market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Market Farming
List archive
- From: "Beth Spaugh" <lists AT rhomestead.com>
- To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: Re: [Market-farming] to hire, or not to hire?
- Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2012 16:05:54 -0500
I struggle with having help. I definitely
need it. I know folks who hire local people part-time, and want to find
one or two of those. So far I have gone with several college students
part-time, but they come and go, are not used to field work, and I still need
them in late August and September. I planned to have one full-time person
and one good part-time person (who had worked the previous summer part-time
too). The full-time person backed out at the last minute and I never got
a good replacement. The part-time person had very serious health issues
this year and couldn’t work. Fortunately I teacher/CSA member
worked two days a week washing and packing, and another CSA person volunteered
one afternoon a week. Having part-time folks who come and go results in me not
training them for good jobs, so stick them with jobs I think they can’t
mess up, i.e. weeding, which they don’t like. I don’t mind
weeding, but hate washing and packing. My plan for this year is to have two part-time
plus one full-time OR 4 part-time. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday they will
wash and pack. If someone wants full-time and/or wants to learn organic
gardening, then that person will help with field work. All will probably
help with early planting (which they also don’t like), and I may train
one to do seeding. My biggest need is probably help with
sales, but I really want to stay under the $20,0000 ag employment limit to
avoid unemployment, disability, etc (do have workers comp), Ag employees can
wash, pack, and deliver, but not do any retail sales work, or you lose the nice
exemptions, at least in Perhaps you can each be independent
businesses, or she can be a subcontractor. If she wants to do a farmers
market, let her supply all the equipment, transport, etc so she qualifies as an
independent contractor. Or , if you market allows, just let her buy your
stuff wholesale and sell it at the market. If there are additional
specific things she could subcontract to do, such as seeding plug trays at her
place and delivering them to you ready to go. Or if she sub-contracted to
keep weeds under control. Etc. Beth Spaugh http://rhomestead.com
http://www.facebook.com/rhomestead "How we eat determines, to a considerable extent, how the
world is used." - Wendell Berry "Without power over our food, any notion of democracy is
empty." - Frances Moore Lappe It's not that nice guys finish last. They have a whole different
notion where the finish line is. - unknown From:
market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of KAKerby AT aol.com We have been on the fence for awhile now
about hiring some help for the production year. Things came to a head
this past weekend, when a good friend of ours, who has worked with us
here sporadically in the past, dropped a comment at a Christmas party that
she thinks we should work together during 2013 as partners, really rev up
production, and go back to selling at the farmer's market. A 15 second comment has proven to give me
three days' worth of "should we or shouldn't we?" And every
time I think I've answered the question, I think of some new "angle".
frogchorusfarm.com |
-
[Market-farming] to hire, or not to hire?,
KAKerby, 12/26/2012
- Re: [Market-farming] to hire, or not to hire?, Richard Robinson, 12/26/2012
-
Re: [Market-farming] to hire, or not to hire?,
stonecirclefarm tds.net, 12/26/2012
- Re: [Market-farming] to hire, or not to hire?, Richard Stewart, 12/26/2012
-
Re: [Market-farming] to hire, or not to hire?,
Beth Spaugh, 12/26/2012
- Re: [Market-farming] to hire, or not to hire?, Andy Fellenz, 12/26/2012
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
- Re: [Market-farming] to hire, or not to hire?, KAKerby, 12/26/2012
- Re: [Market-farming] to hire, or not to hire?, KAKerby, 12/26/2012
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