JOIN NOW LOG IN
iVillage GardenWeb iVillage GardenWeb THE INTERNET'S GARDEN & HOME COMMUNITY ADVERTISEMENT
Blogs Forums Photo Galleries Ask The Experts Tools & Directories        
Return to the Market Gardener Forum | Post a Follow-Up

 o
organic profits

Posted by richie_glynn hp225qq (My Page) on
Sat, Feb 5, 05 at 6:23

I am new to organic vegetable gardening, though not new to gardening in general. We live in Buckinghamshire England. The available garden area is about 40x30ft I have a green house and cold frames.

I grow enough vegetables to support 4 adults year-round, organically. I however have some left over. I mainly grow tomatoes, letuce, herbs, carrots, potatoes

How do I market distribute and sell these?

What is the most profitable way to sell the excess?
What vegetables would be most profitable?

Is growing seedlings more profitable?

Any ideas on what else to plant that would yeald more profit for a small area like mine?

Should I be looking for things that will dry, freeze, or can well - or keep well in a cellar or is it better to grow and sell within the season the crop is produced?

I'd really appreciate any comments or suggestions. all I want to do is sell off my excess so I can pay for next years crop and have a little profit please let me know.

Many Thanks.


Follow-Up Postings:

 o
RE: organic profits

Hi,

I hope you hear from someone in England who can address the laws there.

Here, there are a variety of applicable rules. The most stringent of them apply to processed (ie canned, dried, or frozen) food. Usually you need a certified (inspected and licensed) kitchen in order to be able to sell those kinds of products to the general public.

My first step would be to try to sell to friends and neighbors: people who may have already experienced your wonderful produce and are less likely to make a stink if something goes awry.

Failing that, is there a garden store or natural food store with a bulletin board where you could post a notice?

In the states, tomatoes are easy to sell and relatively profitable. Potatoes are hard to sell at a price that reflects the amount of work that goes into them, primarily digging and washing (consumers here won't accept unwashed potatoes, even though they keep better). Carrots have the same problem. Herbs and seedlings sell for relatively high prices but only make sense if you can sell a large quantity at once, perhaps to a restaurant or a small store.

I imagine it is too late to start annual seedlings for the spring market there, but you might watch this year to see what is available, what is missing, where might like to carry seedlings that you would grow (again, a small store?), and what the going price is.

Good luck!

Katey


 
 

 

 


Click here to learn more about in-text links on this page.



iVillage GardenWeb: The Internet's Garden & Home Community  
  iVillage Home & Garden Network