Market Farming

[Willie McKemie <mf AT austinfarm.org>]

On Sun, Jul 31, 2005 at 08:04:24AM -0500, Joan Vibert wrote:
> Willie - I used to bundle and tie my yard-logs with raffia - 1/2# bunches
> for $3 and they sold well.  And they are really fun to see in bunches like
> that.  I grow too many now to take the time to bunch them so I just heap
> them in a half-bushel basket and tell customers to leave them whole, steam
> them, and serve them whole - I point out that they are fun to eat with
> fingers, dipped into a horseradish sauce, and don't need a lot a prepping.
> This usually encourages a sale.  I sell them for $4 a pound.

Thanks for all the info!  In order to speed sales at markets, I 
prepackaged everything that I can.  I haven't tried it yet, but I 
suspect that bundling the beans would be about as quick as putting them 
in bags.  I'll probably give it a try both ways.

> I can hardly sell pole beans anymore because out customers say they don't
> have time to snap them!

Around here, beans are in high demand.  They are just not productive 
enough to be attractive to growers.  Short season.  High harvest costs.

To Allan:  I'm certainly inexperienced with the "yard longs", but I 
suspect that it is too late to plant in WV.  They seem to be hot 
weather things, like southern peas.  Is it too late to plant southern 
peas up there?

BTW, what are the yard long seed source options?  I bought mine from 
Evergreen but they seemed pretty pricey.  $38/lb.

-- 
Willie, ONWARD!  Through the fog!
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