Advice for Farm Stand Newbies
Marquisa
19 years ago
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Comments (19)
anniew
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agochinamigarden
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Farm Produce Stand- What should we name it?
Comments (87)HI! I got a lovely email that this thread had been retrieved so I'm here to give an update! Actually, I've been so consumed with this project that I haven't even been to the forum. The store is going to open October 1!!!!! It's called "Southern Seasons" and it's in Shelbyville, TX. I actually got my LLC with Moo's Garden & Market but I found that I had to spell and explain too much with this name. Plus I kept getting mail addressed to Moose Gardens (?) I found Southern Seasons explained that concept much better. If someone will post the "code" on how to paste a picture I'll be happy to show you the progress. It's quite a transformation! It has been my passion to make this store THE store that I would want to shop at. It must have everything that I find enjoyable in a store. I think I might have done it, for the most part. First of all, we are all about the seasons. When we open in October I'm having a half a semi load of pumpkins delivered for sale and display. Their premium pumpkins from West Texas in all sizes shapes and colors. These bear NO resemblance to your Wal Mart or grocery store pumpkins. There is big and tiny, red and white and blue and orange, tall and fat and even some with warts! My husband and I bundled up corn shocks from our garden for decoration, I'm going to Louisiana for a load of barley and wheat straw bales. We'll have mums and snapdraggons, panseys, and fall garden veggie plants. The day after Thanksgiving, all the Fall stuff goes to the cows to enjoy and in comes the Fraser Firs from North Carolina. I'm getting table top sizes for my older customers who find large trees too much to deal with. Then comes spring with hanging baskets and beddding plants, fountains and bird baths, feeders, wind chimes, sun catchers etc. Back to October- Inside the store is seperated into two sections which I lovingly call womans world/man's world. The theme of the whole store is based on entertaining at home. Whether it's a formal dinner party, backyard cookout, or a cozy evening at home alone, I have what you need! - Let me explain! The ladies side will greet you when you walk in with a huge centerpiece of fresh cut flowers (which are for sale) and often times a fruit and vegetable centerpiece like a pomegranate and lemon topiary or such. I also carry Colonial Candles, and sachets and poporri from Sentations, candle sticks & georgeous table runners. Wine, iced tea, rocks, shot, martini glasses, pitchers, stirrers, decanters, swizzle sticks both silly and classic. Trays to carry your cup and saucer, the BEST music CD's ranging from jazz to love songs, books from Southern Lady publishing on entertaining and tabletops and flowers. Magazines also like Southern Lady, Taste of the South (Not taste of home) Victoria and Tea Time. On the counter you will find fresh muffins, cookies, croissants, cupcakes, fruitcakes, pies and bagles. Fresh hot coffee (perhaps cappaccino, I'm working on that) and you can take your coffee and muffin and go out on the back deck (20x24) and enjoy your coffee looking at the gardens and reading a magazine or newspaper. There will be a nice fountain and seasonal decor, of course. I want people to LOVE to be here! Man's world has Salty snacks like Real Virginia peanuts both in a can and in the shell, fresh fruits and vegetables grown localy and in from the Texas Rio Grand Valley, glass bottled cokes, the real can sugar Dr. Pepper from Dublin, TX. Deer corn and fall plot mixes. A meat counter with actual USDA PRIME BEEF! Yes, it's pricey but it's so difficult to find that I decided we MUST carry it for those who want something special. We'll have delicious smoked link sausage by the pound, and other food items that I'm still working on. I'm sure there's so much that I'm forgetting! It's a lot especially when you see that the store is so tiny but it will be loaded to the rafters which is what I wanted! Also, different yes, but I will NOT decorate for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving! This gives you a reason to come back often to see what is new with the decor and centerpieces and foods. Thank you all for your interest and please come and see me when we get open! It's going to be nothing if not interesting. I've got to go paint....again! Love, Moo!...See MoreSerious Newbie Needing Some Advice!
Comments (10)The more composted-type materials you can get into your soil, the better. Also, I agree that a couple hours of sun might not be enough for those sun loving plants. You might be able to grow some greens in some of the shadier areas, but those fruiting veggies need some sun to do well. You might want to put a couple of them in containers where they can get full sun. You can do any of those in pots, but the tomatoes are going to need at least a 5 gal bucket (preferably more). When I lived in AZ, my peppers did well in 5 gal. buckets (they dried out fast though). I have never tried a topsy turvy. Maybe you can do an experiment...one in the ground in your sunniest spot, one in a tub or bucket and one in the topsy turvy. See which one works best for you. Here is a link that might be useful: my zone 5 gardening blog...See MoreNewby farm owner, have existing pear/apple tree that look great,
Comments (9)Nice farm. The rest of my response does not address the orginal post question, but may it still will be of interest. At least the owner of the house shown in the photo does not have a significant other who instists on painting the house an electric pink color. There is a small acerage not too far outside of my city limits where I pass by when driving to see my daughter in a neighboring town. On the property is built a rather large, modern appearing, yet still definately farm style house. which is painted an electric pink color with white trim. Still, the barn and other farm implement sheds on the property are as red as the farm structure shown in your photo. It leads me to think that there probably are two distinctively different personalities living together on that property. The electric pink house and all the red barns and other buildings can be seen by anyone simply driving past the property. When ever I drive by and am drawn to look, at the property and buildings, it often makes me wonder if the farmer is the one with the more moderate personality, but has compromised with a significant other and agreed to the house being painted that seemingly excentric color. Then I cannot help but wonder, what other seemingly over the top items the farmer must have felt compelled to agree with, when it came to decorating the inside of the house. Good thing the occupants of that propety live on a farm, where city home owner's associations are not able to require their approval of the house paint color selection....See MoreFarm Stand-Expense,Profit
Comments (9)Thank You Jay! A very good possibility for additional sales, Locally Grown. I consider marketing the most important task I have, way ahead of taking care of such things as colorado potatoe beetles. My mind never rests from it. Your good sugestion becomes scary as this very idea is what I have been working on for the past few weeks. We already have a web page(klemmspikespeak.com) which is not being used to its potential. I have been laying out a vegetable reserve plan on paper and my dear wife will graciously get it on line(maybe). I will be offering future(july-aug.-sept.) produce for reserve in larger quantities besides the next week pick-up kitchen vegetables. I have closed down one farm stand location this year to cut expense and hope the NET will pick-up some of this lost volume cheaper. So I now have one farm-stand located 10 feet from the road and the growing patch and plan on getting a mobile(trailer) on the road for special events and one to two days a week. I am open 7 days a week with the main stand and would lose customers if I shortened that schedule. It is a lot of work but thats what we all like,,,right? I have started classified ad this week directing readers to our web page($18.95 p/wk.) Hopefully with about $400.00 of advertising I can increase my sales by $20,000.00. This direction I'am heading doesnot mean that I have it all figured out, I still NEED all of your good sugestions as I'am constantly trying to improve marketing effectively. bye tonytiller w...See MoreIrish_Eyes_z5
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agojayreynolds
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMarquisa
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoimtoobusy
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agowyndyacre
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoCorysProduce
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoGrassIsEvil
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agochinamigarden
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoraehelen
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoBob_NJ
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agobarrie2m_(6a, central PA)
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOctogenarian
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agotifolie
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agolovegrown
9 years agochardy_har_har
9 years agoDawn Pipkorn
7 years ago
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