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  • From: E C GRANATA <elainegranata AT msn.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales
  • Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:07:59 -0600

Mark:  You are in a tough situation if the "local" bug hasn't taken hold.  Someone once told me not to grow anything you haven't already sold, so you may have to spend the winter developing your markets for next year.
 
Are you in a place where a roadside farm stand would work?  I'm very small so I taget restaurants that are also small and can use the quantities that I have.  You could try "introductory" offers -- for "right sized" restaurants and markets, give them a a deal that matches your competitors', but make sure your stuff looks and tastes better than the commercial stuff that's been sitting in a warehouse for several days.
 
Good luck.
 
Elaine
Denver
 

From: txbeefarmer AT gmail.com
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:45:50 -0500
Subject: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales

Hope some of you can share your wisdom and tricks of the trade with me.
 
I have a wonderful five acre garden and my 40' cooler is overflowing with fresh produce.
 
My problem is sales, or should I say lack of sales.  Oh sure, there's the Farmers' Market and a few people who want some things delivered, but I need real sales!
 
I've contacted every restaurant, cafe, grocery store, and health food store in my county as well as surrounding counties with no luck.
 
The problem with selling to restaurants and cafes seems to be the large food distributers - they deal in huge quantities, have a large selection, deliver in refrigerated trucks, and are very cheap.  None of the eateries around here gives a flip about being local or fresh or anything else.  They just want it cheap, delivered, and already cut up and bagged. 
 
Grocery stores want me to have huge amounts of insurance and be preapproved by their corporate headquarters.  This is also the case with chain restaurants. 
 
Obviously, I'm doing something very wrong here.  I just can't sell what I grow.
 
Sure could use a little help.
 
Thanks,
 
Mark
The Coldiron Farm (West Texas)

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