Market Farming

["Mike Bosko" <mjbosko AT jmtsystems.com>]

Thanks all!  I appreciate the input.

The second cert idea, if its allowed at my market, sounds like what I should
do .. piggy back with another booth.  I'll check with the market manager
here.

Thanks again.

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of Steve Sando
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 1:32 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Market selling etiquitte ?


> ps, something I forgot...with selling garlic, it has a long shelf life.
> Have you considered checking with another farmer/vendor to see if they'd
> consider carrying your stuff??  I think it's Steve on this list who is
doing
> that, with heirloom beans, correct Steve??  He can give you more info on
how
> that's handled...of course he'll kill me if he's too busy to post ; ))))

Never too busy for you, sister!

The more I learn and the more experience I gain, the less I feel like I
should be offering others suggestions!

Here in California, you can use what's called a "second cert". On your
certificate, it states clearly that you can sell on another farmer's behalf.
Their goods have to be displayed seperately from yours and both certs have
to be displayed prominantly. For areas with lots of microclimates, like
mine, this is a lifeline. With the bad Spring weather, I have good chard,
tomatillos and herbs to sell and not much else.

Most market managers don't care as long as there's lots of good produce.
I've heard of one that charges an extra $10. I get ticked off when another
"local" grower has a table full of huge, ripe heirlooms and I'm looking at
my plants with green, hard tomatoes, waiting to ripen. He's had these huge
tomatoes for ver a month. I only care in that he's not up front where he
gets them wheras I tell everyone that I don't grow my second cert stuff
locally.

Re: starting out- you have to sit there and suffer. Going every so often
will just confuse the customers, not build a base. I believe you have to
specialize in something and make sure it's the best, or generalize and have
everything so the customer doesn't have to shop all over the market. I also
believe (and many disagree) that you must "brand" yourself. The customers
are buying garlic, but even more so, they are buying the experience of
buying garlic fropm a local grower. Cash in on that, even if it is a little
bit of theater. Get a nice logo and use the look throughout your stall and
make it seem like you care. Even if your image is hippie-dippy, do it all
the way.

My thoughts and I'm sticking to them- for me!

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