While I don't know if you are wanting to change your business model, but I would suggest that you look at locallygrown.net. It is a way you can set up a farmers market/farmstand up and work on selling things without the expense of running an actual stand.

I am planning on using it with several other growers to cut out one of my Farmers Markets I attend.

Just an idea.

Jay

Here is a link that might be useful: Locally Grown

I'm looking to increase my profit also this year. Marketing will be our main income. I'm looking at possibly adding more market days. I've already reduced the amount of seeds that I'm purchasing this year, I will be using up what leftover seed that I have from prior years. I will be retailing more plants than previous years.

I have signed up for the locallygrown.net and am waiting, not patiently, til I have something to sell.

My market will be having mini-markets and I hope to attend. I won't have alot, but it's not costing me anything extra except gas and time to be there.

Thank You Jay!
A very good possibility for additional sales, Locally Grown. I consider marketing the most important task I have, way ahead of taking care of such things as colorado potatoe beetles. My mind never rests from it. Your good sugestion becomes scary as this very idea is what I have been working on for the past few weeks. We already have a web page(klemmspikespeak.com) which is not being used to its potential. I have been laying out a vegetable reserve plan on paper and my dear wife will graciously get it on line(maybe). I will be offering future(july-aug.-sept.) produce for reserve in larger quantities besides the next week pick-up kitchen vegetables. I have closed down one farm stand location this year to cut expense and hope the NET will pick-up some of this lost volume cheaper. So I now have one farm-stand located 10 feet from the road and the growing patch and plan on getting a mobile(trailer) on the road for special events and one to two days a week. I am open 7 days a week with the main stand and would lose customers if I shortened that schedule. It is a lot of work but thats what we all like,,,right? I have started classified ad this week directing readers to our web page($18.95 p/wk.) Hopefully with about $400.00 of advertising I can increase my sales by $20,000.00. This direction I'am heading doesnot mean that I have it all figured out, I still NEED all of your good sugestions as I'am constantly trying to improve marketing effectively. bye tonytiller

w

Thanks tony, I didn't think about future ordering. I don't have a web page, haven't sat down to figure that part of the net out.

We are uppotting tomatoes today into 4" pots, many more than last year. Hoping to increase these sales without hurting the produce sales. Our community garden plots are increase 3x since last year, with alot of the spaces already reserved.

On your classified ad, is a weekly or daily paper? You could list them on craigslist also. This last year, our son/dil sold firewood and only advertised on craigslist. They had more business than they could handle. Plus it's free.

I agree about craigslist - it is free, and you can post every other day. I did get some bites from it.

Are you all listed on local harvest? It is also free, and if you list events, they email people in your area with your events every Wednesday. It is a great tool, and takes little time both to set up, and to keep up.

There is a link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Local Harvest

I've been on Local Harvest for years. I have only been contacted 2-3 times in all of the time. One was a relative that had lost my email.

I believe we are still on Local Harvest, probably needs to be updated since we get a annual call or two for a dressed muscovy duck, Dexter cow/calf, guinea hen/egg or whatever we no longer have and usually too many miles away to do any good. Craigslist I believe could be helpful, I will try that. Selling vegetable plants will not hurt your produce sales business. It will only help. I have the same people buying both. When it gets too hot in the patch the same customer stays in the kitchen and they are very grateful that you are still out there. They even buy more because these people realize what you are going through to keep the plants alive and fresh produce on the counter. The more of any attractive product that you can keep in front of your customer the more they come back and become part of your family if only for the wonderment of it all and to pass the good news on. It is the feeling of association with affiliation-Your Farm Stand is no longer yours but "ARS"...bye tonytiller

I've been selling a few plants for years, and now have regular customers that tell other people in Dollar General when to find me and to ONLY buy from me. I'm very grateful to customers like that. Last year, I noticed that my plant sales were up and the produce sales was down. I'm not sure if they are related or not. Hopefully it was just last year.

im brand new to the hole farm stand idea me and my neighbor would like to try it this year.. i myself have a son that will be 2 in july and she has 4 kids ranging 4 to 15 years old!! what would your take be on fresh chicken and duck and goose eggs any advice?