Since I have just started a small farm/craft stand on my property I was curious how many others out here do the same thing or maybe have bigger markets they operate? How do you make out and what seems to be more popular and not so popular? etc.?

-- TomK (tjk@cac.net), June 01, 2001

Answers

Hi Tom, we aren't having our farm stand this year, and people stop by anyways asking for produce. Flowers always sold the best for us, along with strawberries and raspberries. Up north here most plants were fall sown (larkspar, sweet williams etc.), perrenials (peonies, liatrus, artemesia,etc.) or greenhouse started. In the spring /summer we we sold $2 bunches at the end of our laneway. In fall we substituted $3 bunches of dried flowers as well as custom made dried flower wreaths, ropes and wall hangings. Our stand was never manned (just a locked money box and price list). During the five years we had it, we never had money stolen and sold about $6000/seaon from the end of the driveway. We also went to local fairs and made a minimum of $500/day. In the end we found other things were more profitable.(i quess we were too greedy for more)

-- Harald(Ont) (hsdmh@aol.com), June 01, 2001.

My family did it for about 35 years, my dad retired in 1977. It's not easy to operate a truck farm--hard work and plenty of ups and downs. We grew a large variety of vegetables, from strawberries in June to pumpkins and squashes in the fall. Corn was our most popular seller.

-- amy (acook@in4web.com), June 01, 2001.

Harald.......Wow....Im Impressed, I always wondered how much a road stand would make. Ronda

-- ronda (thejohnsons@localaccess.com), June 01, 2001.

Harald, That is what I have been told by others, flowers always sell better then veggies. I wonder if you have to grow them yourself or could you buy wholesale and sell them and still make some money?

-- TomK (tjk@cac.net), June 01, 2001.

I have run a front porch garden market and taken produce to our local farmers market and flea markets. Ken S. used to offer a free e-book that contains some good info on homestead marketing.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), June 01, 2001.

I sell honey, firewood, a few herbs, and some potted plants from my home. I have a 12'x12' shed on my property in which I keep the honey. Firewood and plants are displayed in front of the shed. I hope eventually to offer cut-your-own flowers for sale. I do this as a hobby, and only sporadically as I travel quite a bit, but I have been pleased with the results.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), June 01, 2001.

Tom, we have neighbours selling at farmers markets who do buy produce and flowers to resell (they charge more and their customers are happy), but if you are selling from your driveway cutomers always like to support you the grower not someone else. The big appeal in our area is buying local. Our 1 acre garden was right beside the driveay so everyone saw the neat flower/berry beds and which flowers were at their peak. If you grow your own, you have the quantiy and quality when you need them. In other words its' better to sell what you grow. With hard work you can do well (especilly in a warm climate).

-- Harald(Ont) (hsdmh@aol.com), June 02, 2001.

Oh, I forgot to mention. Our best resource was the magazine "growing for market". They also have a web site now. They have an amazing amount of up to date info. Countryide is one our favourite magazines also for all its' information.

-- Harald(Ont) (hsdmh@aol.com), June 02, 2001.