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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: "Hook Family" <guldann AT ix.netcom.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: questions/newbie
  • Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2002 08:20:30 -0400


Franklin wrote,
Hi all...I want to say thanks to all that responded to my seeking =
after info. and advice. I will give some thought to all you have told =
me. I don't have time right now to answer all that wrote and didn't want =
to let any more time go by without doing so ... so hope this note covers =
all. Franklin

This is a good list great answers to any questions. My husband and I are in
our 5th year as a CSA and its still a learning curve both growing and
handling members. We were at first hobby gardeners. We started with 10
members our first year and have had between 35 and 43 in other years. We
never did any internships although we try to visit other farms most which
run CSAs. I have read tons of stuff. We got to the the NOFA conferences
yearly summer and winter (just got back from summer). I think MOFA must
have conferences, look in a search engine Maine Organic Farming Association.
I highly agree with the other poster start small .25 or .5 acres is enough.
2 acres is alot of veggies more importantly its alot of weeding :). Start
with what you grew best as a home garden and try one other thing you've
never grown. I find just growing stuff is a great learning tool. I have a
small amount of kolrabi and fennel this year, not even close to enough for
members. I am finding the kolrabi growing well and fennel doesn't look
great, maybe lack of water, its a bit dry.
Start touring the Farmers Markets you'd like to attend next year, note
prices. I have read on this list and others you must now think of yourself
as a professional, none of this "oh here have a tomato" you can not "give"
stuff away, you can not be underpricing your stuff its not fair to yourself
or your other venders.
I assume you have a garden this year. Tour it with new eyes. How is stuff
growing? How are yields? Are the weeds, bugs etc under control? Is a
certain crop really worth growing on a bigger scale?
Our first year even with only 10 members we felt the "pressure" this wasn't
a hobby anymore. We had customers depending on us. Granted with a CSA they
have already paid so it hightens the pressure. But if you join a Farmers
Market you will have paid some money out for rental, you will need to cover
the fee. Although it might help to keep in mind that if you don't make the
fee one week you most likely will make it (and more) for the year.
Keep ornamentals in mind, pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks etc.
Good luck Beth your neighbor in Central Massachusetts (how close are you to
Portland, my sister and husband got to a farmers' market there).






  • questions/newbie, Hook Family, 08/14/2002

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