I am seriously considering a few significant changes for the upcoming garden season with regard to our Farmers Market seedling sales. For one thing, I would like to either change to no (as in zero) days at the market, or, at the most, one (1) weekend (a Friday/Saturday when the seedlings are optimally sized). Next, I need to significantly pare down the offerings, with an aim to growing as close to what my customers want or need as possible.
There are a number of reasons for the proposed changes, the most significant being a wish to simplify things (and allow more flexibility to actually do some travelling in the spring), and reduce costs; materials are increasing in time, but I don't wish to raise our prices. Aiming for less waste (not that donated plants are wasted, but even donations didn't take all of our overage; hundreds of plants still ended up on the compost heap).
All of my customers for whom I have email addresses will be receiving from me a request sheet for types and numbers of seedlings that they anticipate for their 2014 garden. This won't be a contract, or a pay in advance type of structure; I would just like to better be able to aim properly both in the varieties and numbers for next year. I will probably limit the list to the most popular types by color, size and use and allow for any suggestions that are not on the list. I will take input up until mid to late January, after which I will need to get things growing.
Instead of the market, I would like to continue with the way things have evolved in the past few years, with more and more of you coming out to get the seedlings directly from us at a prearranged time that fits both our schedules. The main reason for a weekend at the market would then be for those cases where the geography makes the most sense for a market pick up.
As I said, these are early thoughts and will likely evolve over time. What will be helpful to me would be getting a sense for what you think of this, and rather than doing it in comments to this blog post, send me a direct email at [email protected] . Thanks!
There are a number of reasons for the proposed changes, the most significant being a wish to simplify things (and allow more flexibility to actually do some travelling in the spring), and reduce costs; materials are increasing in time, but I don't wish to raise our prices. Aiming for less waste (not that donated plants are wasted, but even donations didn't take all of our overage; hundreds of plants still ended up on the compost heap).
All of my customers for whom I have email addresses will be receiving from me a request sheet for types and numbers of seedlings that they anticipate for their 2014 garden. This won't be a contract, or a pay in advance type of structure; I would just like to better be able to aim properly both in the varieties and numbers for next year. I will probably limit the list to the most popular types by color, size and use and allow for any suggestions that are not on the list. I will take input up until mid to late January, after which I will need to get things growing.
Instead of the market, I would like to continue with the way things have evolved in the past few years, with more and more of you coming out to get the seedlings directly from us at a prearranged time that fits both our schedules. The main reason for a weekend at the market would then be for those cases where the geography makes the most sense for a market pick up.
As I said, these are early thoughts and will likely evolve over time. What will be helpful to me would be getting a sense for what you think of this, and rather than doing it in comments to this blog post, send me a direct email at [email protected] . Thanks!
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