Market Farming

[Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>]

On Mar 27, 2008, at 8:46 AM, lucy Owsley wrote:

> The best town I can see near you is Ithaca NY which has Cornell U as well as the Culinary Institute of America and I would think would be an incredible market for local foods and very much worth the drive up there. 

Ithaca is indeed an incredible market. It's also a very competitive market, as there are a lot of organic farms in the area who have been selling there for years. The main farmers' market is restricted to farms within a certain distance, though I don't right now remember the exact distance. (I'm within the range, just, but haven't been selling there.)

I'm not saying not to look at Ithaca; it might well be a good idea to do so. There's a good deal of money there, and a lot of interest in good local food. But check out the situation there first, both so you know what the local prices are like and what's in greater demand, and to try to get your buyers lined up if possible before planting for them.

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale