Wild Flower Bouquets

[Hattie the Hen]

vfem

I thought that this link to one of my favourite UK blogs might interest you. She also sells bunches of flowers from her garden & has been exploring the possibilities of their presentation. There is also a handy tip in this article about putting the stems in very hot water so they stay fresh longer.

http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/how-to-make-a-temporary-vase-for-cut-flowers-6660

The book she talks about by Sarah Raven is a smasher & well worth a good look -- I don't know if you could get it at your library? I know you would just love it. It is full of mouthwatering photos of various colour combinations of flowers.

Hope it helps & your scheme goes well.
Good Luck!


:happy_flower Hattie :happy_flower

 

[vfem]

Thanks Hattie, I figure I will never know unless I put myself out there... this place I'm going to brand new, it is best I test the waters now as to establish myself. AND.... OR.... it doesn't work out and I didn't end up having to pay the $50 yearly member fee since she is by passing that until 2011.

If it is a smash hit, I'll have my spot saved as my own, I'll keep any regular customers and that $50 will pay for itself in no time next year. What could it hurt?

 

[vfem]

VFem, you could even extend your bouquets by drying some of your annuals and everlastings, if you have any, and making Tussy Mussies. The garlic flowers are supposed to dry very well for this purpose.

These simple dried flower bouquets are wrapped in pretty tissue paper and tied with a ribbon and they sell for $15-$25 each in the local shops.

I'm planting many everlasting types of flowers this year for this very purpose. Once I get my perennial beds up and running, I will be doing much the same as you are at my own little farm stand here. I've always loved arranging wildflowers and they are the first thing I look for at a farmer's market.

Please post a pic of some of your arrangements? I love to look at the different colors and textures!

I really love that idea! However, this market is only going to be from the last week of April (oops, I just found them a week or so ago) until the last week of July. Its such a short season market while they are running a test it may not work out for the dry flowers.

Even though I am offering the bouquets, I'm hoping my big hit is the jellies and jams. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it will be the flowers! Either way, I'd like to make a few extra bucks to help out my husband in the paying the bills area more... and if that is ok for that week, I have a few extra bucks to put into the garden... more raised beds... more blooms for next year?!

 

[elf]

Do keep us updated from time to time on how you're doing with the flower marketing. Sounds like possibly more profitable than selling veggies, and eggs, for sure. This is inspirational!

 

[vfem]

What I worry about is my thriftiness....

Meaning, with the economy, I got spend my money on food and clothes IF I need them. I would totally by pass flowers in the market. Not on my affordability radar. Then again, I have tons of beds full of them, and I spoil myself as I can cut my own.

I will for sure tell you how it works out for me. I'm going to give it a couple of saturdays to determine what seems to be selling and what the happy price point sellers are.

This saturday looks like rain, so I won't try to base too much on how that goes... bad weather chases off the spenders.

 

[elf]

What I worry about is my thriftiness....

Meaning, with the economy, I got spend my money on food and clothes IF I need them. I would totally by pass flowers in the market. Not on my affordability radar. Then again, I have tons of beds full of them, and I spoil myself as I can cut my own.)

Same boat here. Any new clothes I get are second hand. My mortgage is my priority. BUT, there are those not currently in same boat. And those who live in apartments with no grass. And folks needing gifts for sweeties, mothers, and the sick or lonely. I've personally never bought a plant without a root. But if everyone was like me, there wouldn't be florists and every grocery store would not be stocking flowers. Now there might be another market for you.

 

[Beekissed]

What I worry about is my thriftiness....

Meaning, with the economy, I got spend my money on food and clothes IF I need them. I would totally by pass flowers in the market. Not on my affordability radar. Then again, I have tons of beds full of them, and I spoil myself as I can cut my own.

I will for sure tell you how it works out for me. I'm going to give it a couple of saturdays to determine what seems to be selling and what the happy price point sellers are.

This saturday looks like rain, so I won't try to base too much on how that goes... bad weather chases off the spenders.

I was thinking the same thing...that folks will bypass the usual little indulgences due to the economy. Nope. Folks around here are still spending like drunken sailors. I've found that the people who spend money on pretty, useless things still have the money(or the credit)to do so.

If you find you cannot move them, you can donate them to your local hospice and brighten the life of some folks who may not get to see or pick another wild flower in this life. A wildflower bouquet would be like bringing the spring sunshine right into their homes...storebought flowers just cannot compete.

 

[vfem]

Well I am back and I didn't sell a single thing today. In fact, not a single person stopped to even look. On the busiest road in town... all I could think was it had to be the holiday. Either that or no one could see the 20 signs we had out by the road!

Anyways... I look some photos. I was only 1 of 2 vendors that showed up this weekend. 2 other didn't show this week and 1 guy who runs a slushy cart didn't show up until 1pm when the farmer's market was supposed to end.

However, I'm going to work with the other lady there to try everything we can to get some advertising out through the week... make some pretty signs... and cross our fingers I guess!!!

 

[digitS']

Well, V, you fared better than DW and me on our first market day . . . we didn't make one sale but there was a ton of people passing thru . .

Sounds like if the market had zero customers, you guys are in the wrong place.

A farmers' market is not a drive-thru. People like to walk slowly around, talk, maybe sit down and catch a few rays of morning sunshine . Only the old folks and the babies are on wheels.

Anything the manager has told you needs to be taken in light of what happened today: no shows, vendor who comes at the end of the market instead of the beginning, etc.

In my experience . . . . everybody with a parking lot thinks they can have a farmers' market. 'Tain't so, McGee!

Steve

 

[elf]

Yes, advertise and give it another try or two, then move on to better venue. If it's new, could take awhile. What kind of area is it? Maybe too busy. Or too rural. Or too economically depressed. If there's a college close enough, seek that crowd.Or near tourist attractions, parks, gift and antique shops. Any area that has people that would shop at Earthfare. (Nice store for bulk items, but wow! the bill for the folks who do all their shopping there). Check for upcoming arts & crafts fairs, tho some have a large entry fee, and can be tiring. You may have to approach shops. They'd take a big cut, but you wouldn't be stuck there all day. Good luck! It's an excellent idea- eventually you'll work out the kinks.