You have to have a NTEP certified scale to use for comercial sales - it has to be marked that or you can not get it certified by your state Weights and Measures department for use. There are a number of good scales on the market - we use a pair of CAS SW series scales - one a SW5 the other a SW20 (the difference it the maximum weight). They run on 6 D cell bats (or 110 volt if you have a plug in) which we have to change maybe once a year. Their pretty bullet-proof as far as taking a beating (when we recertified this year the inspector said one of the scales was off .001 lb at 10 lb). We use small buckets to hold the produce in the scale (ever try to weigh a pile of tomatoes on a flat scale) by putting the bucket on the scale then using the Tare button the set the scale to zero. That way you are not adding the weight of the bucket to the total. The CAS scales are not too expensive (you can find them online for around $150 if you look and even less used).

Something that is really helpful when using a scale is to have a chart with the price/weight chart next to the scale (.3 lb = $.75, 2.7 lb = 6.75 ect) in .1 lb increments. We have several charts for different prices/lb laminated and get out the charts we need on any given day. It makes it so much faster and, for us math challenged, accurate.

We are running $2.50/lb on toms right now but will probably come down to $2.00 later in the year as more come on the market. We still sell grape toms by the pint as it is just easier.

Tom

When you sell by the pound it increases the time you have to take care of each customer and to add up their purchase and make change. It also leads to more hand bruising as they choose their fruit. Quickly putting them into quart baskets saves time and making change. This is important to me in a solo operation.
I sell my heirlooms at only $2.50 per quart during the main season. Same price for a pint of cherries. I have to put stickers on the non-red ones so people know what they are. They are getting better though.

I sell all my tomatoes by the pound. I weigh them all, give change and I am a one man operation. I have multiple large bowls that have a tshirt bag already pulled over it. This way people can select their tomatoes, put them in the bowl (already bagged up) and then I can weigh them and give them a total. I am never waiting on the scales, I am always waiting on the money. I can put about 5 pounds in a bowl, which is usually the maximum amount people buy.

I am selling them for $2.50 a pound or 5 pounds for $10. I have a huge glut of tomatoes at this time.

Cherries are all in Pint boxes and I sell them for $3.00 a pint. When I have large numbers, I sometimes will do 2 for $5.

I am usually so busy I never have time to fill quart boxes, so I set out 20-30 pound tubs of tomatoes and the customers can choose their own.

It works for me.

Jay

I find that it takes MORE time to put into qts versus selling per pound, and when you're are selling 1,000 #s per market day (2 people dedicated to tomato area), every second counts. I haven't had that many people purposedly bruise any. Usually if they drop one, they take that one and apologize about it.

Even the cherries, I found that if I had alot, I would sell by the pound. Or I offered people to fill their own baskets.

One vendor that I known, sells both ways. She's isn't at a farmers market, so has plenty of space, but never more than 10 customers at one time. She sets some qt boxes out on a shelf out away from from her usual stand. the people pick up a box, then she weighs what the customer brings to her. They MUST buy the entire basket, but she still weighs.

Basically, if you sell by pound, you will get a more accurate amount for your product. Baskets or individual, no matter what size, will always be different weights. So it is your choice, how much money do you what to make? Are you willing to work alittle harder to make more?

Yes a scale will cost you some money, but you will make that back very quickly.

Marla

i sell them by weight, now for 3.50/lb at the market and 2.75/lb from home. sometimes when there's a lul at the market i'll take some of the smaller toms and put them in quart containers, weigh them and price them to next round number. this is when there are a lot of toms at the market which is not the case right now. some customers like the grab and go of prepackaging.

I sell cherries by the quart and the pint. I find customers a much more willing to pay 5 per quart than $6 for two pints. I package both ways, but MOST people will take a pulp quart over a pint.

I also provide free samples as I sell six different kinds of cherry tomatoes and six kinds of large size tomatoes. Using the sample method I have increased my customer base by around 50% and my sales. Many people are curious about what an item they would like to buy tastes like. I find this builds good will. I only have problems with children who think it is the salad bar. This lead to a small sign that says "FREE SAMPLES - One per customer please".

Most of the other vendors are unwilling to offer samples and so they loose out on sales. I will sometimes purchase other vendors produce just to see what it tastes like. I find that I am VERY picky about what I will sell and wind up tossing what many vendors put in the bottom of their containers.

Sell quality at a fair price and you will have repeat customers.

I found that pints are good IF you have several older customers or people that are the only tomato eater.

Are you allowed to give samples? We give samples but cannot call it that. We will let a customer 'try' something but don't say sample.

I don't think Health Dept has a problem with people taking a cherry tomato to pop in their mouth, but if you slice a big tomato you need a permit.

As long as you don't cut it, you are able to give samples. Cutting it is where the line is drawn.