Gardening for Profit

More and more communities have street fairs and/or farmers’ markets where locally grown produce is sold. Many of the stands are sponsored by commercial farmers who are looking to sell off surplus crops or special organically grown foods. The advantage to the farmer is that by selling directly to the public, they cut out the distribution middlemen. That means they can both sell their produce at a lower cost while still making an increased profit.

But you do not have to be a professional farmer to sell your wares at a farmers’ market or street fair. Anyone can open a stand and if you have a green thumb, you can make extra income as a “weekend farmer.”

The first step is to decide what products you have to sell. The part of the country you live in will in part determines what your crops will be. Obviously, if you live in a colder, northern state your business will be limited in the winter months. If you live in a warmer southern state, you may be able to sell year-round.

If you have a lot of fruit trees on your property, such as pears, apples, or citrus, you can increase the fruit production by using fruit thinning techniques, tree food, and other tips you can look up online or find out about at a local nursery.  If you take care of your trees properly they will produce bigger, healthier fruit. Bag the best to sell at your stand and the rest for your family to use.  If you have a decent amount of land, you can also plant seasonal crops such as watermelon, corn, pumpkins, tomatoes or strawberries. Herbs can be sold in one of two ways. You can plant them in the ground and sell them fresh off the stalk or you can grow them in small pots and sell the entire plant so the customer can have fresh herbs all year long.

The word of the century is Organic and you can produce and sell organic products from your garden. Even though it is still a niche Organic products are sometimes preferred than the regular ones in the supermarket or at the local farmers.

Unprocessed or “as is” fruits and vegetables can be sold without a permit in most communities. If you want to turn strawberries into a jam or preserve, check with the local health department to see if you are required to apply for a temporary permit.

Not everything you sell needs to be edible. If you have a flair for growing flowers, you can sell arrangements of blossoms. Roses can be dried and used to make a potpourri or sachet. Some ornamental trees such us Bonsai trees or if interested totally going Hydroponic farming can be studied to make the task interesting.

In addition to making a little extra money, being part of a farmers’ market is a great way to connect with neighbors and promote community.