Greenhouse: GH bizz #2, 1 by lratliff29

lratliff29 wrote:
Ok, I've been talking to hubby and we are getting serious about starting a small GH for next year. We are planning this summer on how we are going to do this.

Here's some questions I have. If this is too much, just provide details to what you can provide.

We have a GH/Market around the corner from us that is well established German Baptist Growers Business. Would this be disrespectful to start a small one (with hopes for it to grow) and compete with them? We are wanting to have customers come to us, selling from early Spring to Early Summer. Also, selling at Farmers Markets when we can. (Hubby thinks no one would buy from us since the other business is well established and respected.)

I've heard that selling at the Farmer's Market we will need a license. I'm assuming a busines license. Would you know what this means?

Our zone is agriculture. Do we need to change our zoning to business? Is this difficult? I'm calling ???? to see what we will need to do to get this thing moving.

We live on 3 acres, but 1.5 acres is readily available to us. Our lot is 150' wide and long. Our house sits 160' from the front, a pole barn in the back and a current garden bed. (This is an older image and doesn't show our pole barn. I've drawn it in red. We are trying to determine what is the best way to set this up. What is a good GH size to get started? How permanent does it need to be? As we get established, we do have an opportunity to build further back down a sloop that sometimes floods. We thought about raised GH's. Of course, this is dependent on how established/successful we become and much in the future.

I'm hoping to earn an extra 2K-4K the first year. Is this possible with a startup? Will our plot size provide enough space to earn this amount? We are looking at selling veggies, annuals, baskets, specialty planters, and some perennials.

What about licensing for propagating perennials? Where do I go to find out what I can readily propagate and sell? What if I want to sell some of the newer Echinecia's and start from plugs? Do I need send royalties somewhere?

Your honest opinions and assistance in helping to answer these questions is most appreciated. Hubby and I are looking at next year before we start selling anything and this will give us this Summer/Fall/Winter to get all the kinks worked out. Any advice you can provide will be most appreciated as we begin our adventure doing things we both enjoy.