TURN YOUR GARDEN SURPLUS INTO CASH . . . AT THE FARMERS' MARKET

(Page 5 of 5)

May/June 1978
by JAN RIGGENBACH 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

And think about lining up other outlets for your produce too. Otherwise, what'll you do with the 25 melons that ripen the day after your selling trip to town?

RELATED CONTENT

"Sacks, sacks, sacks. Please find me some sacks! " We saved every paper bag we could get our hands on for a year before we opened our stand . . . and still ran out within three weeks! A surplus store—"paper sacks, 20¢ a pound"—was our salvation.

Both you and your vegetables will last longer in the shade. We always set a pole frame and canvas cover up over our pickup truck's bed.

The all-out effort to get ready for market—even just once a week—can be a big drain on your time and energy. If you're afraid the pace will exhaust you too quickly, think about concentrating on a specialty crop that you can harvest and sell just a few weeks a year.

Plan to take only your "perfects" into town. (Vegetables that need trimming can feed your family.) And brace yourself for a few inevitable sneers about prices . . . even though you'll know there's absolutely no danger that your produce business will ever make you rich.

On the other hand, you also can expect that most of your customers will be a delight. They will! I had figured that the majority of our shoppers would be large families looking for food bargains. Instead, 75% of the clientele turned out to be older folks. Perhaps because Omaha's market is located downtown, close to some older neighborhoods. Or, perhaps, because—in the main—only older people now remember what really fresh, homegrown food tastes like . . . and are not afraid to buy such produce and thank you for the privilege.

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

Please note that there is currently a problem with the comments function and your comment may or may not post successfully. We are working to correct the problem and thank you for your patience. 

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Mother Earth News readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.