How is the markets going?

[dk_40207]

Just wonder for those that are all ready doing markets how is it goint this year? We are doing 2 Saturaday markets and our Wednesday market starts this week. We had are best weekend so far. We ran a harvest basket with 2 bunches of greens, 1 bunch collards, 1 bunch of turnips, 2 heads of lettuce, and 1 bunch of green onions. They where like csa baskets but without haveing to sign up for the whole year and they sold really well.

[mommagoose_99]

How much did you sell your basket for? I have been thinking about selling baskets with everything you need for salsa. Just can't figure out what to charge for it.
Linda

[dk_40207]

We charged $20 for the baskets. I have thought about the salsa basket before. Also going to try a couple different basket combos this year.

[Kim_NC]

I like the basket idea....have to put some thought into that and come-up with something. Maybe a grilling basket? - squash/zucchini, onion, tomato, peppers, even some corn?

We're doing our local market on Tuesdays, late afternoon and another on Saturday mornings in a city area about 35 minutes from here. The local one is always a little slow starting out but is picking up. We're very, very pleased with the 'new' Saturday market - for example, we're taking 20 dozen eggs every week and selling out quickly.

We have 2 grass-fed beef coming back from the slaughter house and will start selling it for Saturday. We'll be the only people at the larger market with meats....the customers are really enthused about it. (We're offering chicken and pork for Fall as well.)

Hope we all do well this season!

[Bookwyrm]

Hi, I'm new to the forum. It's definately up my alley.

We've started going to our Tues. and Sat. Markets (At the same market) We've got Maple Syrup, Asparagus and just brought our first strawberries (all 4 quarts of them).

We're pretty small time growers, but looking forward to another season.

[dk_40207]

We sold 8 baskets this weekend. We had a great response from them we sold i believe 4 this weekend to the same people that bought them last time.

The basket this week should change up a little adding beet or carrots plus 2-3 kale varieties. Peopel seem to really enjoy the different varieties of kales- white russian, red russian, laccinato, vates, also i sold around 15 bunches of collards.

[dk_40207]

Kim NC are you getting all the cuts from the beef? Are you giving out recipies with the beef?

[Kim_NC]

Originally Posted by dk_40207

Kim NC are you getting all the cuts from the beef? Are you giving out recipies with the beef?

Yes, we have all the cuts. They are our own pastured/grassfed beef. We came home from the slaughterhouse with about 975 lbs of meat Friday afternoon....packed it up in our freezers. DH & I have eaten beef the past 2 night....LOL We're very pleased with it...the flavor is grand and it's very tender.

We were pleased with our first day of beef sales at the market. Several customers were back and anxious to buy their first cuts. We also had a lot of folks buy a pound or 2 of ground or patties to try. We handed out price list (by cut), plus are offering 'family packages' of 25 or 50 lbs with a mix of cuts.

I added a request form to our website. Customers can get online, fillout a short form (name, phone, email) and request specific cuts to be brought to the market for them on Sat mornings. It'll be interesting to see how many use it. Of course, we told them they can call the farm office too.

We have A LOT of recipes posted on our website. Usually we tell people that (no matter what they're buying) and suggest the scout it out. But you have a good idea there. I may print some copies of a couple things....probably using ground beef or beef tips and hand those out to buyers. Last night I made Meatballs in Cream Sauce. It was fabulous!

[dk_40207]

Thats great. I am glad your sales went well. I've noticied that people love recipes at the markets and them seem to buy. We have been eating a lot of grass-fed beef, I would rather do without than buy from the grocery.

[keltink]

The markets are going great for us so far - one on Saturday, one on Wednesday (a new one for us this year). We've almost exactly doubled our sales from last year at the Saturday market.
In line with the not-really-a-CSA basket idea - which I like a lot and might just adopt - we are selling a stirfry bag containing a minature cabbage (gonzales), a carrot, two spring onions, broccoli shoots, podding radishes or a few snow peas, beet green thinnings, a couple of small shiitakes and a tad of cilantro, for $6. Helps us use odds and ends, plus folks really like it. We are getting ready to switch to a grilling bag using new potatoes ...

[dk_40207]

I really like the stirbag idea. I may try doing one of those this weekend.