For me, it's always been tomatoes. The regular slicing type, definitely NOT heirlooms (people think they're ugly).

I also do well with zucchini, all sizes from tiny ones to the baseball bats.

I can always sell strawberries, no matter what price I put on them, 2 years ago it was $5-6/qt.

I'm going to try some Best Boy (I picked up seed last year) for the people who don't like heirlooms (like my mom).

Hope I have strawberries, I'll have to see what they're selling for here. I was selling my uncle's cultivated blueberries (he doesn't remember what types he planted, they're probably as old as I am) for $4/pint, I sell my wild blackberries for $5/pint, might up that to $6 and sell the cultivated ones for $5, not sure about raspberries but maybe $6? Raspberries are super $$ in stores.

I don't plan on making much jam, some people complain about $6/halfpint for that but I have to take cost of jar, sugar, electricity, label into account. Just as much profit (or more) and less work selling the berries.

I've found that I can make the jelly in pints for just alittle more than the 1/2 pints. People think they get a much better deal. To me, the price of the jars is a big part of the jelly. When I was buying the 1/2 pints I was paying $6-8/dozen and I know that price has gone UP. I figure my jars are worth $1 each and if I don't get them back, I have to replace them.

I would only 'do up' the berries into jam/jelly if they didn't sell. As soon as I got home, I slip them into the freezer to process later. I like to make the jelly during the colder months, so that it will help heat the house.

I would love to find some sugar-free tasty recipes that don't use sugar substitutes. Hubby's diabetic.

I only make jam/jelly if berries don't sell. But since I don't use pectin (for most things) I find they set better in halfpints. I haven't bought jelly jars in a while so I don't know what they're up to now, it was $8/dozen (but I also was only buying when I had coupon or on sale). I have tons of old pints, but since the jars cost about the same, I figure there's a greater profit in half pints since I can't sell a pint for twice the half pint price minus the cost of 1 jar.

Try Pomona pectin - it sets using calcium (and some people say it's a little gritty, I haven't used it) or the Ball no-sugar/low-sugar pectin. I've used the Ball for pepper jellies with apple juice and just a small amount of sugar, if there is any kind of juice he can drink you can try making jelly from that, and any kind of fruit he likes too (except melon and other low-acid stuff like figs you'd have to find approved recipe and that might be tough with no sugar). I'm thinking berries for jam might not need (too much?) sweetener, grapes (at least my wild grapes) would probably be too sour. Does he like apple butter? I make mine with no added sugar (or pectin), if the apples are too tart I just add lots of spice.

Post over on Harvest for diabetic recipes - I'm sure you'll get some responses.

I picked up some organic lemons yesterday, going to make lemon-ginger marmalade for a friend, might as well process the blackberries from 2011 (if they're still good) and maybe the blueberries too while I've got the canner out. Still waiting to hear if that market will take me for my berries (but allow me to sell veggies too). Maybe I have to "remind" them that I also have jams and jellies, they told me in fall they were looking for a vendor who had those.

Not the top seller but profit per effort is Basil, I cut one stand for 4 or 5 months last year. Tomatoes have been good too. Carrots are excellent, it's so dry here though sometimes it takes a lot of effort to get a good stand up.

Green beans can move pretty good, I snap them up and give samples when I need to move a lot of them.

Yes, I'm planting more green beans this year - if they don't sell, we'll eat them (1 market was canceled last year due to tornado watch, I blanched and froze 6 lbs of green beans and they were much better than Birdseye).

I didn't have luck with basil last year - or any herb in fact, after I spent $1.50 for starts (that's 1 plant!). Only thing that really took off was oregano, and I didn't know how to bring it to market. Any tips?

We're trying carrots again this year, they were tiny (miniscule!) last year so I think I just have to plant them earlier as well as water them well.. I bought Scarlet Nantes. Any tips there (I know they need loose kind of sandy, not stony, soil to grow straight)?

I really can't imagine selling more oregano than basil. I started my own seeds, and even sold some excess plants a few will pay for all the startup stuff. I pick the basil tops about 4-6' down and bunch 3-5 with a rubber band. They go straight into a tub of cool water in which there is an upside down 72 cell tray that holds each bunch separate at the stems. Then I put a light towel over it that has been soaked in water and wrung out. At the stand I just pull the towel back enough to display a few rows of basil. It looks amazing. Last year was $2 or 3 for 5 and sold out or nearly so every time.

Carrots do like finer soil . I have the perfect soil for carrots actually. I think it is sandy loam leaning towards sandy. I don't fertilize if following a recent crop that was kept well fed.

Undoubtably--asparagus. I currently have 700 plants and can't begin to meet demand. It's a relatively small investment for a crop will continue to give long after I'm gone--and there is essentially no care. All I do is mow between the rows and let it do its thing. The hardest part is the 2 year wait to harvest. All berries are profitable but require lots more work, time, structures, etc.

Next to asparagus for me is winter squash. I sell the blossoms all summer and continue selling the squash through fall, winter, and into the following spring. Seed is inexpensive, and the crop is durable. It takes up a lot of space though.

I don't mean the oregano sold better than basil, it was just the only herb that I've been able to grow without dying or bolting.

I am going to try starting my own seed this year. A friend grows wonderful cilantro, says it's easy but mine never came up in 2011 (too wet?) and the starts bolted in 2012. I have basil and dill seeds bought in 2011 as well, might as well start them in the house and then try transplanting. When would you start them and transplant them (how many weeks before last frost)?

Sorry, had started typing reply to rustico but got sidetracked re-making some grape jelly that hadn't set (since Oct). Agree with asparagus, my uncle grew it at old house, I should ask him how to prep beds and just set space aside. Even if I'm not in business 2 years from now, I like it ;-)

Sorry, had started typing reply to rustico but got sidetracked re-making some grape jelly that hadn't set (since Oct). Agree with asparagus, my uncle grew it at old house, I should ask him how to prep beds and just set space aside. Even if I'm not in business 2 years from now, I like it ;-)

If I had a fall/winter market I'd sell winter squash, but don't know that it would keep til following June (or that anyone would want it in summer).

If I had a late fall market (after Labor Day) definitely winter squash. I couldn't keep enough. I'd produce 20 bushel of each variety and sell at least 18 bushel no matter what year.

Ajsmama,

It'f funny with last frost, our day is March 15 but nights warm up very slowly other than that. Most the nations night time lows will be higher than those of the california mountains and foot hills in a matter of a month or two.

Last year I planted it with some tomatoes under agribon 19 and it did fine so we will try in a few weeks. I have a 72 cell and a 38 cell tray going for that. It's growing slowly in a south facing window with a few trips outside on nicer days.

Love the posts. Thank you. How do you package and sell winter squash blossoms? When you cut the Basil from the top is it 6 inches right?

I have found my best seller last year was tomato? I had bushels and sold and gave away a lot to my family. I canned and froze a lot too for sauces too. I tried for direct planting of seeds for lettuce heads but will start this year early because they turned bitter before I could get a good harvest.

I was going to focus on getting in a lot of asparagus from seed. Is it still two years til a good harvest?

I believe it is 3 years from seed for asparagus. I can't wait until my asparagus is ready. No one at my market sells it, mostly because the only perennials they invest in are trees.

Best seller: Pickling cukes.

Most profitable: Genovese Basil. Which doesn't make much sense to me because it grows so easily here...you would think everyone would be growing it. Start of season: $1/sprig, midseason: $2/bunch (3-4 six inch stems in a bunch).

Do you think I'm pricing my basil so low, since I always sell out compared to the other basil growers at my market? I bring about the same amount as they do.

Desirae, THe basil is about 15 inches tall when I first start cutting it and so as not to be too agressive the first cutting are probably around 4" inches. As the days get longer and warmer it takes off I can make longer cutting but don't go over 6" because it works for my display. You can't let the flowers takeover the will probably have to be pinched mid-week. A week between cutting per stand of basil seems perfect.

I should say that , with the 72 cell set up, not every cell gets a bunch.....about half of the cells must be skipped to fit the bunches.

I find that every year is different for me in my garden. Some years different crops just do great and others not so good. Last year beans did poorly for whatever reason and Garlic did better than ever before. Blueberries are also this way. some years I have more than I know what to do with the next year I might have to work hard for a gallon. It seems to me that a person needs to grow several things. I keep expanding my garden so I have plenty of whatever does well that year to take up the slack if anything has a bad year.

Russ - so you plant out your basil around the same time as tomatoes? Do you start it at the same time as the tomato seed? I'm going to have to try that.

Basil doesn't take as long from seed to harvest as tomatoes.

If you are selling out before everyone else, chances are your prices are lower. Always check your competition's prices. then it's your decision whether to increase your prices or not.

I always tried to price my produce at a price that I thought was reasonable even if the other vendors thought my pricing were too low. I don't feel that we as vendors should charge outrageous prices, but prices that are reasonable and profitable to us. This made me the place to buy, but other vendors didn't like the idea.

Marla, I sold more because the basil was beautiful and the care is better. Not bragging, that's just a fact on this particular item. I put it front and center on my table.

Ajsmamam,

I do start the basil at the same time, it is ready to sell
earlier than tomatoes , but I don't care about that timing. If you do it's a consideration. The basil keeps producing so you can load up you freezer with pesto if waiting for a market to start. I would do make sure a good bed of basil was getting established. Maybe not rush too much, but get it going sooner rather than later if you have the space.

I'll plant it several times, but last year the first batch produced a long time. The other stands helped give the first batch a break every now and then, but were not as productive.

The basil is more cold sensitive than tomatoes, so it is risky to plant outside early even under row cover , as I intend. As a precaution some plants will be potted up and held back for later planting and for selling at market. Those will be held in passive or heated cold frames or in a south window or brought in at night and put out in the day according to what mother nature does and what space is available.

Desirae, I pick only the male blossoms( they only bloom for one day before falling off anyway) early in the morning and put them in a cooler to let the bees and bugs escape. I then put them in a Ziplock and into the fridge. They will keep for several days. Winter squash and pumpkins make the best blossoms. I'll advertise them on my mailings, and I have agreement w/my restaurant for anywhere from 500-1200 per week, depending on demand. I'll also take a few to the market and sell them there. My fruit production has never been hurt by harvesting all those males either.

If you are going to the effort of planting asparagus for sales, I would advise going w/roots and the all male varieties. The long term production from them is significantly greater. The purple variety is impressive too. You'll get huge stalks, a lot of them, and it's recommended they be planted closer together. Planting seeds means you don't know what the plants have crossed with and you'll likely get a preponderous number of females, which expend a lot of energy making seeds rather than stalks. Actually, you'll still get roughly 25% females w/the supposed "all male" varieties as it is. There are some places you can get good roots at a great price--ie Simmons in Ark and DeBruyn in Mich.

Russell, I understand about something doing well for a person. We had lots of vendors with basil, too much competition for more at that market. I do like the idea of the plug tray as a display helper. Thinking it might work with other herb springs or small bouquets.

Brook, that alot of blossoms, just for your restaurant. I would definitely only pick the male blossoms. Do you have a good recipe for them??

Green beans and wax beans are always profitable for me. Yes they do take longer to pick. I can pick a 3/8 bushel basket in 30 mins. I sell them for $2.50/qt and will sell around 30 quarts on a decent day.

Have you ever measured how many pounds are in your quarts. I try to keep my bean price are $3 or more, but 1 vendor won't go about $1-1.50 per pound. Wax beans only will sell to certain people, so I don't plant many.

I think they are around 1.5 pounds but I'm not positive. I pile them high on the days I have a lot. I sell almost as many wax as green. If I run out of the wax people are asking for them. Only thing I don't like about the wax is that the plants die out faster than the green. I only pick one planting for about 18 days. I have thought about raising the price to $3 but I'm not sure, they have been at $2.50 for 3 years.

It's hard to raise the price, maybe put 1 1/4# instead. that still raises your income, without the customers noticing it as much. At $2.50 for 1.5#, you are only getting $1.67 per pound. If you could/would sell the 1.25# in your quarts, you would be up to $2/lb.

Personally I won't sell mine for less than $2.50-3.00 per pound, I'll can them instead. With the price of food and whatever is included in those cans, I'll keep preserving. I'm also teaching my grandkids how to preserve.

Have you tried purple beans? they are tastier than regular green green beans. They are harder to sell in the beginner, but after people taste them, they'll ask for them. Also roma beans, I have 1 person that will take everything I can grow without questioning price.

I believe my best crop is onions and also garlic. Leeks do well to when I have them. Head leaf lettuce is up there as well. Also cake sold by the slice. After that I would say melons but I haven't had enough broccoli or taters to sell in 2 years so if I have that this year they may be up there with onions. I grow specialty potatoes or I would have to compete with the bigger growers. Kale is also gaining popularity.

I have given the purple some thought, perhaps I will try some this year. What do you sell yours for? I would imagine the purple beans give the market display some color..

Marla, the main variety of squash I plant is Tahitian butternut, which is like a neck pumpkin--only sweeter. Seeds are hard to find, so I save my own. It has a really nice blossom that he cleans, stuffs w/a goat cheese/herb mixture, batters in tempura, and fries. They're delicious. You can do a lot with them like make soup as well. It's easy and steady income for us from something that would go to waste otherwise. In the fall, I'll harvest a couple tons of the squash, which can get nearly 20 #, and sell 50 lbs a week until they're gone or get too bad to sell. I just ran out this week. By the way, his restaurant is featured on the cover of the 2013 Illinois Travel Guide. I'm really blessed to have this business.

I sold my purple beans for same price as green. If they didn't sell, that what I wanted to can for ourselves. Plus they are easier to pick, easier to see.

Brookw, I love neck pumpkin.