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  • From: Joan Vibert <joan AT windwalker-farm.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Re: market placement
  • Date: Wed, 05 Mar 2003 15:30:07 -0600

Steve - I have been and continue to be right where you are in your marketing
thinking. I spent last season straddling the line between growing and
selling vegetables and prepared food items. I totally agree with your
observation about people cooking - few do. And this is why the prepared
food sells.

If I look at the time I spend growing food starting in January, the
equipment I have bought or will buy, the soil amendments, the seeds,
supplies, etc. I know right now I'm not making much (my husband guess
somewhere around sixty-three cents and hour - he thinks that¹s funny!)

On the other hand, when I'm making a prepared food item - the profit margin
doesn't appear to be as high but my expenditure of time is far less. If I
was only growing for the prepared food items and dropped the rest of my
produce line I'd probably be fine and I was really tempted to do this this
season.

Last year was such a crappy growing season for us that I was glad to have
the certified kitchen to fall back on - so I seriously considered just
growing what we need for the prepared foods, i.e. Eggplants for baba ganouj,
tomatoes for salsa, etc. We prepared none of these in mass quantities -
just enough for market each week - they are literally hand-crafted in tiny
batches. But in spite of that - our prepared food sales last season
averaged $480 a week for the 26 week season. Not bad for baking some
scones, making fresh salsa, etc.

But - I am a grower and for some reason I can't NOT grow! So I'm trying to
be very careful this season with my selections and not get caught up with
growing time-consuming items that don't pay, like radishes and scallions
that take so long to clean and bunch. Like you I am a small grower (totally
by myself) my daughter works in the kitchen with me and enjoys it a lot.)

I'd say, if I were you I'd plan to do some ristras, some salsa, and even
dorky lavender products. If you enjoy doing them and you can find a market
for them - go for it. I think we get hung up on our own self-image
(remember I said I was a grower - you mentioned moving to the "other"
section) and we try to stay authentic to what we see ourselves as but the
truth is that somewhere in here my self-image also has to earn some money
and I prefer doing it on my farm. So if that means I make dozens of garlic
braids because I can sell them for $25 - then I will.

I could anticipate a day when I really do grow less and prepare more but
like you for now I feel like I have to grow to be validated.

Joan
Windwalker Farm
Ottawa, Kansas





  • [Market-farming] Re: market placement, Joan Vibert, 03/05/2003

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