Our Local Produce Auction - Page 3

PureHarvest · August 3, 2016

Was your tunnel fully heated?
That is the route I am going which was also why I was pushing for mid February.

Hellmanns · August 3, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by PureHarvest

Was your tunnel fully heated?
That is the route I am going which was also why I was pushing for mid February.

No. Just portable heaters, and only on very cold nights. You can probably be safe with a fully heated tunnel. But, I was always to tight to give half of my future crop profits away to pay the heat bill.

Cole_Robbie · August 3, 2016

I know of two fully heated tunnels near me that seem to make a living. One starts in January, growing flowers from plugs, for eventual delivery to florists. That guy buys natural gas by the semi-truck load.

The other one does grow tomatoes, in hydro. He uses wood heat and has a crew of migrant laborers who tend the fire for him, and a pile of firewood as big as the greenhouse. He has ripe tomatoes by late April, by picking them green and gassing them. They are the worst-tasting tomatoes I have ever had, much worse than the grocery store, but he sells every one he brings. So the guy with the lowest quality is the one making the most money, because he has tomatoes before everyone else.

PureHarvest · August 4, 2016

We get propane for less than $1 per gal right now.
I am going with something different for heat than forced hot air. Not projecting heat to be a profit killer but we will see.

tash11 · August 4, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Reselling isn't supposed to be allowed at my market, but exceptions are made, off the record, to resellers who are not competing with members......

The one near me allows two kinds of resellers, but they are a minority. The first type is similar to yours, stuff that isn't really competing and allows the Amish to get stuff without traveling far. Like bananas, pineapple, peaches the year we had a horrible winter and there were no local peaches. They also bring in flowers, like the kind you see at the grocery store for $15 a bunch, they are past prime and go for about $2 or so.

The second kind of reseller is the kind who bought produce at the last auction and it didn't sell at their parking lot 'farm' stand. So they repackage it in mixed peck boxes and mark "RESALE" clearly on the tag. It's usually sad looking cabbage, tomatoes, and peppers and goes for a dollar if they are lucky.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starlight

Curious.... What do you do at the auctions if nobody buys your stuff and you have all that produce in a box?

I rarely see something not sell, auctioneer will just keep lowing it until a bid is made. If for some reason it doesn't sell then the seller takes it home, but it's all small lots and not good quality (like the resale stuff).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starlight

..
Are the veggie auctions like hard good ones where you set a min on your product that has to be met first?

The auction near me doesn't do that. The price is set by the auctioneer and the bidders.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starlight

....

Does anybody do CSA's anymore to take to market for pick up or have they gone out of style.

There are a few near me. Certified organic. But people get tired of getting the same items every week, they also get tired of the feast or famine thing, and they get tired of getting items they won't or can't eat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PureHarvest

We get propane for less than $1 per gal right now.
I am going with something different for heat than forced hot air. Not projecting heat to be a profit killer but we will see.

Nice price. We ordered some a month ago and it was something like $1.20 I think.

PureHarvest · August 4, 2016

My in-laws lock in at a great price during the "off-season" because they use a boatload for grain drying and chicken houses they rent out. Companies offer them great prices to lock in the volume they can count on.

Hellmanns · August 4, 2016

I planted my tunnel late this year with no real interest, or intent to sell any fruit. This was the first year in at least 30, that I didn't really have a plan to market tomatoes. I figured I would use and can the bounty, then give the rest to family and friends.

Since my Dad retired,(he is 80 this year)and I started helping my brother a few years ago full time in the building fbusiness, I just realized last year, I can't keep burning the candle at both ends like I had been. I can't build, and grow and market tomatoes and give either the attention that each deserve. So, I decided that I would only grow a few plants.

I discussed this with most of my faithful customers last year, especially the grocery store I had been supplying for years with high quality, vine ripe fruit from good varieties. Every time since the discussion, the store owner would question me about my discission to quit, and if I planted anything this year. I kept them updated on the progress of the crop, and they kept me updated that the customers had started asking about my tomatoes months ago. I finally gave in a few weeks back and told them I could spare a few from time to time. They were tickled, and told the customers. Last week I go to the store to get a couple of frying chickens, and the owner asks how my crop is doing. I tell them it looks really good, and I am starting to get ripe fruit. We discussed when I could deliver some tomatoes. I told them I had started picking, and could bring some the end of the week. The discussion then turned to business..

They bought my whole crop before it is even picked! So here we go, I'll never be able to quit.

Here are a few pic's from this afternoon.
Those supports are 7', the plants are there now.

August 3, 2016	#31
PureHarvest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b Posts: 1,369	Was your tunnel fully heated? That is the route I am going which was also why I was pushing for mid February.

August 3, 2016	#33
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I know of two fully heated tunnels near me that seem to make a living. One starts in January, growing flowers from plugs, for eventual delivery to florists. That guy buys natural gas by the semi-truck load. The other one does grow tomatoes, in hydro. He uses wood heat and has a crew of migrant laborers who tend the fire for him, and a pile of firewood as big as the greenhouse. He has ripe tomatoes by late April, by picking them green and gassing them. They are the worst-tasting tomatoes I have ever had, much worse than the grocery store, but he sells every one he brings. So the guy with the lowest quality is the one making the most money, because he has tomatoes before everyone else.

August 4, 2016	#34
PureHarvest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b Posts: 1,369	We get propane for less than $1 per gal right now. I am going with something different for heat than forced hot air. Not projecting heat to be a profit killer but we will see.

August 4, 2016	#37
Hellmanns Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: kentucky Posts: 1,116	I planted my tunnel late this year with no real interest, or intent to sell any fruit. This was the first year in at least 30, that I didn't really have a plan to market tomatoes. I figured I would use and can the bounty, then give the rest to family and friends. Since my Dad retired,(he is 80 this year)and I started helping my brother a few years ago full time in the building fbusiness, I just realized last year, I can't keep burning the candle at both ends like I had been. I can't build, and grow and market tomatoes and give either the attention that each deserve. So, I decided that I would only grow a few plants. I discussed this with most of my faithful customers last year, especially the grocery store I had been supplying for years with high quality, vine ripe fruit from good varieties. Every time since the discussion, the store owner would question me about my discission to quit, and if I planted anything this year. I kept them updated on the progress of the crop, and they kept me updated that the customers had started asking about my tomatoes months ago. I finally gave in a few weeks back and told them I could spare a few from time to time. They were tickled, and told the customers. Last week I go to the store to get a couple of frying chickens, and the owner asks how my crop is doing. I tell them it looks really good, and I am starting to get ripe fruit. We discussed when I could deliver some tomatoes. I told them I had started picking, and could bring some the end of the week. The discussion then turned to business.. They bought my whole crop before it is even picked! So here we go, I'll never be able to quit. Here are a few pic's from this afternoon. Those supports are 7', the plants are there now.