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vegetable packing
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Posted by prmsdlndfrm southern IN (prmsdlndfrm@aol.com) on Mon, Nov 23, 09 at 18:15
realy looking for info on packing vegetables for market.
Ive been selling my vegetables fresh from the field in boxes no cooling or washing or anything. Within a few hours of harvest theyre in Indy being packed washed etc. But Id like to earn that extra 15%, so I need to transform a barn into a work area so any ideas would be greatly appreciated
josh |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: vegetable packing
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| Couple of questions first, are you selling to vendors or a broker? A vendor at a farmers market might be alittle more lenient on the boxes used. Brokers want certain boxes for certain veggies. I have bought from both. My farmer supplier used tomato boxes for everything smaller than cantalopes. The brokers used tomato boxes, new, only for tomatoes. There are suppliers on boxes. I recommend Monte Packaging out of MI, and Niles Packaging, out of Niles, MI. Both have good boxes. I don't know of any other ones in IN. I'm northwest of Indy about 1 hr. If you have an Amish Produce Auction nearby, check if they will sell you some boxes. They ship large amounts in and then will sell to the growers. You will pay more, but not enough if you don't need a full pallet. |
RE: vegetable packing
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Im selling to a grocer. Friendly Foods youve probably heard of them theyre down your way , a real up and coming outfit
josh |
RE: vegetable packing
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| Never heard of them. Kroger and Marsh has my area pretty tied up. I do a farmers market in Lafayette, but have worked with growers from Tell City, IN to Berrien Springs, MI. I learned alot from a grower in Vincennes, used to see him 3 times per week until the gas price got over $2/gallon. At that point, it wasn't cost effective to buy and then sell some of his product. I was spending 3 days on the road, 4 partial days at market and not NEAR enough time in the fields. I cut back to within 50 miles of me, 1-2 partial days 'visiting' and 3 days at market and more time in the fields. |
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