marketing garden goods

[jillj]

Hi,
I'm wondering how all you farmers go about marketing your garden goods. If further details are needed, just ask. Thanks

 

[msscamp]

Hi,
I'm wondering how all you farmers go about marketing your garden goods. If further details are needed, just ask. Thanks

We don't, but the ones that do use ads in the local papers, local farmers markets, signs on the highways, and word of mouth. You might think about checking with your local extension office, they could probably help you with this.

 

[ga. prime]

Good advice from msscamp. jillj, we don't plant with the intent to sell. However, we usually have a surplus and do try to market that. A good place is a roadside stand near a traffic light. After a while you'll have people telling you to call them when you have something and they'll come get it. Then you won't even need to go to the stand.

 

[denoginnizer]

I have heard of farmers selling a "Fresh produce membership" .
This membership might include X amount of fresh eggs X amount of greens x amount of tomatoes etc,per week or per month.
The farmer would deliver the produce to the client/member.

 

[denoginnizer]

Not a whole lot of traffic over here in the gardenin section.

 

[jillj]

I'd like to hear about any tries with selling to local grocery stores...how did it go? What is/is not accepted at retail? Prices offered?

 

[la4angus]

If you can find a small Mom and Pop store you very well could be successful with them. The chains could be iffy. It doesn't cost anything to try. The giants like wal mart would probly be hard to deal with. They are all computerized.

 

[Jogeephus]

I'd like to hear about any tries with selling to local grocery stores...how did it go? What is/is not accepted at retail? Prices offered?

A small grocery store here will buy produce you bring in and will even let you set up shop outside in the parking lot to sell greens and such. Most folks just sell 'em out of the pickup on the side of road.

 

[iowahawkeyes]

Call the grocery store early in the season so they don't buy from their wholesaler. I do that with my fall produce. Fareway and HyVee will buy local and they advertise it as local too.

Otherwise, I just have a roadside stand on our farm and signs on the electric poles just like Burmashave.

 

[Susie David]

We sell beef at farmer's markets along with whatever produce Susie lets me take. One day we sold more pumpkins than beef.
Sweet corn sells for 3 ears for a buck and folks sell out quickly.
You need to look like what the public thinks a farmer is supposed to look like. I sell more beef in my bibs than I do wearing a Hawiian shirt.
Looking for a unsual easy to grow crop that the others are not selling...any ideas, remember that we have a short growing season up here. If we could get tomatoes to harvest before August a guy could make a fortune.
Just my two bits worth....Dave Mc

 

[Australian Cattleman]

Well put Susie. We don't sell at any markets but we go along to buy things. We go to a car boot market as they call them down here some places. (has nothing to do with boots (shoes etc) you'd call it the trunk of your car. Most people have stalls set up. We buy poultry to breed from and buy fruit and veges that we can't grow in our area. I'll also buy plants for the garden or trees etc.
Colin

 

[Susie David]

Here's SUsie and me manning the stall at one of the markets. We keep a stocked freezer in the truck and just climb up and get the beef when the customer orders. We had a load of pumpkins and squash on the straw bales to the left of the pics.

 

[Bullbuyer]

Well I can say one thing for sure - she looks happier to be there than you do!!!