As the winter season is here, we are all probably wishing for an early spring. If you are like me, you are already making plans for next year and maybe already ordering seed.

I have a couple of questions for you. I think I know my answers, but it would be nice to hear others opinions.

1) Is it better to be the big fish in a little pond or a little fish in a big pond?

I am thinking about changing my markets I go to. Currently I go to three small markets a week. They are 3-40 miles from my home. They are smaller markets in smaller towns. I am the largest seller or one of the largest seller at them. I could switch two of these markets and go to a larger town, but I would lose my customer base and have to start all over in this new town. I know lots of people in the Bigger new town, (I use to teach there and my wife works there) but I would also have more competition. Should I help grow my small town markets and stay where I am at or try the larger one? The reason I would go to the larger market is to be able to sell more and make more money.

2) Should I try to get local Mom and Pop restaurants to buy produce from me, even at a cheaper price?

I have not approached any of these places, but I know I have a superior product to what they use and sell.

3) How to know when big enough is big enough?

I want to grow my business. I enjoy it so much! I enjoy being with people and working outside. I am a teacher and I kind of have the tale of two lives. All spring, summer and into the fall, I am a Market Gardener. In the Fall, winter and Spring I am a teacher. I need the extra income from teaching, but I know if I change markets and grow more, I could probably make more market gardening than teaching. That is really sad to say, but it is the truth. However, one late freeze or really bad hailstorm/tornado, I would be out of luck and needing real job again.

If you have any advice or are in similar situations, I would love to hear them.

Thanks!

We sell produce at 2 markets, and to 2 restaurants. Chefs pay the same as market customers on most items, while other items they pay about 20% less than market prices. The good thing about working with restaurants is that you know your product is sold, and you don't have to worry about bringing home piles of produce that did not sell at the market. Adding restaurants will allow you to move more produce without sacrificing your current markets.

Anyway - that is how I look at it. I know some growers don't like to work with restaurants, but to me it is a guaranteed income, and reduces the likelihood of having produce go to waste.

alan-in-calhoun-il:
I am glad to hear I am not the only teacher who moonlights as a Market Gardener. I agree that it is nice to have the extra income from the garden, and that is the money that we use to finish projects in our house. Two years ago it was the basement bathroom and finishing the basement, last year it was a woodstove and all the parts. You do bring up a good point about insurance. My wife works for the state and I would be able to go onto hers, but it still makes me think.

I am going to grow my Jelly business next year. I have several small stores that want to stock my stuff, I just have to get all the regulations done.

ekgrows: I wish there was an upscale restaurant on the way to my markets. There isn't anything between my town and the two towns they are in except Highway. I live in North Central Kansas and I don't think a Wendy's, Sonic or Subway is going to buy tomatoes from me. I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask. I do agree that working with restaurants is a good way to know your product is sold. I hate bringing things home. The best days I have is when I get home, I bring in the tables, empty tubs and empty coolers. Then I know I have a big fat money box.

Maybe I should try the restaurant thing and see what happens.

Thanks,

Jay

When my husband was a teacher, it worked very well for us to use our school as a great source of customers. Maybe you don't yet have a "farm to school" program there, becoming your school's supplier of some vegetables, but we also had school tours come out for a few dollars a head (a few hundred x $5) had a fall harvest festival, and were thinking of on-farm nature classes with kids. This caused local parents to want to buy more from our farm via either road-side stand or CSA