Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Direct Marketing Deliveries

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: jjvaughn AT juno.com
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Direct Marketing Deliveries
  • Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 06:16:15 -0600

Rick wrote:
We find it extremely difficult to increase sales to what we would like,
with
our approach of brochures, farmer's market, on farm sales, large sign
with
"OPEN" flag, selling to local food coop, etc. :)


Rick,

Could you possibly change your sales area? We are about 30 minutes from
2 towns of almost equal size(@ 60,000). We tried for two years to sell
meat at one farmer's market and found only bargain hunters and a general
suspicion of our product- safety, quality, and an attitude that you buy
meat at the store not from a farmer.

Last year, we helped start a market in the other town with the main
difference that the market is run by farmers and was advertised and
promoted better. We found the consumers were better educated and knew
which questions to ask from an animal welfare standpoint and food safety.
It made all the difference in meat sales for us. We now have a much
more supportive customer base that understood when we were out of meat
for the season because we couldn't keep up with demand. We are still not
at full-time sales levels but can not imagine trying to continue to sell
meat(and veggies) at a the first market- it just wasn't worth it after
we experienced what a good market truly looks like. To show the strength
of the 2nd market, many vendors travel an hour or more to get there and
pass at least one other farmer's market on the way. As a group, the
vendors are more innovative and marketing minded that most markets in the
area and the customers responded to that.

Jim


Jim and Julie Vaughn
Rocky Glade Farm
Eagleville, TN
615-274-3496
jjvaughn AT juno.com




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page