An important part of any earning garden is to be able to sell the things you produce. How to best do this depends on where you live and what you grow. Below we are going to look at some methods we have used to sell our produce and that usually give a very good result.
Selling vegetables, fruits and herbs
The best way to sell fruit and vegetables is usually to do so at the local farmers market. The people who visit these markets are willing to pay a premium to get locally produced vegetables and you can usually get a higher price here then anywhere else. Try to build a relationship with your customers, tell them where the vegetables have been grown and offer customers that live near you to bring them vegetable each week. That way they get locally produced vegetables without having to leave their home and you get a loyal customer. You decide how great an area you want to offer delivery within. See what is profitable in your area.
If you do not have a farmers market in your area then you will need to use other methods to sell your products. In this situation it can be a good idea to setup in the town square to sell you reproduce there. Another option is along the road into your society so that people know they can buy from you on their way home. Observe that there might be rules about who can sell on the town square, on the farmers market or along the road. Learn the rules and make sure to follow the law while selling your produce. You might have to pay a fee to be able to sell in these places.
If you only have a small garden you can use fliers to sell the vegetables to people in your local neighborhood. You will be surprised how many of your neighbors that want to buy high quality locally produced produce if you offer it them.
Selling seedlings in the spring
The best place to sell seedlings is often the same places where you can sell vegetables. It can be very profitable to sell tomato, sweet pepper, Chile, cucumber and other seed plants at the farmer market.
Selling cuttings and rare plants
Cuttings and flowers can be sold at the farmers market but this is seldom the best place to sell them. Bread and butter plants such as geraniums, African violets and different types of fruit and perennials can do well at farmers markets and on town squares. If you on the other hand want to sell more exclusive plants then it can be hard to find local people willing to pay the price. If you specialize in expensive plants then you will usually be better of by selling them online on different forums and on online auction platforms such as eBay. This way you do not have to waste any time at the farmers market and you can find customers that are willing to pay for what you offer.
Selling seeds
Selling seeds are a lot like selling cuttings but they are a lot easier to pack and ship. You can send seeds all over the world without having to worry about whether they are going to arrive alive or not. That is not the case with seedlings.
The same basic rules do however apply. Some seeds such as vegetable seeds, common summer flowers and different heirloom seeds can do very well at the farmers market. Especially if you advertise them as non GMO heirloom seeds that produces tastier, healthier vegetables.
Other types of seeds are usually more profitable when sold online. You do not have to limit yourself to one method. Using both will usually give the best overall result.
Selling jam, pickles and sauces
Sometimes it can be more profitable to turn your vegetables in to jam, sauces and pickled products before you sell them. This allows you to add extra value to the vegetables and allow you to sell them at a higher price which gives you a higher profit. Refined products can also be stored for a lot longer witch will reduce your waste. I recommend that you refine all vegetables that are close to spoiling. By doing this you turn the vegetables that are about to spoil (a loss) into something that brings you a bigger profit. To refine products that otherwise might spoil is a key secret to being able to earn a good income from your earning garden.
Refined vegetables and fruits are always best sold at the town square, at local festivals or at the farmers market. I also recommend that you sell them through a website. You can often earn devoted customers if you offer a good product. You want to make it easy for these customers to buy your product. This is something you achieve by allowing them to buy through your website.