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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: "Sue Wells" <quiltingsue AT earthlink.net>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] New to this list
  • Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2006 07:56:41 -0500

“Welcome to the list, Sue. What types of produce do you take to the Farmer's Markets?”

 

Since last year was my first year for Farmers Markets, it was a learning experience for me and I was not sure what would sell, and I did sell many different things. At the Farmers Market meetings, pre season, I was laughed at, because I didn’t have a farm, and I said I had a “garden”. Others had farms, or rather just larger areas of land.

 

After reading many of the archives here, I am neither a hobbyist nor one that wants to just sell and make some money with low prices, but I am trying to make this my career. For 18 years, I worked as an RN and then became severely allergic to latex, and not only to the gloves, but anything that was made of latex, natural rubber, even being exposed to it in a room, balloons, etc, and reacting to the chemicals that were used to make the gloves. For years now, I have looked for a career, that was satisfying to me, and I could make money. Now I have found it in farming. I am just trying to explain my background and that I am a very serious person with farming, with what I have. I will never get to be as big as many of you all are, but I am very excited and happy that I have finally found this career that I enjoy so much. And I enjoy the extremely hard work. And the challenges.

 

My first few markets, I did very poorly. The regulars seemed like they were blinded by only the vendors that they knew. My vegetables looked great, but weren’t selling very well. I began to make Herb bread, then zucchini bread, and sell my canned things I had from the previous year. Pickles, Basil jelly. I expanded the canned things to Hot pepper jelly, mint jelly, apple butter, dill pickles, bread and butter pickles, pickled okra, dilled green tomatoes, sweet pickled carrots, pickled beets, pickled jalapenos whole and cut, whole mixed hot peppers, and dilly beans. I could sell my canned things better than my vegetables. They make a beautiful display, but that is so much extra work, I really would prefer to just sell the vegetables. My breads sold great, but they take too much time.

 

This year, I am challenged again to figure out how to sell my produce as well as the others. My displays look good, I think and I do get compliments from them. I have samples of many things.

 

I sell fresh basil, sage, parsley, dill, oregano, chives. I dehydrate catnip and that sells great. I have beautiful mixed lettuce, mostly all season, spinach when it is cool, carrots, beets, shelling green peas, green beans all season, cucumbers, green onions, later big onions, leeks, zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, broccoli, brussel sprouts, okra, sweet peppers, jalapeno peppers and mixed hot peppers, striped roman tomatoes, and some large pumpkins. This year, I am planting snow and snap peas, cherry tomatoes, more hot peppers, potatoes, celery, radishes, turnips, kohlrabi, lima beans, cabbage, I think that is all, plus all that I grew last year. The mixed lettuce is a great seller for me, and okra is a good seller in a Market south of here.

 

I am not organic certified, but I don’t use chemicals. I don’t have raised beds. I have long rows and use a tiller.

 

I sure am open to suggestions on selling, and everything else!!! And I love this group! There is so much knowledge here, it is wonderful!         

 

Sue Wells

            

 




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