Gardening for Profit
Planting a Garden for Profit
Food in the garden can be money
by Julie McMurchie
Every year you plant a garden. You work hard, take care of it every day. And then your reward, great
tasting, fresh healthy food. Usually more than you can eat or have room to put by.
What do you do? You give it away, probably to people who don't need a handout, but are more than
willing to benefit from your generosity.
Don't get me wrong, sharing with people less fortunate than ourselves can be a good thing. But, and
especially in today's economy, we need to think about our families and how we are going to provide
for them.
Which brings us back to the garden. Planting and caring for your garden is not free. So why should
you give away the fruits (and veggies) of your labor? If people are willing to buy produce at the
market, there will be a few who are willing to buy it from you.
If you are a backyard gardener, producing enough to sell at a farmer's market may not be possible,
however, that is an option. A better way may be to supply to a few private customers on a weekly
basis.
Subscription Gardening
Also known as Community Supported Agriculture, Subscription Gardening involves providing a
weekly basket of fresh vegetables and/or fruit to your customers. Obviously, you won't be able to
supply to a large number of buyers, but even a few may pay for your expenses and even earn a little
profit.
Larger market gardeners may be able to take orders, paid in advance of the growing season, you
may not. That will depend on how large your garden is. Typical backyard gardeners may be more
successful in taking orders when they have produce available. The challenging part is making sure
you have produce available. For this reason, selling as you go may be the best way to start.
Before you plant, develop a customer base - people who want your produce when it is harvested.
Ask them their preferences, this will help you decide which foods to plant and how much.
For more information on how to begin Market Gardening, refer to the pdf handbook, Market
Gardening: A Startup Guide.
Return to Working at Home
Food in the garden can be money
by Julie McMurchie
Every year you plant a garden. You work hard, take care of it every day. And then your reward, great
tasting, fresh healthy food. Usually more than you can eat or have room to put by.
What do you do? You give it away, probably to people who don't need a handout, but are more than
willing to benefit from your generosity.
Don't get me wrong, sharing with people less fortunate than ourselves can be a good thing. But, and
especially in today's economy, we need to think about our families and how we are going to provide
for them.
Which brings us back to the garden. Planting and caring for your garden is not free. So why should
you give away the fruits (and veggies) of your labor? If people are willing to buy produce at the
market, there will be a few who are willing to buy it from you.
If you are a backyard gardener, producing enough to sell at a farmer's market may not be possible,
however, that is an option. A better way may be to supply to a few private customers on a weekly
basis.
Subscription Gardening
Also known as Community Supported Agriculture, Subscription Gardening involves providing a
weekly basket of fresh vegetables and/or fruit to your customers. Obviously, you won't be able to
supply to a large number of buyers, but even a few may pay for your expenses and even earn a little
profit.
Larger market gardeners may be able to take orders, paid in advance of the growing season, you
may not. That will depend on how large your garden is. Typical backyard gardeners may be more
successful in taking orders when they have produce available. The challenging part is making sure
you have produce available. For this reason, selling as you go may be the best way to start.
Before you plant, develop a customer base - people who want your produce when it is harvested.
Ask them their preferences, this will help you decide which foods to plant and how much.
For more information on how to begin Market Gardening, refer to the pdf handbook, Market
Gardening: A Startup Guide.
Return to Working at Home
| Copyright 2009, Julie McMurchie. All rights reserved. |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Every Girl Needs a Good Hoe
Tips and Resources for the First Time Gardener
 |  |  |  |