I have gone crazy

[Texan]

I have gone garden crazy. I have 3 gardens going currently. I had plans to put a couple of steers on the back three acres. Not anymore, I am now looking at tillers that are 3-point mounted on the back of tractors. I would like to amend that soil all year long and plant it next spring or as early as this fall. I want to sell produce. I know I wont get rich. I already sell bird houses, garden benches, garden tables, garden planters that I make on craigslist. I could sell to a farmers market or a road side stand or something. Thats what we need on this forum, a farmers market section.

Am I nuts?

 

[vfem]

No, you are not nuts! My very own, "Mr. I have no green thumb", has made his own decision to plant yet another 3 apple trees on top of the 4 we have + the 2 apricot we have. His plant is to take care of these trees so the produce in the next 3-4 years. Then he's going to collect apples to sell to the stand that is not far from us. Or at least Consign them the apples.

Whatever he wants I say! LOL

It would some nice extra income in the fall, but wouldn't make much of a difference in the long run. But you know, if it makes him happy and gets his hands involved in the gardening, he can do whatever he wants... he is THE MAN around here ya know?!

 

[Texan]

No, you are not nuts! he is THE MAN around here ya know?!

Thats just how us MEN are ? Didnt ya know that?

 

[bid]

You have obviously been bitten by the "farming bug" Texan. It is closely related to the "gardening bug", but is considered to be much worse in intensity.There is no cure, but the symptoms can be slightly alleviated by extensive planning, planting, cultivating and harvesting. :coolsun

 

[Texan]

You have obviously been bitten by the "farming bug" Texan. It is closely related to the "gardening bug", but is considered to be much worse in intensity.There is no cure, but the symptoms can be slightly alleviated by extensive planning, planting, cultivating and harvesting. :coolsun

I think your right, there is one other though, buying. Have you guys priced the tractor tillers? Ouch. Gonna get one though. And of course there are the seed planters that are on the list

 

[GardeNerd]

If doing and making those things are your hobbies and passions, why not make money doing it? I don't think you are crazy. We could all use a little extra $ these days.

 

[digitS']

. . . I want to sell produce. I know I wont get rich. . .

That's what I've done - sold excess garden produce.

I've always had large gardens. By that I mean that there were only a few years when they were less than 1,000 square feet. Once they go beyond about 5,000, you start looking around trying to figure out what to do with all "this stuff!"

I'm lucky that DW likes to sell at the farmers' market . My job became trying to figure out what she can have a steady supply of that won't kill us at harvest.
You think you are doing a lot of work putting in a garden - - wait until you have a bountiful harvest !!

We go for plant starts and salad greens early, with some tomatoes and peppers late, and a lot of cut flowers filling in the middle. A small greenhouse gets us started.

Your furniture and accessories fit in nicely for most farmers' markets. And, building them beats sitting around during the off-season.

Am I nuts?

You gotta resign yourself to working for very little $$. But, it is nice to be productive aaaannd, you'll get lots of fresh air, good exercise, and eat well !

Steve

 

[smom1976]

yup your nuts


Just kidding.. I just had to agree ....

We really need a farmers market around here.. there is a sat flea market but not really the same..

 

[digitS']

You don't have a farmers' market in Pensacola, Smom??

Texan, you stay out of those flea markets. Ambiance . . . think ambiance. I know, it's all kind of silly but if you are a shopper and show up at a place that looks like it just dropped off the pages of some slick, travel magazine - you will pay higher prices. You don't even give it a second thought.

If you are the person on the other side of the table from the shopper, that willingness to pay higher prices means - more $$! Imagine if your neighbor is selling scrap iron . . . how much do you think you'll get for your produce in a setting like that?

If 2010 will be your commercial debut, get to shoppin' . . . for the right place to sell your produce. Maybe you can work out some commercial arrangements so that others can do the selling and you can concentrate on the growing. Understand tho', that every step between the grower and the consumer means $$'s. With some produce, the grower makes about 10/pound. All the other dimes the consumer forks over, goes to the middlemen and women.

And, don't forget the processing. Very few things can go straight from the garden, into someone's shopping bag. Even rinsing the soil off a bushel of cucumbers takes some time and effort. Whether you like doing that sort of thing, or not, matters not a whit. Unless you don't mind watching the consumer walk right on by.

Steve

 

[smom1976]

would you believe....

We went fishing out to pensacola beach just the other day..(between postings) and on the way home I saw this sign..

you know when they are building a large builidng they put up a sign with a sketch of the building and says comming soon...

one of those was up for a farmers market down town..

unbelievable...