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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Lettuce price?

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  • From: Richard Stewart <rstewart AT zoomtown.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Lettuce price?
  • Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 10:52:07 -0400

Can you sell to restaurants?

Just curious.  I sell to restaurants in the Cincinnati area and I would much rather do that than sell at a market.  Yes, you can command higher prices at market, but you loose money at a market.  I want to focus on growing and raising a crop not 10 hours a week trying to push those same goods.

I sell lettuce for 2.50 a pound to restaurants.  No rinsing (other than a quick dip into cold well water to help preserve the harvest).  The restaurants want the tap root and all, which adds to the weight.  They also pick-up or meet me at one of the two markets I sell at.  I never have anything  left over, I make more money than when I sell it for 4.50 a bag weighing around .45 pounds (rinsing and bagging is a big cost, regardless of how you do it).

I've also spent a great deal of time with an online presence, participating in local food events, and cultivating a transparent operation that tries to detail anything I do.  If a restaurant decides to use my food it is a value added thing.  I cross promote those that do and they gain customers that want to "follow the food".  This autumn I will be meeting with several chefs and restaurants to actually plan for 2010 rather than just purchase what I happen to be selling at market.  

Markets are great and I have one that I am especially fond of, but they cost me money in the long run.  Right now I think of them more as advertisements and promotions than an economical way to sell produce.  That is simply my region others will certainly have better experiences with markets for certain.

There are so few growers in the region that are not growing corn and soybean that, for the time being, single large organic crops are far more valuable per acre than anything else.  No one is spending the time relearning skills and actually farming so they keep doing the same thing.  If you grow an acre of potatoes and a ton of lettuce it has plenty of buyers and at a premium price.

If you do not see an opportunity available right now, make one.  Get crafty and over winter plan and scheme.  Take advantage f the lull and do as much reading, research, and learning as possible.  It takes a couple years to get going, even if you have the land and experience.

I wish you the best of luck.  

Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm
North Bend, Ohio

An Ohio Century Farm Est. 1855

(513) 967-1106



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