Anyone else here a market farmer?

[greenbird]

I'm a (non-certified by choice) organic farmer growing on small acreage for farmer's markets and a farm stand. Anybody else here do this? 2009 will be my second season, 'though I've been gardening this way for over 30 years.

[Vanje]

1. I sell an occaisional lamb for slaughter

fresh off the farm.

I used to do a little produce gig for farmers market.
One year when everyones basil froze out, I had the only basil in town.
Did well with fancy garlic too.

[greenbird]

3. We are doing six varieties of garlic this year

Garlic was my surprise selling crop last year, so we put in a few varieties of fancy garlic to see how that will do. If you get a chance, I'd appreciate any and all advice based on your experience. Thanks!

[Nay]

2. I have a large yard and am considering doing some market

gardening this summer, mainly to get my little grandson into gardening. We have 2 small farmers' markets nearby and I think he would get a kick out of selling things he grew (with grandma's help, of course!).

What do you regular market farmers grow and sell that is a good seller? Around here, when tomatoes (for example) come in, you can't give them away. I'd like grandson to have a decent seller. Garlic, esp maybe elephant garlic, sounds like a possibility.

Any more suggestions from gardeners out there? I know organic meat sells well, but the yard isn't THAT big....

[greenbird]

6. As I mentioned before,

my garlic did very well. So did my lettuce mixes, leeks and beets. I still am new at this; last year I went to market because I had a garden surplus. The results convinced me to get serious. I also plan to sell single seedlings of heirloom tomatoes and peppers for home gardeners. Several customers suggested that fresh herbs would be appreciated, and I'll be doing them as well.

[DCKit]

4. How are land prices in your neck of the woods?

I certainly wouldn't mind trading the city life for some green acres.

Hey, that's a great idea for a sitcom!

[greenbird]

7. I'm in Western New York

Land is pretty reasonable here compared to some areas of the country. However, right now you can't see it for all the white stuff. Blessed snow!

[bvar22]

11. We started shopping for land in 2004.

Our preference was the Pacific NorthWest, but we couldn't afford it.

After researching the Organic/Homesteading/Small Farm magazines and spending many hours on the InterNet, we found a place that met all of our requirements. In 2006, we sold everything, cashed out most of our IRAs, and moved from Minneapolis to our new home in the Ouachita Mountains of Central Arkansas.

* The area is very rural, unspoiled, undeveloped...pristine.

* Our 8 acres has a protected, on property source of abundant clean water (spring fed well)
These are common in this area, but not everywhere. This would be my FIRST question if I was shopping for property in this area. We irrigate from our well during July/August, and so far, haven't had a problem with outrunning the well.

* Very inexpensive property. Hilltop locations with good water and standing hardwood can be bought for as little as $3000/acre....but prices are rising. ("Developers" have discovered The Ozarks in North Arkansas and are ruining it, and they will undoubtedly come here unless the crash stops them.)

* Very low property taxes

* Long growing season (April - November between frosts)

* Surrounded on 3 sides by extensive National Forest (plenty of game)

* Low Energy demands...mild Winters. Our heat source is a wood stove.
We burn Oak and Hickory which is plentiful and free for the work.

*No local industry, no agribusiness, no urban areas or other sources of pollution for many, many miles.

Spring Promise


More photos and info here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=246x5729

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=246x7979


This area is not for everyone.
It is still backwards in a lot of ways, but most of the people are genuinely good hearted.
We have met several other families who have moved up in the hills (some say mountains) for the same reason we have, and more are trickling in all the time. Another DUer has purchased property close to us, and will be moving in the Spring.

Good Luck in your search, but Shhhhh!, don't tell everyone about Arkansas.
We would like to keep it quiet.

[pansypoo53219]

5. i support the farmers

by buying lots of stuff at the farmers market. sigh. my last onion from the market.

i did grow rhubarb, pole beans and peas. the green peppers did squat. cherry tomatoes.

[safeinOhio]

8. I remember last year

there were long lines for the first strawberries.

[bvar22]

9. We haven't joined the Farmers Market yet.

...but may do so this year.
This will be our 3rd season.
The first two were experimental....find out what grows well without pesticides/herbicides.
Up till now, we have given away or composted our surplus.

WE are expanding our plot size this Spring, planting fewer tomatoes/melons/corn, and more beans, leafy greens, squash, berries, and herbs.

WE planted 30 mixed variety Hi-Boy Blueberry Bushes this Winter.
This is the first time we have planted something with a commercial purpose in mind, though it may be a year or two before we have enough to market.



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=246x7979

[greenbird]

10. We put in twenty-one blueberry bushes

this last year, but as you said, it'll be a couple of years before we really have production going.

We also put in two dozen Saskatoon bushes - I'm pretty excited about those, but again, a couple of years before we have any fruit to speak of.

We're also building chicken tractors and will be using our twenty-five chickens to help us with bug control, fertilization, cultivation, etc.

Love your picture!

[bvar22]

12. We're excited about the Blueberries too.

We put in 4 experimental bushes last Winter, and harvested about a half-pint of very delicious berries last Summer just a few months after we planted them.
We also visited a "Pick-Your-Own" Blueberry farm about an hour drive away, and liked what we saw.
Hi-Production/Low-Maintenance.

We picked several gallons of berries, and are still eating them from the deep freeze. They freeze very well, and are as firm, tart, and delicious as last July. We are going to experiment with Sun Drying and Vacuum Packaging them this Summer.

Our goal is to produce as much of our food as possible for year round consumption from our small acreage. We would love to have some kind of citrus, but we are too far north....so berries are an important source nutrition as well as a natural sweetener.

We also grow Strawberries. They are delicious and I love them, but they have proved to be pretty Hi-Maintenance so far. We are going to experiment with a different (disease resistant) variety this year, and a different method of mulching to keep the berries off the ground.


Good Luck with your berries!
Ours are starting to show the first tiny swellings of Spring.
It seems a little early, but they know better than I do.

[HillbillyBob]

15. Myers improved lemon

http://www.willisorchards.com/product/Improved+Myer%27s+Lemon+Tree
We are in North Central North Carolina. I have been trying to get pomegranates started. Last years got hit by stray dogs, I will order larger trees I started with smallest available and they just did not get the chance to get established before the cold set in and deer at them. We have electric fence round the yard now and dogs of our own..females that don't tinkle on the trees.
We have 1/2 acre of thornless blackberries. The first year the got eaten by Japanese beetles, we heard that 4 O'clock flowers woud attract then kill the beetles when they ate of them.. they did and we got a few gallons from 12 plants. We have to redo the trellis for them this year since we used just wires. This year we will set new poles with deer fence as trellis, they got very heavy once the beetles were eating the 4 oclocks then dying, they are also pretty and smell very nice. WE also planted them near our other fruit trees and they did the same for the beetles that denuded our peaches. we are not using chemical ferts or pest control , only volck oil and or neem when they infestation is bad, but since we ordered praying mantis eggs and found some egg casks for lady bugs that seems to help a lot too. Our neighbor has honey bees so we don't want to use chemicals even if we were not going organic. Another neighbor has chickens and guineas, we keep the chickens out of the garden with 5 foot fence, but the guineas get in the garden and the yard and really clean up ticks and fleas.

[plantwomyn]

13. For those close to a medium size town

solicit your favorite restaurant chef. They will tell you what they want. Heirloom tomatoes sell well to Family owner restaurants that change their menus with the season. Peppers, lettuce and herbs too. Just don't bite off more than you can chew. Bring them in a basket of fresh vegies and they go nuts. I have two chefs right now and I am a starting Aquaponic set up this spring. I'm waiting for the snow to stop to put the plastic on the new greenhouse. MMM fresh fish.

[greenbird]

14. Thank you plantwomyn

I just saw your reply - I've been away for awhile. Great advice.