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  • From: rjweeks70 AT comcast.net
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Cc: liz AT laughingbrookfarm.com
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Re: Selling at 5 markets
  • Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2004 03:48:52 +0000

Hi Liz -

Well, that's a good question! Right now we're not at all five markets.
In 2003 we did a total of three seasonal markets, and as those ended in
Oct-Nov (Yes, we're in California, markets in November...) we got into two
year-round markets.

So for 2004 we plan on doing all five, plus adding a second Saturday market.
We'll have to see how it goes! Our schedule will still give us two days off
(no markets) each week, so hopefully it won't be too much to handle.

Our operation is just my wife and I, so one or the other of us is at the
market.
My wife handles the majority of the cut flowers and does a good 75% of the
preserve-making. We both do dried and fresh herbs, and I do most of the
planting and harvesting. Since she has bad knees I get to do all of the
"heavy lifting".

I don't ever want to get big enough to have to hire anyone! Employees in
California are EXPENSIVE. On top of all the normal taxes and Soc Sec, we
have the highest workman's comp rates in the nation. A grower I know who
manages several organic apple orchards has to pay something like 23% of the
worker's salary towards workman's comp when his guys are doing something
"dangerous" like climbing ladders to prune apple trees. Harvesting field
crops is a cheap 14-16%!

I wish we had the space for a farm stand, as I think it would be a great
thing especially on the weekends here in touristy Sonoma County. I've
thought about a portable stand but haven't really found a good location for
it yet.

Roger Weeks

> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 14:08:25 -0500
> From: "Liz Pike" <liz AT laughingbrookfarm.com>
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Re: $41k flowers, herbs, berries
> To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>

> Hi Roger,
>
> How are you handling being able to sell at 5 markets?? are you physically
> present at each one, hire employees, etc???
>
> I have 4 outlets to sell at. One is an on-farm stand that will be on the
> honor system so little tending will be needed while I'm away at the other
> locations. Folks are around, in & out most of the time so I have no real
> concerns about theft. One of the locations is a traditional farmer's market
> so I will have to attend to sell. The other 2 locations are where I intend
> to put portable stands, one being at an alternative time such as mid-week
> after work instead of the traditional Saturday morning. The other will be
> in another town manned by my teenage daughter who I don't want to leave all
> alone. I'm still finagling how I can be at 2 locations at the same time.
>
> Liz Pike
> Laughingbrook Farm
> Westfield NC
> http://www.marketfarming.com new content added daily!!
> http://www.laughingbrookfarm.com




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