Hi everybody.
As you know, last year was the first year I did a market. Well, it went pretty well and I decided to do it again this year.
I'm also going to, for the first time, do flowers. Here are some pictures of the flowers I've put together for Mothers Day.
But first some before and after pictures of last years market and the new market for this year.
This was the shed before.
The shed this year.
Last years market.
The market this year. Picture one.
Picture two of this years market.
Here are some pictures of the plants I've potted up for "Mothers Day".
Picture 2.
Picture 3.
Picture 4.
Picture 5.
Picture 6.
Picture 7.
That looks very attractive Darrell. You've done a great job!
Wow! Looks great Darrell. Looks like you are off to a great start to the new growing season. Good luck with sales.
Don
Darrell, this looks like a ton of hard work......well done! Are you doing this on your property, weekends only? Somebody's mother will be a lucky!
Erynne
Thanks fancyvan, Don, and Erynne.
It has been a ton of work, Erynne. Yes, it's on my own property and I spent a couple hours every day during the week for a month and worked on it all day saturdays. I didn't take out the roots though. I hired someone to come in with heavy equipment to pull the stumps and roots out. I did take a day or two off during toward the end of cutting down the acre of trees a couple weeks ago.
The plants themselves were started from seeds, bulbs, tubers, cuttings, and a few I bought from a supplier, like the "Spikes" that I used in some of the pots. This house was so packed, it was very hard to get from one end of the house to the other end. I had trays everywhere.
In a couple weeks, I'm thinking, I'll put out the vegetable and flower bedding plants. I have them outside during the day now to harden them off and bring them back in when I think it's going to be too cold for them.
Well, back to work. :)
Very nice Darrell !!! I like your use of lamium in the planters, nice touch.
One of my favorite ground covers :) It looks real good with the dahlia's and pansies.
Steve
looks wonderful, Darrell! The one thing that impressed me about the presentation of your lovely plants is that you have them in real pots! In any nursery here, the plants will usually be found in those generic green or black plastic pots, then you have to buy an attractive pot separately. I hope you are getting a good price for those lovelies! The best of luck for your success! BAM
Darrell it looks good and inviting. I'd be pulling off the road to investigate what you have there.
WTG, lots of hard work obviously done.
Linda
Looking good Darrell. Too bad I don't live nearby....it would be a pleasant stop compared to the nurseries in my area which lack imagination.
Thanks again, Steve, Linda, & Todd.
I am worn out! lol
I still have a lot to do and I'm thinking maybe I'll buy a couple acres behind my place and clear the land and repeat what I've done in the front acre. The cost, from what my neighbors have told me is, $250.00 an acre. To clear it is free. To have the stumps removed and hauled away is another story and I will have to do pretty good with this years market in order to have the money to pay the guy to do that sort of work.
Over the weekend, sales weren't very good. I think it might be because I'm new and it's a little early in the year. There is still a possibility of freezing weather for the next couple weeks, minimum, and the actual last frost date here is around the middle of June.
I did manage to hire employees for this summer over the weekend. I hired, "Field" help, (picks everything the pickers don't pick, waters, weeds, watches for infestations, and in general, does everything the Pickers don't do.), "Processing & Packing" help, (washes produce, weighs, prices, bags or rubber bands the produce and sets it out in the market) and "Pickers", (picks all the produce in the garden and takes it to the Processor).
I offer a "Bonus" each month to the "Field & Picker" help, and I call it a "Performance Bonus" and base it on net sales and how much each individual picked. One Bonus Cheque might be more than someone elses because, lets say, they picked more beans than the other person. So, the net sales from what that individual picked would be greater.
The second year, if they choose to come back and work another year with me, they will receive a 25 cent an hour raise, a "Performance Bonus" each month and "Profit Sharing" at the end of the season.
I felt there needed to be insentives of some sort in order for the employees to feel like they are a part of the garden and strive to do quality, plus quantity, work. In a way, the garden now belongs to them because they are the ones that will receive the bonus checks and since they are based on mainly performance and net sales, I feel comfortable knowing they will do a good job for me without me hanging around them and over the heads like a baby sitter.
That's it for now. I have a long day ahead of me and it's time to get started.
Have a great day everybody.
Thats so neat Darrel, you have your own workers at your market.
I think that the bonuses are a good idea too! Great motivation for them.
Steve
Darrell, you will do well. Put up a couple of signs, or make flyers to put out in the towns nearby (grocery store bulletin boards, that sort of thing). Once word gets out, people will spread it quickly after they have visited once. BAM
Road trip for sure!!! I am amazed. I know I don't have it in me to do half of what you have acomplished in less than 2 years AND you are going to have helpers to harvest?!?!? Where did you find people?
This means I won't have to pick my own beans:))
-Kim
LOLOLOL @ Kim..... No, you won't have to pick your own beans this year....Promise. LOL
I got my helpers from my customer base. I put up a "Help Wanted" sign on the cash register and in no time, I had all the help I needed.
Two adults, who had 2 high school kids each, that came with the package deal. So, I tell the "Mom's" what I want done, and they tell their kids what to do. Same as home only here they get paid for listening and doing what their mother said. LOL
Those mom's aren't light-weights either. They can really tow the line. I was amazed at how hard they worked yesterday.
One of the mom's built a 30' x 40' log cabin with an electric chain saw. Shew!
Thanks BAM for the suggestions. Here is a picture of the flyer I made up.
Here is the ad I ran in the paper.
And here are the business cards.
Ooooh, I like! Pretty business card. Looks like you've got everything sorted out well.....very detail-oriented you are.
So for real?....$250.00 an acre? That's it? I should buy some for my retirement!
Erynne
Darrell, you are a very talented person! All of the above are informative, attractive, without going overboard. They should really do the trick as far as getting the word out. Keep us informed. I imagine you will have lots of business this summer. Good luck, and congratulations on a very successful business venture. BAM
