Monday 4 July 2016

Selling the Surplus


For the past three weekends we have been selling the surplus home grown plants at the farm gate.  This year I'm not looking to make huge profits just to get my money back for the compost, pots and time that I've spent sowing the seeds and potting them on.  I'd rather see the plants go to someone who needs them than end up on the compost heap.

I made sure that the plant pots they were sold in were the oldest and most varied,  and I also checked and double checked that we really didn't need any of the plants for ourselves.  As it is I have far too many tomato, cucumber and aubergine plants growing in the poly and net tunnels.

It's a good way to get people used to stopping here for some small sales too, as in the future we are hoping to be able to do this on a slightly larger scale with the things that Lovely Hubby will be producing in his workshop also for sale.


It started off small the first weekend, just like this ... then I added a tray of homegrown herbs, then there were some houseplants, and then this weekend we added a basket of free range eggs.  So it turned into quite a display.  

We are collecting the money with an Honesty Box system and it seems to be working very well.  We thought we had had some plants stolen during the second weekend as four were missing when we got back from the cinema on Saturday night, but then £2 worth of change appeared on our doorstep on a day when no plants were sold, so the person that took the plants either had a guilty conscience or simply hadn't had the right change with them when they called the first time.  Either way the money appearing restored our faith in the honesty of folk.

Lots of people stopped and made purchases this weekend, and some had a little chat with us if we were nearby.  There is a lot of interest in the work we have done to this place since we moved in.  We've changed the look of the hillside tremendously and everyone that we spoke to said it was for the better, which was nice.   One couple stopped, bought six plants and then said they were starting something similar to what we are doing on the other side of the valley and had just got themselves two chickens after seeing our girls suddenly appear on the hillside a couple of months ago.

It's nice to know what we are doing is going down well with the locals and the regular visitors to the area   :-)

Sue xx

16 comments:

  1. That's such an great thing to be able to do. I hope their results are as bounteous as yours!

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  2. What a good idea, every little helps as the saying goes.

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  3. So pleased about this Sue - a good way to get yourselves known and to make friends - and also setting the scene for the future. What could be better?

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  4. I may do some plants next year both veg and flower I will be saving old veg trays over the winter.

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  5. The set up looks quite professional. Lovely idea.
    xx

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  6. What a wonderful idea. I would stop to visit if I saw you out and about.
    Isn't it lovely to have so many nice comments about what you have done to your land.

    cheers, parsnip and theamish

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  7. Well done .......i've been asked for a good local seller..will send him up to you

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  8. Impressive that people are following the honor system. Restores the faith in humans! lol
    Happy 4th!

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  9. Sounds very positive!
    How nice your money appeared.
    Honesty seems to be quickly disappearing too often.
    Perhaps a small nest egg extra after your supply costs have been recouped.

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  10. Our friends do this too. They have a gorgeous little cabin (more the size of a telephone booth) by the side of the lane and next to the farm. They mainly sell eggs, jams and chutneys and surplus of vegetables.
    I love the concept and I'm sure, before you know it, you'll be having a proper farm shop over at your place. :) xxx...x

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  11. I can see another project on the horizon for lh, building a wheelie market barrow.

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  12. I can never resist a farm-gate stall and so I simple had to create one here at our front gate. It was slow at first, but after a few months when word got around, it became quite a busy little place. Honesty system is working well for us, and I occasionally find an IOU in the money tin which is always made up within a couple of days. My aim was to build it up slowly so that when we are retired we will have a steady customer base and some cash income each week. Recently I have dropped one day of paid work per week in lieu of the farm gate takings each week. Keeping it well stocked is keeping me busy too. Your produce looks wonderful.

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  13. This is wonderful to see. I wish we could do the same but we're the last farm on the end of a lane so have no one passing except the farmer! We do have a pub at the other end of the lane but I don't know if they would let me put anything up there. Inspired by you Sue. x

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  14. I use to love selling fresh eggs at my gate then lettuce - maybe will do again as am stepping down as manager of the charity shop so will have more time on my hands. xx

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  15. Sounds great! When we had our rescue hens I would sell some surplus out the front... an older gentleman used to buy them regularly, they really were so much better than anything commercially produced, even the top organic eggs!

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