Why We're QUITTING A Farmer's Market for Good
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- Why We're QUITTING A Farmer's Market for Good
Today we are talking about the last farmers market we will be doing in High Point NC.
#farmersmarket #smallfarming
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You too are so good together. Chuck you need to do whatever you need to do to keep your wife happy. You are very kucky to have such a beautiful ladie by your side. Happy farming!
I’m happy that y’all have “come to find out” that y’all actually enjoy working together. Perish the thought of times before now. Enjoy all of the potential of tomorrow! God bless 🙏🏻
Me and my wife are much the same as u folks, just a lot younger :P if we can't do it together is it really worth the time and money, sometimes the people behind the product are half the reason it sells. A stand with no sound no nothing but some meat there is interesting I suppose. But when u see a stand that sells meat and u hear laughter and hand out some free samples all the sudden its busy around there.
Yep. We think our personalities working together makes a better experience for the customer.
It's unfortunate that the processing of meat and dairy products is the moat that interupts farm to consumer sales.
You’re right.
There is a real thirst for farm fresh produce. Farmers just need to be super proactive in marketing their farm. Having a strong web presence is important. I know a lot of farms have customers just come out and pick the produce. It's always a good idea to do an e-commerce assessment to see what (if any) products you could sell online. E-commerce isn't something possible for every farm, but for those who may have products that could be sold online, an online storefront could be another income source.
Market constantly changing like u said. Just bought pork same price than steak . Say what? Always out of ground sausage. Now bacon is over stocked. What a success yall are. I ll always be a fan. Prayers and ❤
Thanks so much.
My local farmers market is open on like Wednesday from noon to 4 pm or something like that. Who do they expect to aupport the farmer? The unemployed?
Shopping around for a farmers market home is tough. You'll know it's working once you get there. Starts a lot with being a producer only market, no exceptions for bringing in stuff out of season. The reputation crashes quickly. Good luck.
Thank you, very informative.
Blessings to you and yours
I sell handmade soap at our local farmer's market & the cost of the booth and parking has priced me out the rest of this season. It cost $135 for a booth & $20 parking. I only made $300 and that was not worth my time & loss of inventory (takes 6 weeks to cure). Just upsetting local markets are so expensive to participate in nowadays. 😪
It’s going to be hard for farmers to get and keep a retail market. Just can’t get enough volume sold to be competitive. At 71 years old now farming all my life dairy farming. I’ve seen people trying all sorts of different things to make money off the farm. Most give it up in a few years. When Reaganomics. Set in back in the 1980s it’s been downhill for us dairy farmers. We quit in 2018 when Dean’s foods dropped their independent producers. The co-ops basically sold farmers out to big business. I couldn’t recommend farming for a living to anyone. Main reason FBI does not investigate anything in agriculture unless USDA invites them to and big corporations putting their people in head positions in USDA and FDA theirs little chance of a farmer getting fair justice anymore.
it looks like a store on the property may someday be in your future so you and your wife can be together.Together is what matters the most.good luck on your adventure.
Kallstrom Sweet Corn does Roslyn Farmer Market here in Washington State .
I don't know of any big business that doesn't evaluate it's locations routinely. Closes the underperformers and opens in the hot markets. Still a bit surprised at the price point your getting but if your getting it keep going.
I always enjoy your videos. ❤
It's crazy what people are paying for heritage Breed Turkeys that are Pasture Raised. Online you all may want look that as well . Just a suggestion .
Where do you get the stainless steel table tops ?
Where is this farm at,he didnt say and im not a mind reader!!
We are in Wilkes County, North Carolina
Who cares about not having a crowded Saturday off,
when you can off on Monday when its not crowded with people.
I grew up in Sampson County North Carolina in a little place called Autryville you guys remind me of a lot of the family I still have up there I am now currently in Charleston South Carolina but I do get back up there any chance I get
I was driving 50+ miles round trip every Sat to shop a Farmers Market with only around ten to twelve regular vendors. I was spending an average of $40 buying only vegetables. It was one sanctioned by Texas Dept of Agriculture. I'm not sure what vendors paid for the spaces, but suddenly half them pulled out to set up in another location. We had two serious vendors who brought a wide variety of veggies in the first few years, but began showing up with a limited number of 3 to 4 items. I'd ask if certain items had already played out for the season. They'd claim they still had plenty but had no help picking. I had committed to the drive, but on a whim they left a field of cucumbers behind? It was off-putting when I realized it was a conscious decision they'd made based on previous weeks sales. They'd advise me to come back Wednesday when they "might" bring what I needed. I'd already spent $5 worth of gas and half my Saturday to come up disappointed. Why would I risk going back.
Mennonite ladies were setting up booths to sell sweets. They sold nothing but sugary treats which I don't even like to look at.☠️ I'm not sure how well they did, but they were always last to tear down and leave. Their men folk tended to loiter in their booths taking up space and scrutinizing every conversation. None of their pastries contained fruit, eggs, butter or lard. It was straight vegetable shortening, flour and sugar. On top of that, they had no gift of gab, were incapable of customer relations. They'd rather talk to each other than customers. 😄
As far as I know the veggie vendors all aged out or wore out their free labor force of teens who couldn't wait to move halfway across the US to attend college.
I see the Mennonite ladies are still selling their flavorless pasteries when I rarely make it to town on Saturday morning.
I decided keeping my own garden plot was more reliable because of the drive time involved for me.
Thank you for sharing Chuck! The farmer markets near me don't have any local producers... to my surprise. I've been trying to buy directly from farms within about 50 miles. Buying in bulk whenever possible.
Maybe a store on your property would be a great addition to your sales... Our Wyoming Life channel raises mostly beef and has a successful farm store on their property
We are really considering it.
@@SheratonParkFarms Farm I go to has a store built into their home. Other farms have noticed the traffic and placed their own items there(with permission of course). So now a milk/meat farm is now selling soaps, pasta, desserts, etc that are created from other farms. I've been going to it once a week for nearly three years now.
We have just started buying from y’all and have loved everything so far.
We will adjust. Do what’s best for y’all. Those who want your product will find you! Glad to hear that overall your business is growing…and your tweaks are working. Glad you can do more markets together. HAPPY THANKSGIVING !
I did Farmer's Markets for several years and I can testify it is an enormous amount of work! I enjoyed it, enjoyed meeting all the folks, chatting with other vendors, made some long lasting friends. But packing up at home, driving, unloading, hauling the canopy, tables & product, & then having to repeat the process in reverse when it was over finally got to be too much. I think I just got too old! Haha It was fun while it lasted.
We quit markets this year also. I had quit my job to raise babies and farm. And the markets didnt make sense. I could make more per hour here on the farm than when I added the butcher fees, gas, time, food and babysitter. Thus lead to marketing here on our farm only and selling sheep live instead of cuts.
Y'all are bluegrass fans and Y'all from my home state. I'm starting to like this channel more and more.😂
Thanks! Big bluegrass fans!
Markets that are financially depressed and not affluent are not markers for farmers.
Agree
Farmers Markets are more over priced so out of the reach for poor people
"Poor people " use EBT cards to buy food that does not need preparation many times. Was shocked to see EBT card was accepted for prepared sushi in the supermarket. It's not cost. It's a choice not to buy at farmers' markets
@@jburch1544 Farmers Market dont take EBT
If dogs could load coolers, ya’ll would have it made.
The decision was not made in haste. You have to do what is best for your business. I have thought about opening a co-op store where all the local producers can bring their products and customers can shop. I see some positives and negatives from this approach. Curious what you think.
Agree. That’s probably similar to what we would do. Need more selections than just meat. Adding other producer goods would be a win win.
I think todays farmer has to look at the business aspect of their target markets and pay attention to trends of the areas they serve. It seems you and your family have done an excellent job running the numbers as to what works and what does not not. Your pivoting with the given data shows how farmers can not only survive in their business but grow and improve upon it. Thanks for what you do.
My thoughts are a farm store & a trailer so u don't have to load up and unload your tent and tables and magnets an extra time each . Just a thought great job . Todd
Do you have pork sausages or just beef? (not that I can buy them as I am in Australia) 😂Just that I never hear of people eating pork sausages. I don't like beef ones but love pork sausages.
We have beef bratwurst all our other sausages are pork.
do you price your products differently between the markets and home sales? I sell honey 10$ at market and 6$ out the back door. Not sure that is a good format. Most all of our market locations are paid locations, so this is the reason that we charge more for market venues, but I am not sure I should still be selling so much cheaper from the home front. We basically sell at our wholesale price from home, I think we need to find a middle ground, but was curious what your pricing was between home, wholesale, and markets.
Time together is more important, both financially and family wise!
💯
Excellent recap and wishing you all great success as you continue to tweak your business plan.
Happy Thanksgiving...
May you and your family be blessed throughout the holiday season!!
Same to yall
So the farmers market near fort Polk Louisiana now fort professional victim was un G-dly high priced. I pointed out to my wife that with the exception of the Amish guy everyones fruit / vegetables looked the exact same the next week I found stickers on said fruit / vegetables. YEP they were buying at Walmart marking up the prices 300% and selling at the farmers market. That’s been my experience at most farmers markets.
Lots of reason but the most important is that you enjoy working together, no one can blame you
Yep. We kinda like each other. 😆. Thanks for watching.
I eat a lot of chicken because it’s got lots of protein, it’s actually difficult for me to get enough grams of protein without chicken or steak
Are you shipping yet? I'd like to get my freezer stocked, if I can order it online and have it shipped.. 🤔
No. We’ve just not been able to find an economical way to do that.
Its probably now the wrong market for the high quality of product you sale ,markets change over the years like you know .
I guess you are selling ground beef? How does the USDA inspect your product? After watching your video it looks like a lot of work driving and setting up to sell your products. I really if there is enough money to really make this business worthwhile.
Please don't leave. Our beef farmers are being put out by corporations, if we lose our farms they will run everything.
It hard to find frozen duck at any supermarket, and we have alot of different onesnear me. Try selling duck, goose i cant afford!
I’m sure it’s different from state to state, but I’m curious what sort of regulations there are for selling ranch raised meat products to the public. I imagine the government wants to stick its nose into your business. 🤔
I have seen several farms that have built a store on their property and they do pretty good on their sales, some of them even carry other local items from other farms aswell.
Farmers don't make enough profit and quality of life is very sad
how do you folks process the poultry?
Are you processing yourself or going through a butcher?
Duck eggs are big and bring a real good price, check it out! Try and find them!!
Maybe farming should be government business for the good of entire country
Just talking with a friend, we don't have a farmers market around like other areas because we don't have the farms around this area anymore. Just communities and Holmes with hiking and protected areas.
Feel lucky to be in a free natural area . Vote freedom...
Gotta do what’s best for y’all
Do y’all brother love to see y’all together. Christian love and prayers 😊
Brings back memories! I sold at our local Farmer's Market for three years until the farm got sold. Raised Cornish Rocks and turkeys for sale and sold tons of eggs. Not as much produce although I sold sweet corn, Indian corn and sunflower heads for bird seed. I'd go two, three days a week and loved it.
I wish you both the very best. In my area there are no farmers markets but I do really well selling along side the road I guess you could say I save right off the bat I'm not sure I'd make anymore at the market. It's great you and Sondra like working together.
👍
Did I read that right? $40 for 5 pounds of ground beef?? No wonder sales are down. I can buy ground sirloin on sale here at a farm store for $5 a pound when they run specials. I've also found that local farmers markets around here are very over priced compared to the fruit and veggie stores in our area. The quality is and has been hit or miss for 25 years now at the farmers market. Going way back in time, farmers markets represented great value. That's no longer the case in our area. Cheers and good luck to you.
Yes sir! That was the special. We've sold a little over $13,000 in ground beef alone this year. Can't keep it at $9.50/lb (regular price). Difference is we respect our work and believe we produce a superior product and should be paid accordingly for it.
@@SheratonParkFarms Bottom line, some people buy into that. I'm a life long retired commodity trader who spent his career trading in the pits of the CME and the CBOT. A commodity is a commodity. It has been since the start of time. I'm happy you are able to get what you do for your products. If it was me and people were willing to pay that much, I certainly wouldn't sell it for any less. All hail huge markups! Cheers
@@TheRange7
Apparently, you’ve never raised your own sweet corn or tomatoes. Otherwise you wouldn’t be making a statement like “a commodity is a commodity.” ‘Nuff said.
@@tobycryer5530 How's that 9.50 a pound ground beef tasting big guy???? LOL
@@TheRange7
Delicious
I had no idea there was a Clemmons market
Yes. In the parking lot of the Jerry Long YMCA. Today from 2-5
Interesting on the eggs. In Arkansas they are required to be washed (without specifying how) and must be refrigerated, in a device with a compressor (no ice chest, no ambient temps). Which I find a bit annoying.
That's crazy restrictive. Sorry to hear about that.
Your a very informative team
Good luck
Thanks.
Smart decision.
I would like some FAT duck!! Good luck finding them!
Maybe its time for a change!! 😊
I used to run an Egg business. At the end I was saling 450 dozen a week and running a $15,000. Trailer. I sold at a farmers market one time and was done. They were trying to tell me how to price my eggs. I sold as U. S.D A. Grade Inspected and what a joke. My customers were like family and was always so happy to see me and talk. I sold eggs by the dozen, 18 pack, 30 flat or case. I even hatch my own chicks for layers. Crossed white leghorn female with Rhode island Red male. This way they were color sex able. It just got to me to much and we retired and wanted to go.
🦃🦃
👍👍
We used to drive to a F.M , a three hr. drive [ one way ] with over 20,000 people . We did better in a 30 minute drive to a watermelon farm , selling our sweet corn at his farm . Number of people dose not equal product sold , know your customers ! ! ! !
👍👍👍👍 👍👍👍👍👍👍
The market is not that great. Not much profit. My cost for renting square footage. Is just to much. Later.
Glad i watched this. Feared different reasons. Business decision based on prudential reasoning.
Lol. Our dogs do the same thing….plant themselves right in your path or work spaces.
Praying
Its a lot of extra work to pack it all ,set up. Then return at end of day.
Fantastic video, love hearing that you enjoy working together ❤ prayers for farm sales continuing to grow.
Doyle Lawson is wonderful! Keep On!
I'd be afraid of the neighborhood if I was you
Working flea markets is a lot of hard work too.
Lot o work!!😊
Brilliant!
Farm markets are full of old people stumbling around like zombies.
I want to ask a question and that is why I am asking it now. The reason I am going to ask this question is because I want to know the answer. Also I will be asking this question now because I don't know the answer. But first let me just ask about the farmers market you are not doing again. What I mean to say is what is the name of the farmers market you are not doing again. Do you see how irritating it is to just ramble on repeating myself adding unnecessary pleonasm not get to the point just to make my question last longer.
Appreciate the comment
He gave the market name they are not returning to several times!
I thought the video was well put together. I don't think he rambled at all, but went straight to the point.
Set up a store by your freezers so many days a week. Taking orders again