[Market-farming] Lowering Prices

growbd at aol.com growbd at aol.com
Mon Mar 2 18:47:29 EST 2009







Hi All.



I've been thinking about doing 6-packs but because most home growers don't need 6 of each thing I'm considering growing in 6-packs but allowing them to mix and match.  So they get an empty pack and choose 3 different tomato varieties, 2 peppers and an eggplant.  This would be at markets, so I would be there to ASSIST with the transfer from growing pack to sale pack :)




Any thoughts?




Thanks!




Deb



-----Original Message-----
From: Wiediger, Alison <alison.wiediger at hart.kyschools.us>
To: Market Farming <market-farming at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 12:34 pm
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Lowering Prices



















Breck,


 


We have been selling vegetable transplants for several 
years now and we think the demand continues to increase.  We market most at 
farmers market although a few brave souls do drive to the farm.  We have 
found that most people in the city just want a few plants, but a variety in 
those few.  So, we sell tomato, pepper, eggplant, summer squash, cucumber 
and herb plants in 1801s.  Last year we charged $1.50 per pot for 
vegetables and $1.95 for herbs.  We sell a mix of good tasting hybrid and 
heirloom tomatoes.  We usually have a nice selection when the market opens 
the middle of April and caution people about frost.  The big box stores are 
selling then (and before), so we lose sales if we don't have them. To 
keep our selec
tion looking good, we have a fresh set ready every two 
weeks during the season we can sell plants.  After about 2 weeks, tomato 
plants especially, get leggy and ugly.  By having a fresh set, we keep our 
booth looking really good, and keep the customers buying.  We sell 
veggie plants for 6-8 weeks, and herbs even longer.  We keep fresh basil 
and cilantro coming through June.  Some of our vendors sell 6-packs.  
Usually they get $2.00 per six pack, so that is $12.00 for a flat.  In that 
same space, we will have 18 plants that we sell for $1.50.  
Since heated greenhouse space is expensive space, we think the 1801s are a 
better use of that space.   We start those plants in 200 cell 
plug flats, then pot up to the 1801s as soon as they fill the cell with 
roots.  Gives us a lot of plants in a small space on the germination mats, 
and the transplanting helps develop strong transplants.  We figure we can 
sell them a little small at 5-6 weeks, and a little large at 5-7 weeks, then 
what's left - usually not many - got to the compost pile and we have a fresh set 
to sell.


 


Bedding plants - decorative plants - are harder for us to 
do competitively on our small scale, so we don't at this time, although that is 
always subject to change!


 


I know this was a little long - what can I say, I like to 
write!


 


Alison Wiediger, Au Naturel Farm








From: market-farming-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org 
[mailto:market-farming-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of 
breck
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 3:14 PM
To: 
'Market Farming'
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Lowering 
Prices









Hey 
ya’ll,


I am planning on offering bedding 
plants this year and wonder if any of you might offer some advice. How do you 
market (farm stand, farmers market), do you use cell packs, label, and etc. Do 
you wait for the last expected frost as the date to offer or do you push for an 
earlier date. How long do you typically sell seedlings (month)? Has anyone tried 
the seed pkt stands available from some seed companies? Any suggestions or 
comments would be appreciated. 




Farmer 
Breck


Breck Carden


Carden’s Garden


Crestwood, KY 40014-7704


Current temp is 65 and 
wet.












 


From: 
market-farming-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org 
[mailto:market-farming-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of SaladG at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 3:52 
PM
To: 
market-farming at lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [Market-farming] Lowering 
Prices



 




Have you seen the 
grocery stores lower any prices, I haven't.  So why in the world would you 
lower your current prices.  Our prices will stay the same as 08.  We 
sell bedding plants, vege plants, basil plants, fresh produce of many different 
varieties , around 40 different item, fresh lamb meat,and we weave and sell rugs 
and different wool and20cotton products.  I was at the grocery store today 
and have seen very little changes in their prices except still going up.  A 
good marketer knows that price in most markets make very little difference in 
the amount your are selling. Our sales have always dictated the best quality of 
product that we can produce and charge accordingly.  We are in a big market 
and we can set beside dumpers and have a very good day, because if you are 
selling a great product price has little effect.  The only thing that has 
gone down in our area has been fuel, my seed prices have gone up about 12% from 
last year, so in reality we really should be raising 
prices.



 









Get a 
jump start on your taxes. Find 
a tax professional in your neighborhood 
today.




 





_______________________________________________
Market-farming mailing list
Market-farming at lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming




 




-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/market-farming/attachments/20090302/d6a2e977/attachment.htm 


More information about the Market-farming mailing list