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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Market-farming Digest, Vol 40, Issue 20

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  • From: "Hook Family" <ghf AT townisp.com>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Market-farming Digest, Vol 40, Issue 20
  • Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 08:59:36 -0400

My market is a CSA so I don't have folks complaining about individual prices however I've heard farmers complain at workshops. They usally advise, keep your prices high (not gouging just realistic) don't appologize, state that your products are different, better, fresher, taste better etc than in any store. Farmers would also say that the complainer may very well have driven up in some "designer" car. All consumers have choices say WalMart or boutique clothes, Inexpensive non descript car or Lexus. Sometimes folks pick the EXPENSIVE choice, so whynot buy your "designer" food over the grocery food.

Hardcore cheapskates aren't the customer you want anyway, calmly tell them your stuff is better and let it go. The on the fence folks may just try your stuff and be wowed :). Foodies may think your food is inexpensive.

I use grocery store prices as a research tool sometimes I am amazed that the prices are fairly high. Tomatoes about $3lb etc. Last summer string beans were I think $2lb for green and $2.50 yellow and they were all dry and ugly, I can't imagine anyone bought any. My CSA folks were upicking (they pick some of their own stuff) as much as they wanted (within reason) beans probably $10+ worth of great quality.

I sell my eggs to CSA folks and "strangers" for $3 dozen from the farm. But I am in suburban Massachusetts, the organic or free range or cage free eggs in store are $2.50 to $4+ dozen. My egg customers are the ones buying those so they see my price as fair and they love the taste. If I were to sell eggs at a farmer's market (toying with the idea but don't have inventory) I'd go up maybe $3.50 ish.

Beth

Lynn wrote:

"Certified" organic doesn't get you any more money here, but people know
that I use organic methods, and I can get $1/pound for greenbeans through
the whole season....possibly could get more. I'm raising all my prices
this year...I'm tired of working so hard and being so poor.

Does anyone go by the supermarket prices? I've had SO many customers tell
me what the same item costs at the supermarket. Especially eggs...I raised
my price for free-range to $1.50/dz, and have gotten a ton of complaints.
Of course it's NOT the same item, but try to tell the cheapskates that
(not a lot of food-savvy people here). At a local show, we did a
side-by-side comparison of store egg vs. free-range. Besides being bright
orange (compared to sickly yellow), the yolk of the free-range egg was
literally twice the size of a large store egg. Hmmm...maybe I should do
that comparison every week at the Farmers' Market. It's worth having to
buy a dozen store eggs (the cats and dogs like them...*I* won't eat them).





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