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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Why do it

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: Debbie Moore <caverdjmoore AT hotmail.com>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Why do it
  • Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:18:42 +0000


> How do you convince people to pay more?

Hi Lynn -

The short answer is that you can't. I understand your local economy. Only 20%
of my income came from our *local* farmers market last year. Two tricks to
earning a profit: sell where the money is, and upscale the products. I am
fortunate to live 1.5 hours from metropolitan areas. May sound like a lot but
they enjoy the "small family farm" stories and will pay for it. I have
learned from my husband (who is in sales professionally) to sell the STORY.
Sales is extremely difficult for me, as is driving in traffic, but it's that
or go back to the corporate cubicle which was slowly killing me.

I guess what I'm suggesting is can you supplement with sales in a more
affluent area? When I have the opportunity to travel with my husband, we
always go to farmers markets. The larger the city, the further the farmers
travel, and it is not unusual to find farmers traveling 3 hours one way. They
make decent profits, even with the high price of gas, and the high booth
rental. Can you sell through the internet? Even if your passion is eggs and
veggies, is there something you can add that you can market over the
internet, or wholesale via shipping to stores somewhere etc? This does take
time to develop...

Very rural cultures such as yours are very set in their ways. There is not a
lot of money to go around and quality food will never be high on the list.

Deb
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