Buying Produce to Put Up

[Peacock]

As I've posted, we moved to our "country place" in March and didn't get a chance to put in a proper garden. But since I've always had a big one before (yet not on the scale I want!) I'm accustomed to putting up at least lots of tomatoes and green beans, if nothing else.

I need to find a decent source of these items, better than the grocery, because putting up grocery store tomatoes results in something slightly worse than the cans you can buy for 50 cents each and costs three times as much. But the tomatoes at farmer's markets/roadside stands are costing an average of $2.25/lb, which is terribly high to me. I did find some for 99 cents a pound from the "less than perfect thrift table" at a nearby farm stand I'll be visiting again soon.

I'm trying to put out the word, and have been for years, that I'll happily accept produce to process in exchange for a few jars of the end result. And I've never, ever had anyone take me up on it.

Any ideas? How does one find this "gleaning" deal I hear spoken of, or "picking on the halves?"

[KindredSpirit]

My sister had a suggestion for me that I didn't do this year but may next year. She said to approach a few vendors at the farmers market and ask them if they have any blemished veggies they want to sell cheaply. Since most farmers market vendors put out their better looking vegetables and don't put out their blemished tomatoes and such they may have an abundance of veggies at home that didn't make the farmers market cut and they don't have time to process. Sounded like a good idea to me.

[CraftyDiva]

You could try hitting the Farmer's Market at the closing. If they have any veggies left ( they won't last till the next selling date) you can offer to buy them at a lower cost. Of course your taking your chances they'll have anything left, but worth a try.

[MaineFarmMom]

Originally Posted by CraftyDiva

You could try hitting the Farmer's Market at the closing. If they have any veggies left ( they won't last till the next selling date) you can offer to buy them at a lower cost. Of course your taking your chances they'll have anything left, but worth a try.

I don't mean to be harsh. Please don't take it that way. I have never said yes to this. People would wait until the end of market and expect to pay less for the same excellent quality. I'll compost anything left or feed it to the chickens before I'll let my very hard work be under valued.

Here's a suggestion - farmers are often overworked this time of year. I'm usually happy to let someone into the fields to pick the less than pristine vegetables. I need to know they aren't going to do any damage like walking on the carrots (happened two days ago) and be honest about what they're taking. I need to trust them to not fill the bottom of a bushel basket with great tomatoes and cover the top with seconds. If they're willing to do the work I'll make a very good deal with them. I'll probably call them first when I have more seconds than I can put up. If my customers don't expect less and they're willing to pitch in they'll get more for their money.

[menollyrj]

When my grandparents grew tomatoes, they were graded. Culls were thrown to the cattle, but often all that was wrong was cracks on the shoulders or a catface on the bottom. Perfectly good for canning (which my grandmother used 'em for), but not acceptable for selling. You might ask about cull tomatoes. Offer to pick them up at their farm and offer a price for them. My grandmother always had culls available to the community since their markets were bulk buyers at fruit stands, usually near the beach.

-Joy

[johnghagen]

Go out to the farm and ask, if you get there early the next day if you can pick for you and them.Help is always hard to come by right now if you pick green beans i would give you all you want for the time to also pick and grade the tomatoes.Latter you can come and pick all the tomatoes you need if you help cut greens and wash and bundle them.Give this a try and be ready to work.

[Wendy]

I know gas is an issue, but where in SW Ohio are you? I am in SE Indiana. I will probably have extra greenbeans, lima beans, possibly some peas, possibly corn, & I know I will have extra tomatoes. I got the garden out late, so things are just starting to come on. I usually just give excess away. I figured since God was nice enough to provide for me, I could help a few others. If it's not too far to drive & I have extra, I could let you now & you would be welcome to come & get it.

[tallpines]

We are lucky to have a Produce Auction near us.

This is where the producers bring their products to be sold------mostly to small "country" store owners---and to Farmer's Market vendors.

Are you surprised?
Around here, many vendors BUY their veggies the day before the Farmer's Market-----and then re-sell them---leaving the buyers to believe they had raised and harvested everything themselves.

This is a popular method in the Amish and Mennonite area in Penn.----where the middle man buys at the Produce Auction and then sets up his "stand" in a nearby large city---like Philidelphia, or such.

As you know----the prices at auctions vary according to Supply and Demand.
When those first tomatoes come out-----they might sell for $40 a half bushel.
And towards the end of the season---the price goes high again.

But inbetween time----when there are large volumes of tomatos, or green beans, etc....., I often get "canners" for as little as $2.oo a half bushel!

I love it!

[Traderdell]

There should be a fair number of Amish/Mennonites in your area. Perhaps they could be a source for less expensive produce.

Gregg

[lgslgs]

Try one of these: http://www.pickyourown.org/OH.htm

[MaineFarmMom]

Originally Posted by tallpines

We are lucky to have a Produce Auction near us.

This is where the producers bring their products to be sold------mostly to small "country" store owners---and to Farmer's Market vendors.

Are you surprised?
Around here, many vendors BUY their veggies the day before the Farmer's Market-----and then re-sell them---leaving the buyers to believe they had raised and harvested everything themselves.

Not surprised but disgusted. There should be a distinction between farmers market and fakers market.

[fin29]

Contact your state organic farmer's association and request a list of farmers willing to take apprentices. Before I bought my farm, I worked for two farmers (alternating weekends) for about 3 or 4 hours a weekend. I worked for an established organic truck farm and I also worked for a homesteader-type whose gardens were certified organic but they were really only growing for themselves. I helped them with their basic chores (feeding, weeding, milking, fencing, etc.) to acquire skills and at the end of the day, I went home with much more produce than we could ever eat. This technique helps you network with other farmers, which comes in handy when you run into your own problems.

[Bluecreekrog]

I will probably have extra tomatos as well. Usually can't give them away fast enough.

[HilltopDaisy]

Originally Posted by fin29

Contact your state organic farmer's association and request a list of farmers willing to take apprentices. Before I bought my farm, I worked for two farmers (alternating weekends) for about 3 or 4 hours a weekend. I worked for an established organic truck farm and I also worked for a homesteader-type whose gardens were certified organic but they were really only growing for themselves. I helped them with their basic chores (feeding, weeding, milking, fencing, etc.) to acquire skills and at the end of the day, I went home with much more produce than we could ever eat. This technique helps you network with other farmers, which comes in handy when you run into your own problems.

Great idea. Try Local Harvest, too. This year my gardens weren't too good because of the flooding/heavy rains we had, but in a good year, I'd have been thrilled to split my harvest with someone who was willing to help pick.