Market Farming

[tonitime AT juno.com]

Hi Dear Robin!
    If you've time, i'd love to hear more about what your daughter does,
as mine have inferred that they wish to help me more for their own
income.  We live in a remote, mountainous (harsher economy) farming area
- the girls are unable to be gainfully employed unless neighbors hire
them for various odd jobs.  I again have waaaay more planted and planned
for one woman to tend - and am wondering if this is the season i wind up
marketing in our very small community.  I was gardening teacher in my
past life at a Waldorf Methods school in Sacramento.  Our kids in the 4th
and 5th grades worked VERY hard and enthusiastically at gardening,
composting, hauling, mulching, tool maintenance, and a myriad of other
tasks - at least for 1-2 hour stretches.  They did seed starting and
vermicoposting in classrooms for our little gardens, orchard, and
vineyard,  BLESS their hearts.  These were mostly inner city kids who
were not all that grounded and knowing where their food even came from. 
They had some kinda energy for the work.  The boys loved to haul
anything.  
     I have planned and started far more than i need and could accomplish
marketing with their help - 1 girl and 1 parent in two counties on
Saturdays.  What might a fair wages be for an energetic and helpful 17
yr. old and a less willing, but ethical 14 yr. darling?!  These girls
help me with an immense amount of domestic chores including canning,
processing, cooking, harvest, and housework........but i have never
pressed them into "regular" service in MY gardening joys/obsession.  They
do not receive allowance , but do their share for the family.  The older
girl, Rose-17, works for me as caterings come up and has for 6 yrs.  She
would like to bake for market as a side job and already has a small fudge
and truffle  biz rolling.  As we home school our high school, they get
their school work done in 4-6 hrs each day.
I want to be fair - they are fine daughters!

Thanks for any hints toward them doing this new job and pay scale.  What
would i do if there were next to no customers.......share the loss like
we adults would?! 

Thanks for all you do, Robin - and all active on the list~
Toni
Clifty Gardens 
upper RedRiver Gorge, KY
********************************************************************

My 11 year old doesn't work as quickly as I do but she 
works hard, accomplishes a lot, makes a lot of money over the summer, and

does it with a lot of enthusiasm.
 
Robin Follette