Market Farming

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost AT riseup.net>]

There are people who make a good income market gardening, and not all in
areas where people value local enough to pay more. And we all want the best
prices for our produce because it does take work and its superior to
storebought. I get better prices in a moderate income area with big box
stores nearby. But the key to making the farm pay is probably in cost
cutting. A friend of ours has a small egg ranch and the cost of chicken
feed is ruining his egg business. He's looking for ways to grow his own
feed. 

Right about startup cost. People just aren't buying farms and equipment at
today's prices and making a living on them. Yet some can grow intensively
on very little land, with minimal equipment, and retail at farmers markets
or farmstands, and make a good income at it. We're not making a lot with
climate, age, and limited capital working against us, but we hold costs
very low and almost all of our market gross is profit. The land came with
the house, we're not paying off any power equipment, and don't pay outside
labor. 

Another key might be in what we grow. If eggs don't pay their way then look
at what does. In our area we don't have as many customers as big city
markets, so we diversify and try to have something for everyone. Customers
come looking for fresh produce. So we want to offer a continuous supply of
a variety of produce items that they would usually buy anywhere. Those
selling only honey, only goat cheese, etc. need a much bigger market to
make it worthwhile. We do early and late crops in beds and get far more
from limited growing area. We're all learning but holding down those costs
needs to be numero uno. YMMV. 

paul tradingpost AT lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

>  I think the start-up cost of farming is the biggest problem. My ex and I
>  bought a small farm, then we divorced and I re-financed the mortgage and
>  bought out his half of the farm...my expenses are now sky-high and my
>  income is low. Some elements of my farm (beef sales, for example) are
>  working, but not well enough to earn even a meager living. Right now
>child
>  support and hand-outs from my mother are keeping the farm (barely)
>  solvent. I do direct sales through a farmstand; if I have to get an
>  off-farm job, there won't be the time or energy to farm or sell what I
>  produce.
>
>  I keep thinking it's time to give up, but farming gets in your blood;
>it's
>  like an addiction. Like the original poster wrote, I don't understand
why
>  it doesn't work, but the same people who spend lots money on junk food
>  (this is NOT a health-conscious area) won't pay $1.50/dozen for free
>range
>  eggs (I lost a LOT of egg customers last year when I raised my price to
>  $1.50/dz...at that price I only make pennies/doz).
>
>  I'd love to see an example of a profitable small farm that I could
>  emulate....are there people who can make a living farming/market
>  gardening? The numbers just don't crunch for me.
>
>  Lynn Wigglesworth
>  Peasant Farmer
>  Tioga County, PA
>
>