market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Market Farming
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- From: KAKerby AT aol.com
- To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
- Subject: Re: [Market-farming] farm stands
- Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 10:46:10 -0400 (EDT)
Thanks for responding - I was afraid this email had been lost in the
trample about the hoophouses. :)
Our farm is along a busy county road, speed limit supposedly 35mph.
We're five miles outside a small but vibrant town which has preserved its
identity in the midst of "suburban creep". We are surrounded by what my
husband non-affectionately refers to as "nests" of subdivisions. We are
also just down the road from an active campground and picnic area that gets a
lot of traffic in the summer. Most vehicular traffic year-round are
people commuting to/from work, but we get a fair number of boaters and campers
in the summertime. Pedestrian traffic is almost nonexistent, so
quick-n-easy car access would be crucial.
Our driveway at present is poorly set up for traffic - a blind corner on one side and the crest of a hill on the other, both make pulling out of our driveway something of a sport. We have never seriously considered a farmstand for that specific reason. If we did a farmstand, we'd build a secondary, easy-in/easy-out drive farther along the road at the other end of our property. We may do that anyway, since at present we can't safely get things like livestock trailers, flatbed trailers or logging trucks in and out of our existing driveway. Having that additional access would help immensely; parking a farmstand there would only build another benefit into that investment. I am torn between the ease but risk of an untended stand, versus the higher
hassle factor but better security and customer service aspects of a manned
stand. I'd have to do some serious pencil-pushing to figure out best
hours, who to hire, etc. Very possible I'd have very limited
morning/evening hours to capture folks wanting a latte on their way to work,
then wanting to get their dinners on the way home.
I'd be sorely tempted to offer value-added products to "sweeten the pie",
which would then involve either an on-farm licensed kitchen or a commitment to
renting time at a licensed kitchen. But I suspect my most
profitable niche would be offering folks a mix of staples, packaged meals
and ready-to-eat meals. Farm less, get more $$/lb with more
processing. Folks are in such a hurry these days, they won't casually stop
for lookie-loo purposes. They will, however, stop if they want that latte
to wake up before work, or if they forgot to hit the grocery on the way home and
need something for dinner.
Your suggestions to do the business plan and SWOT are both good 'uns; we've
done that for other income streams and its certainly warranted here with the
amount of effort this would require. Keep the ideas and suggestions
coming!
Kathryn Kerby
frogchorusfarm.com
Snohomish, WA
In a message dated 9/7/2011 7:30:31 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
limerock AT thirdplanet.net writes:
|
-
[Market-farming] farm stands,
KAKerby, 09/06/2011
- Re: [Market-farming] farm stands, Tom & Melanie, 09/07/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] farm stands,
Richard Robinson, 09/08/2011
- Re: [Market-farming] farm stands, Road's End Farm, 09/08/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] farm stands,
somersfarm, 09/08/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] farm stands,
Beth Spaugh, 09/08/2011
- Re: [Market-farming] farm stands, somersfarm, 09/09/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] farm stands,
Beth Spaugh, 09/08/2011
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
- Re: [Market-farming] farm stands, KAKerby, 09/07/2011
- Re: [Market-farming] farm stands, sunnfarm, 09/07/2011
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