looks real nice jay. Hope you have a great season.

things are rocking in the hightunnel. tomatoes are growing like weeds.

Everything looks really nice. Last Saturday was our second Saturday market, but we did better than the 1st. Of course we had strawberries from southern IL, but it was COLD, probably almost as cold as you were, Jay.

Where do you get your jellies? Care to share ordering info? OR do you do your own?

I make all my own Jellies. It is just a small part of my business, but it allows me to have product to sell all year long. I sell a bunch of jelly in November and December.

My specialty is Pepper Jellies. Red, Yellow, Green and Purple Jalapeno (all from different colors of peppers), Orange, Red, Chocolate, and White Habanero.

Confetti (apricot, pepper, red onion combination). Grape and Apple Pie Jam.

All my peppers are the ones that don't sell or are too small or aren't perfect. I use all of the peppers that I grow. Very few are wasted. The apples are from my Father in law or other local growers. The grapes come from my FIL too. I can't argue with free!

This area of my business has the most potential to grow. I have people willing to stock my product, but I will need to produce it in a certified kitchen and do a little bit more. While I want to do it, now isn't the time.

Thanks for asking!

Jay

Wow - the confetti jam you sell sounds terrific!

When I get a real yard someday (currently just .3 acres in the suburbs), I'll have to make hoop houses. I've been enjoying looking at your pictures of them so much, and I'm jealous of the tomatoes you show in your pictures here!!

I hope it's warmer for you this Saturday :)

Jill

Myfamilysfarm, do you know if the Indiana state regulations are the same for homemade jams and jellies as they are for homemade baked goods for sale at farmer's markets? I think you were the one that posted last year that the state of Indiana had changed the law to allow homemade baked goods that were made in your home kitchen were allowed to be sold at the farmer's markets. Then again, I may have you mixed up with someone else.

jrslick, wish I had set ups like your's. The pictures were great.

From what I've heard, the jams and jellies are stricter and must be from a certified kitchen. My market requires the certified kitchen.

Yes, Indiana passed a law exempting farmer market vendors from needing a certified kitchen, but my county's board of health requires it. Different counties have different rules, and you must obey the rules of the county that the market is in.

Marla

Love the pictures of the hanging baskets, what variety tomatoes are you using? Along with selling veggies and plants at a farmers market I also sell potted plants to a supermarket.

The hanging baskets are Tumbling Toms. One yellow and one red. They are bred to preform in hanging baskets. I am very happy with them. They preform well, produce a lot of tomatoes and produce all season long. The tomatoes are sweet and delicious. This year we grew 100 of them. Last year we had 50 and sold out in three weeks. This year, different economy, bad early markets (rain, very cold, storms and etc) we haven't sold as many. However, I still keep taking them. They have tomatoes set on them. The ones I don't sell we will continue to grow and harvest from. They will pay for themselves.

Jay