I am interested in growing Sunflowers and Mushrooms for a homestead income but I have no idea of how to go about finding a buyer. I am really clueless of where to find any kind of marketing information. Can anyone help me?? I can grow things but then I run into a brick wall when I am ready to turn around and sell the

-- Cheryl Gamache (Red4Irish@aol.com), August 26, 2000

Answers

A lot of the sunflower market will depend upon where you live. Are you planning on raising oilseed or confectionary sunflowers?

The oilseed variety can usually be sold to a local grain elevator if you have them where you are at.

The confectionary variety is often harvested still in the head and then sold locally as bird seed or squirrel food. To be sold for human consumption a lot of pesticide spraying is needed to keep the seeds worm free. There is nothing more disgusting than to have a handful of sunflower seeds in your mouth, opening them one by one, and get a bitter one. That means that it had a worm damage. Yuck! Luckily the salting process has killed the critter and the only evidence left is a hole in the shell.

You are wise to explore the market before extensive planting. If you will be planting the oilseed variety, consider too how you will harvest them.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), August 26, 2000.

Greenbeanman, you forgot the flower market,cheryl is there a flower mart near you you could sell to?

-- kathy h (saddlebronc@msn.com), August 28, 2000.

I don't have a clue about the sunflowers, but I do know the market is saturated with inexpensive cultivated mushrooms. Imports are very cheap. Shitake were as high as $8/lb here a few years ago and now range from $2-$3/lb. We sell wild mushrooms and have found several new buyers this summer. It is hard to find restaurants that are willing to pay $8-$15/ lb for wild when the cultivated are so readily available and inexpensive. Try contacting your state department of agricultures marketing division. They should be able to give you the information you need. Best Wishes, Terri

-- Terri Perry (tperry@stargate.net), August 29, 2000.