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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] year around market

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  • From: "Liz Pike" <liz AT laughingbrookfarm.com>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] year around market
  • Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2002 09:34:36 -0500

> Customers tell
> us that school, football, and hunting season are reasons for not
> coming to the markets.

They give up eating for football & hunting???

This just goes to prove we must make our product more convenient for the
customer to stay competitive. Like getting our markets closer to
residential areas, selling at times that match the grocery stores busiest
days & hours (when customers have $$ in their pockets), offering
convenience, such as delivery.

Although at a workshop with Eric Gibson at the conference, seems you have to
be large to go this route or lose your shirt. Which made me think
CSAs/co-ops with home delivery may be just the ticket for those who live in,
near, or have access to, high-population/high income densities. If the cost
of delivery were spread around to several growers, it just might be
feasible.

I think part of the problem lies in the farmers' markets continued promotion
of themselves as entertainment, and not a necessity. I don't want my
customers associating me with warm weather, spring, summer, gardens, baby
animals, tractors, nature, the wild outdoors, suntan lines, etc. I want
them to think of me when they write their grocery list, when they open their
fridge, when they read a menu, when their tummies growl. That's the hook
that will keep them coming back. We're already at an advantage over most
business people in that our product is consumable. Now we just have to get
it "consumed" more often.

Liz Pike
Laughingbrook Farm
Westfield NC
http://www.marketfarming.com
http://www.laughingbrookfarm.com
http://www.laughingbrookfarm.com/liz






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