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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] charging what the market will bear

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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] charging what the market will bear
  • Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2003 13:55:51 -0600

WHAT IS THIS! A market farming post?

On Tue, Feb 04, 2003 at 01:53:59PM -0600, Errol Castens wrote:
> One of the things I'd like to see happen in our local farmers' market this
> year is for growers to realize how important it is to charge prices that
> reflect the value in their food and flowers. One back yard grower with a
> shirttail full of produce or a few bouquets who undercuts everybody else
> under the philosophy of "Oh, I'm not trying to make a profit -- I just enjoy
> it!" can set other growers up for having to justify their more realistic
> pricing long after the BYG has sold out and is back home under the air
> conditioner. (Yeah, I've been a back yard grower, too.)

I know EXACTLY what you're talking about, Errol. I see it regularly.
And I have two words for you: Market Forces. With Gentle Persuasion as
backup. The guys that are selling too cheap are not likely to have
enough volume to greatly influence the market. A persistent low seller
might benefit from have these questions posed to him: "What did you
gross last year?" "How much time did you spend on it?" "Did you have
a positive net?" "What do you think you are paying yourself?" "If you
like working for those wages, how about working for me for twice that
rate?" "Did you or do you want to buy equipment?" "Do you think that
your customers are worthy of the subsidy that you are giving them?"

--
Willie USS Harry S Truman: 97,000 tons of diplomacy
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