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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] My local update

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  • From: "Del Williams" <delannw AT dlogue.net>
  • To: "Steve Sando" <steve AT mrlucky.com>, "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc:
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] My local update
  • Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 10:55:43 -0500

Many issues.

First, my EZ-Up lasted just fine. Don't fold one up wet and expect it to
look grand next market day. Clean it all up at the end of the season and
store it properly. Everything requires some maintenance. The thing that
annoyed me was rust. But, I suppose wet supports will do that if you don't
dry them off and maintain them like any other piece of equipment.

Discounts. A deal on one day is not a deal on the next.

In my current enterprise, I deal with growers from beginning to end of the
season. In April, annuals are worth far more than they are now. The price
goes down even at wholesale.

As for bargaining with retail customers, if you don't know the value of what
you have, then you are screwed. Some people will come into the market and
tell every vendor they are priced too high. And some vendors will make them
a deal. The only way I ever made deals and even now is for large quantity
buyers or consistent buyers. You get to know your customers. If someone
comes in to buy 100 lbs of green beans, it clears my table. Same for
impatiens. If someone wants a few lbs. or a flat for half price, well, they
can go grow them themselves. I'd rather throw the beans in the compost heap
than sell them below cost of production. It sets a bad precedent and it
will haunt you.

Like the Terminator... they'll be back. With the same old line.

If you aren't interested in wholesaling, then don't do vendor discounts. If
you have extra on a day when you'd like to clear your perishables, then go
ahead on. You'd better make it clear you aren't a wholesaler. Like I said,
one day is not another.

Del Williams
Country Fruit and Floral
Kankakee, IL







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