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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Farm Stand Stories, Build it and they will Come?

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: Willie McKemie <mckemie AT austinfarm.org>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Farm Stand Stories, Build it and they will Come?
  • Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 12:11:23 -0600

On Thu, Jan 09, 2003 at 09:44:37AM -0600, van weldon wrote:
>
> Curious to hear stories, good or bad, about "out of the way" farm stand
> startups and locations etc..
>
Good to seen another Texan here!

> Unfortunately, the local farmers mkt. clientele compares local fresh produce
> to prices at Wal-Mart. We have found folks on fixed incomes not willing to
> pay a premium for locally grown products. Consequently we are considering

Around Austin we have little trouble with customers expecting to find
grocery store prices; most markets have banned peddlers and the cheap
stuff is just not in the markets, local small growers just can not afford
to sell at grocery store prices. New growers tend to sell too cheap,
but they eventually become aware of their costs. Of course, we don't
have as many customers as we would like :-)

I have had little luck attracting customers to my out-of-the-way farm
30 miles south of Austin. However, I am burdened with the attitude
that retail customers are a PITA. This place:
http://www.boggycreekfarm.com/
is out of the way, but IN Austin. Their farm stand is highly
successful. Weymon Adamek in Yoakum has also been successful in
attracting customers to his farm:
http://www.adamekorchards.com/
Also, I have heard of several CSAs that are doing well in the Austin
area.

May I ask what market(s) you have found to be price sensitive? I can
not offer examples but feel that there must be some "good" markets in
the Houston area.

--
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