Usually I just buy the jars when I see them on craigslist. Then I pick them up at Wally World when I can. However, they are not available around here yet. Only at food lion and WAY more then I paid last year. Even with coupons! ARGH!
I am so hoping for the best outcome. It would be fabulous for me and the stand offering them for sale for me. I would love to pay them, or make sure they can make their's off the jars too.
Do you have any restrictions as far as selling canned goods in your area? I am just asking because around here you need to have a commercial kitchen to legally sell jams and the like so I was wondering how it is everywhere else. It sounds like there are alot of people selling homemade items at the farmer's markets everywhere else so I am assuming it is not an issue.
I haven't been told I needed it for canned goods, but we do have one law that says if you didn't process it yourself you can sell it. Which most the people I've talked to say its no problem to sell it for me.
here in NY we can only process fruit based jams/jellies any vegetable ones like pepper jams, pickles or relishes need a license and a commercial kitchen.
You could look this up on gardenweb ; put in selling canned goods. I didn't want to bring it up, but since it has been now, the FDA has its myriad of rules over everything. I don't think rules are just statewide. When I grew/sold shiitake mushrooms, the organization I was in's experts said any processing of any food, even just chopping up, requires certified kitchen. That was a N. and S. Carolina org. In Ga., at least, to sell eggs away from your farm you have to have a separate inspected candling room with sinks, etc. and candling license. I've heard you can get away with sales by labeling your eggs hatching eggs if you have a roo.. To sell honey, an inspected honey house (can't just use a picnic table in yard) is required. To sell baked goods or any processed (just chopping counts as processing) foods you must have a separate inspected kitchen (can be added onto house). Some of my friends were considering renting the kitchen of their church one day a week to cook food to sell. The website above mentions renting restaurant when closed. Don't know if your friend with cafe is a possibility.More expense and time...I know. I know this news is ruining your day. Sooo... it seems you and many others are selling online and at markets without being noticed by authorities so far. If I were you, I'd keep doing what I had planned until I was told not to. If you're not near a major university as I am, you may be safe. Sorry, just thought you should know....Then again, you could have never have read this. I'll not mention it again. I know of plenty of people selling through word of mouth and at their workplaces. I'd look online at your state's dept. of ag., but I wouldn't call. The good news is raw fruits & vegs., in Ga. anyway, can be sold by the farmer without license, and unless I'm behind, without collecting taxes.
Just called my local dept. of ag. For jams and jellies, baked goods, it' OK to sell at county/local gov. sponsored events such as our GOVERNMENT sponsored farmers mkt. bec. they take on the liability risks. But the lady said not at roadside stands or local mkts. without cert. kitchen. That's Ga. laws. Just remember, it's usually easier to get forgiveness than permission.
Now the 'farm' I sell at has a stand on the farm. They also said they couldn't take baked goods without a license, but again they said the jams were fine?! :/ Which ever... my issues is I have everything they need and require minus the fact my husband won't get rid of the dog for a small supplimental income thing. Again, I make less then $2000 a year. If I were ever to take off or that increase I would more then happen to 'open up shop' so to speak.
With that said and done, the jams seem to be doing well. I stopped in and checked today. They've sold 6 jars this week at full price and asked me to bring more blackberry and some flowers to sell as they are running low!
I will drop off some coneflower in the morning for them to sell. I told them to keep the flowers as they've decided not to charge me to sell there, and they do not want to raise the price on the jars as they say they are selling themselves very well at $6.