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innisfail_gw

Marketing Rhubarb , what works and what does not !!!

innisfail
12 years ago

I am trying to figure out how to market all our Rhubarb .

I have tried KIJIJI on the internet, stalkes only for only $ 1.00 per Kilo ( with limited succses )

Thinking of the farmers market, but how do you make Rhubarb somewhat exciting ?

I was thinking of just some bundles or maybe cut and frozen ( which would be a bit more money because of the labor )

Since I am not a full-time gardener, I do not want to upset other vendors with my prices, but I would like to just a piece of the pie .

Any idea's on what works and what does not ?

Thanks

Comments (23)

  • boulderbelt
    12 years ago

    I sell 1/2 pound bundles of rhubarb for $3 a bundle and generally sell out at the farmers market and my farm store. no need to sexify it as the people who love rhubarb will buy it with no sales pitch.

  • myfamilysfarm
    12 years ago

    I have a scale and in the past have sold both in bundles and separate. Separate took more time for people to choose the stalks, but worked better. Also, I found, DON'T take a large amount, for my former market no more than 10-20# for any 1 market day.

    Some receipes help for those people that don't know rhubarb.

    Marla

  • little_minnie
    12 years ago

    Rhubarb generally sells out for me in minutes- except if one stalk has any kind of blemish or crack mind you. I do about 3/4# bundles for $3. It is $4/lb at the grocery store in high season.
    The only thing is do you already sell at market or what? Because I wouldn't think about just bringing rhubarb. Baked goods, jams and jellies sell well at market, but you need a lot of product to start at market.

  • innisfail
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks for the great ideas.

    My remaining "first cut" will go to a "soup kitchen"
    They are getting to BIG !!!

    Hopefully I an try your ideas on my second cut.

    Our local markets do not except baked goods,homemade pies and jellies unless your kitchen is government inspected .
    But those little pies are expensive here ( $ 10-$12 each )

    I have more than 80 plants, so rhubarb is plentyfull, our other veggies are for home use .

    I have never sold at a local market, kinda exciting I guess, for me the thrill is that somebody getting my produce and enjoying it is priceless ( I guess that's why I am a farmer )

    The funny part is I dislike the taste of rhubarb, but just enjoy growing it very much. ( splitting rhubarb plants and expanding .)

  • myfamilysfarm
    12 years ago

    You do realize that you don't have to cut it all at once. I usually cut just enough for that day's worth of sales.

    Marla

  • oregonwoodsmoke
    12 years ago

    Have you tried contacting local restaurants? Maybe they would like to feature some locally grown rhubarb desserts.

  • innisfail
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    We have tried different things .
    But rhubarb is not a popular thing here .
    Most restaurants want their produce from one supplier ( I kinda understand that ) Had a pie making outfit order a large bunch ( we cut and processed it ) and than not take it, so I had a freezer full of it .

    Most of my first batch is gone, so I might start preparing for a farmer's market .

  • little_minnie
    12 years ago

    You don't cut, you pull.

  • innisfail
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Well almost ready for round 2, let's hope for the best .

  • jcatblum
    12 years ago

    Here people don't know what rhubarb is. DH is from up north & loves it. A lady at church brought a rhubarb cake in & about 1/4 of the crowd was scared to taste it & at least 1/4 that did take a slice picked out the rhubarb! I have seen rhubarb roots go for what I would consider big $$$$ on ebay. I plan on trying to purchase some in the spring myself. Think a med priority mail box was going for about $20 plus shipping.

  • innisfail
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    We have been able to market the plants, instead of the stalkes @ $ 10.00 each .
    Stalkes is still a struggle, and I have so much of it . LOL !!!

  • innisfail
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    So it has been a while,but here is an update .
    Still growing lots of rhubarb, and selling some more .

    Still whole plants, not a whole lot, but still they make decent money, and we have been " marketing " rhubarb and other extra veggies thru facebook buy/sell in our area .

    We seem to do well if we pick a basket and put it on facebook, instead of people ordering certain amounts .

    Have not been left with much veggies '' going to waste ''
    It does help being close to a big city .

  • gama_garden_tx
    10 years ago

    Thanks for providing an update & the bumping up this post. I just planted Rhubarb seeds (I know it will be a while before first crop). Thanks!

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    I've always been able to sell the stalks. This year, I don't have the plants, so I'm buying. I'm not reselling, but canning and preserving more for my own use and possibly use for preserves to sell.

  • brittanyw
    10 years ago

    For people less familiar with rhubarb, it might be helpful to market them alongside, or with, strawberries since they're so often cooked together. Maybe with a recipe for a crumble or pie. I know I'm helpless when I see them together at the store.

  • innisfail
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Just updating:
    2013 was a very good rhubarb year, sales where increasing .
    Hopefully 2014 will be even better .
    Although my Rhubarb was as off today still under 3 ft of snow .
    ( It is only April 5, 2014 )
    Should have 90 or more plants producing this year . ( None for my own use as I do not LIKE rhubarb at all to eat .)

  • EbullientUs
    9 years ago

    Would you have a few rhubarb divisions you are willing to part with?

  • innisfail
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I think it might be tough to ship divisions to the U.S., I do not know the rules, since I am in Canada , but if you are interested I have plenty of seeds from this year if that would work for you . More than willing to help you out .

  • EbullientUs
    9 years ago

    Seeds would be wonderful!!! I can send money via paypal to cover the shipping. Just let me know :)

  • theripetomatofarm
    9 years ago

    Hey innisfail, congrats on the rhubarb sales, keep it up!

    When you said you sold them through Facebook, do you deliver to people or do they pick it up at your house?

  • azloafer
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I am looking for fresh rhubarb stalks right from the garden and shipped to my home in Arizona. I love rhubarb right from the plant. No seeds or crowns or whatever, just fresh rhubarb stalks. Of course I realize that I have to pay for overnight shipping. I am having an operation soon and the surgeon says rhubarb is out after this surgery! I would like about 15 stalks. azloafer@cox.net

    August 23, 2015

  • loewenzahn
    8 years ago

    Strange. Rhubarb is a mainstay for me in spring. For a decent rhubarb tart you need one kilo. Otherwise you cook it up to compote with cinnamon and lemon rind and it is delicious. You can make wine out of it too which I didn't do so far.

  • Kevin Stanton
    2 years ago

    I'm looking for how to sell it under US Commodity pricing, because I volunteer for a local food shelf, and they just got USDA funding approval. I could probably produce 2 pickup loads per week once allowed. I put in about 500 plants 3 years ago, and it sits about 2-3 feet above the water table, so it gets woody (5' leaf to root) about every other week, so I pick every leaf then repeat on the plants I select for myself, and dump a lot along the road in a wheelbarrow pile for whoever wants some. Some people come up to the house to pay for it with money in the door (i.e. $20, $50, et al), but it would be nice to get a real buyer, so I can sell by the pickup loads.

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