the rise of urban gardening, and even hydroponics? Big agriculture certainly does.

Most are like flea markets.... The new one in Richmond is not, only produce grown here you sell yourself is allowed.

But its tough, real tough. I like the other farmers there. I know what they go through.

You have to have a calling to do it, fight through the stuff you know is wrong.

But you keep batteling. You keep battleing because you know its right. When a few moms tell you that their family has a history of diabetes, and the kids are heavy, but all the sudden they love these snacking tomatos and try and eat more veggies becasue of that, you fight the heat, the bugs, all of it. You win the war of wills.

[SEAMSFASTER]

Originally Posted by Keger

Thanks a bunch for that, sorry I am responding so late, how do you find a CSA? It sounds good. Thanks again for the time!

An excellent starting point is Local Harvest:

http://www.localharvest.org/

On the right side you'll see "What are you looking for?" Click on CSA, then enter your town.

I, for one, would like to see more people a bit less dependent upon big corporations and upon big government for their most basic need of food. (Guess that leaves me in no-man's-land politically, but let's not go there...)

Good luck!

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by SEAMSFASTER

I, for one, would like to see more people a bit less dependent upon big corporations and upon big government for their most basic need of food. (Guess that leaves me in no-man's-land politically, but let's not go there...)

Good luck!

That's OK. I am right with you there. Political or not, I think it is basic survival instinct. He who controls the food, controls everything. Not saying there is anything sinister behind it. However, personally prefer freedom myself. I'll always feel better about controlling something as basic as my own food as much as possible. And when I can't I always feel better knowing the local farmer, that I can trust, who does.

[Keger]

Originally Posted by SEAMSFASTER

An excellent starting point is Local Harvest:

http://www.localharvest.org/

On the right side you'll see "What are you looking for?" Click on CSA, then enter your town.

I, for one, would like to see more people a bit less dependent upon big corporations and upon big government for their most basic need of food. (Guess that leaves me in no-man's-land politically, but let's not go there...)

Good luck!

Thanks for the link, and I hear ya...