Market Farming

[Beth Spaugh <eas9 AT cornell.edu>]

So your long season allows multiple cropping which is one reason for the 
higher/acre yields, and you are close to a relatively large upscale 
restaurant market.

I have the opportunity to work with some small upscale restaurants in Lake 
Placid NY. They are very seasonal though - busy during the summer, dead in 
October, November, and April. I am beginning to get enough production 
experience to feel I can be reliable and consistent enough to work with 
some, but have questions.

How do restaurant prices compare to farmers' market or farmstand prices? 
How do you set the prices? I know we should figure cost of production and 
go from there, but how does one find out what they are willing to pay for 
top quality?

These restaurants are more expensive than I can afford to frequent (OK, I 
should consider eating there an investment). How else does one discover 
what qualities they are looking for? One is willing to pay me $12/lb for 
basil, but at that price I suspect it had better be top notch basil, not 
old stems that have been clipped and regrown several times. I was raised to 
harvest for maximum yield (survival), not for tiny gourmet quality, and I 
am having trouble figuring out what the gourmet crowd wants.

Do you grow specific things for specific restaurants? Are you willing to 
share good gourmet seed sources? I have done a Google search and found a 
few "gourmet" catalogs, but can't really see they are much different from 
Johnny's/Territorial.

About what quantities make it worthwhile to work with a restaurant. Yours 
are clumped together, and you mentioned $600/week accounts. How small were 
your accounts when you started? How often do they want deliveries?

Any more specifics that can help those of us who are considering 
restaurants as one of our markets?

Please and thank you.

Beth Spaugh
Rehoboth Homestead
66 Jabez Allen Road
Peru NY 12972