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

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  • From: "Del Williams" <delannw AT dlogue.net>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] charging what the market will bear
  • Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 19:12:33 -0600

Rick W.

This thing about loving to farm. I get you on that. I started Farmer in
the Del because I thought I would love it and love the challenge. I'm not
even trained in agriculture. I had this idea when we bought this little
place about what it could be. Even on a relatively small scale. And there
were 65 more acres that we might have bought.

I'm one of those people who thinks that if you can read and you can go out
and do it... then why not? I went to the extension service and participated
in workshops. Right out there with the big growers. I learned a lot from
them. How nice of them to let me in.

It was a sort of "do what you love and the money will follow" thing.
There's some truth to that if you keep your eye on what you love and
profitability. That's my take on it.

I did love the marketing aspect of it though. Doing retail. Thinking of
ways to compete on a small scale. Selecting what I grew to get the highest
profit per square foot. Doesn't that make you laugh? I didn't say, per
square acre. I never thought of myself as a hobbyist. My idea was to start
small as a one woman operation and see where I could go. No loans, no
subsidies, just me, my brain and my hard work.

I did pretty well and it was a learning curve on several fronts. I spent as
much time thinking about marketing and competing as I did about growing the
product.

And, honestly, I had a husband with a good income and plenty of knowledge
about horticulture. Not about veggies though. He does perennials and he
does it well. Still he taught me a lot about botany. I showed him how to
sell and that wasn't really his thing.

Now there is an interesting operation. Wholesale nursery. Not my interest.
I know that they make good money. Old nursery and a family owned business.
The original owner is dead but his sons did rather well. They don't even
participate fully in the running of the nursery. Their grown children do.
Awesome place. That sort of thing is inspirational. Not simply because of
the money, because I think they loved doing it.

I missed the MidAm this year. Loved going to that. Talking to people who
don't grow veggies but people into growing things. And supporting those
efforts.

But, gee, they are in it for profit.

The last spring my Ex and I lived together he said, I don't know if I can
face another spring. Startup was always a pain for him.

But me, I looked forward to it. Working another job... getting up early to
work out in the plot, go to work... come home... work out in the plot. I
was happy as I could be. I loved it. He didn't. And he had all that
knowledge. A degree in it and several years of practice in real life
operations.

Ironic, isn't it?

I guess I'd say that if someone can do it without worry about profit. All
power to them. There sure are a lot of folks who don't want to die bankrupt
or work until they drop dead because they have to. How many people work at
dead end boring jobs just waiting to retire or drop dead? That's not my
idea of living.

I just have to make a living. Thus and therefore, profitability is the only
way for me to go or I have to let it go.

Del Williams






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