GH bizz #2

You might want to make sure that it's a portable type of worm farm, or have one outside in the shade for the summer, scoop the contents out in fall and move it to the GH. I don't think they'll survive that kind of heat in the summer.

hay "meadowyck" the cattle panels are 16 ft long 4' wide, when they are curved like this i can walk under them easy, and i am 5'5" plus 2" for my hat. lol. i keep my worms in the basement,back porch,shed, and in the closet. if you cooled your greenhouse in summer to stay under 90 you might get by with them in it, there is a super earthworm that will take high temps i've read about.

I saw a greenhouse set-up in Countryside where they guy had the worm bins under his walkway in the GH... he had just dug down, lined the holes with wood, and covered with stout plywood. He had several in-line, so he could dump his collection of stable gatherings in, empty the next one ready, let one get digested... I'm sorry he never said how deep those bins were, but it seemed like a sweet system. And being down in the soil would keep temps more moderate, it seems.

This message was edited Mar 26, 2009 10:44 AM

Brilliant

that sound like a cool system "pun intended" lol but that sounds like it would be a great space saver.

How far down does an earthworm burrow? And does it really matter or should you just let them 'free-range' Beyond the Bin? {{snicker}}

Is there a market for free-range earthworms?

**Snow's coming,** I've feeling a bit giddy with the possibility of moisture.**
=0) **Jay**

Laughing so hard I wet my pants, husband thinks I'm loony.

Definitely Beyond the Bin... LOL

Loony Bin...

I found this thread and I have to say, gthumbus, you're my inspiration. I went back through all the threads and I can't believe how much you have accomplished in such a short time. Amazing.

I have a few questions if you wouldn't mind.

You had mentioned that you researched and studied for 2 years before doing this. What exactly did you do and what research was most effective for your decision to start your GHbizz?

You quite your job to start this. What did you do before? I would suspect that you have some sort of carpentry training/work in your background.

When starting your GHbizz, how much have you had to alott towards startup cost? Do you have investors? How many people are assisting you with your startup? Do they charge you for their assistance?

I ask these questions because these are questions that seem to hold me back from starting a GH bizz myself. I love gardening and my hubby enjoys managing a 30x 70 veggie garden each year. So far, we give away our extra's.

We both work away from home. My job is an 8-5 office position and hubby works in a factory, most times working 6-7 days a week. I'm pretty creative but my hubby has more issues of being a perfectionist than anything.

We have toyed with the idea and played around with some drawings/layouts on how to get started but we get stuck on how to fund it and where exactly to start. With working full time, we fear of not having the time to dedicate to a startup biz. It's mostly fear that holds us back.

I've salivated over the details that Mike McGoarty has for offer on starting a gardening bizz, but I don't want to invest in something that I'm not certain will answer some of the more personal questions I have. You know, those questions that ask, am I made for this, can I really do it physically and financially.

Anyway, if feel uncomfortable answering these questions, I understand. I do thank you in advance and I wish you all the very best for success in your business. BTW, the fish in the pool had me LOL.:)

Lisa

Oh, one more question, where do you purchase your worm castings? Do you have a specific brand? What about molasses? Do you purchase this from the grocery store? I'm trying to learn new things everyday.

hay "lratliff29" thanks. most of my research was reading "mother earth news" the older ones, searching the net for any and all things that might make a greenhouse as close to self sustaining as poseable and stopping at every greenhouse i could find and talk their ears of calling every government agency and university and finding out what research material they had that i might study.talked with the game and fish to find other tilapia growers close to me and talked with them. took any advice i could find and talk to the older home gardeners they are a gold mine of info.

the job i quite from was computer programmer and repair but i was in construction before for my dads

when i started i was going to put 7000 dollars in but if you read all the thread you know my son had jaw surgery and we had to pay 6500 out of pocket and the tilapia breeders took 400 the other 100 went into seeds, i was lucky and had the big greenhouses already but know still don't have the plastic on them will hopefully make so money this year of the veggies to pay for the plastic before winter, i just take from 20 to 100 a month out of what my wife makes and what i make on the side to build things and buy supplies with. and i am doing this on my own the only help i get is knowledge from other farmers marketers and gardeners. it's amazing what you can learn from just talking to people.

lisa the small wood greenhouse i made cost under 200 dollars and is 12ft x 16 ft and if you put a watering system in it you wouldn't have to take much time watering. my advice would to build or buy a small greenhouse and start there use the extra seeds you don't put in the garden to start flats that way your not spending any more on the seeds and start selling the extras from the garden at your curb or at the farmers market. plant a couple of extra plants for selling of the produce. there are things you can grow out side your greenhouse like mums we always grow them out side. i guess what i am saying is "there is always a way if the heart desires it" but if you start with the money made from the garden then you can take that and put it into a greenhouse by fall then your on your way "baby steps" them if you find out its not for you then you haven't lose any thing but a little time.

lisa i am totally natural grower so i get my worm castings from "http://www.gardeniq.com/store/garden-iq.aspx" its 7.35 for a 5lb bag and the molasses i get from a heath food store make sure you get sulfur free.

hope i've answered all your questions if not let me know love helping out when i can. "whitebear" love my fish pool.lol

I'm going to work on hubby to build me a worm casting tea pot.

I'll let you know if he does and how it turned out.

Thanks,
Lisa

Lisa, I'd like to add to Whitebear's answer, addressing the "can I do it" aspect. This is my first year growing and selling to retail stores.

The cool thing about this business is the scalability aspect. You can go big, like Whitebear did, throw out the 9-5er, take out a small business loan and just do it. Or you can scale it waaaayyyy back, do some cuttings and/or seeds in your basement over the cool months, sell them at the end of your driveway or on e-bay, just to get the feel of it, see if the fit is good.

I have to say, in terms of investment, there really is very little once you get by the whole greenhouse debacle. And even that is somewhat easy to get over if you do a raised bed garden with a small PVC frame over it and gh plastic (kind of an over-sized cold frame). And nice to have should if you decide you don't want to do the business end of it all.

Whitebear, jump in if I lied....!

Wow, it does sound spectacular and something that hubby and I can do on a small scale. Although, if I do grow in the basement (garage) I will have to invest in lights. I would create a stand like the one I seen on this thread with PVC piping. Cool design. The other thing, will my garage be warm enough to start seeds in February? No heat in the garage. What do you all do?

Lisa

Ah, I just had a thought. I could do a shelf for the house, start my seeds in the plastic bowls, transplant them in late March when it is warmer, then transfer them to the garage for a month or so, then outside for hardening off. Sound good?

Is it too late now to get started?

Also, what about patents on plants? If I have a bleeding heart, can I propagate from it and sell for profit?

The lights - shop lights from the big box store, or off of freecycle or Craig's list. Another garage-sale item. Just make sure they work, first!

The PVC stand was very cool, but I think you can do it for much less cash, if it's an issue. Just make sure it has drainage - IOWs, not a flat surface...

No, your garage will not be warm enough for most seeds in Feb. You might want to start seeds under a shop light in a spare bedroom, spare corner of your bedroom, over the fridge, etc. - wherever you can squeeze a shelf and not have to worry about damaging something with water. Typical seeds like a steady 70 degree temp. You can do that with heat mats, or a steadily warm place - a gas oven with a pilot light, top of a fridge if it's warm. Seeds are a big subject, probably better explained on another forum. There's also a propagation forum with a lot of helpful information on it - sometimes it's easier to start with an-already-grown plant. A sure fire plant is coleus, I have about 50 of them from about 4 plants (on sale or given by friends) since last November.

You might want to try your hand at it and let any successes be stock plants this year - getting stuff together for next year. Good luck!

"lratliff29" this is how i do my seeds in the garage

and a closer look with one bulb i can make it about 70 with two on i can get it around 82 for faster germination. and "pagancat" is 100% right " at least i didn't see the nose grow. " lol

Crud. My favorite list shows that the last post for your Greenhouse Bizz was March 21 so I have not been keeping up til tonight when i finally started wondering why you havent posted lately . Came to find out what was goin on and you had newer thread. I have to catch up now.

You've been a bit busy, lol.

hay cricket welcome back. cathy4 is right I've been following your thread and you have been busy. i can't wait till I'm that far with my bizz. those tomatoes are looking good. "whitebear"

cricket I lost your thread where is it now

here you go "Artwestallis" http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/962832/ its in the market growers forum now. "whitebear"

i did get a composter done. yeasterday. so far today we have about 4-5 inches of snow and still coming down. had a limb take the end of the greenhouse out but fix it before this stuff can in so didn't loss anything. and tomorrow its going to be in the 60s. crazy weather.

Nice - 55 gal drum?

Did not get any work done this weekend except to make this mess. To make what is the next

This is what came out of that mess. And yes I make cakes too.....And no I am not one of those funny guys LOL

You can make a mess in my house any ol' day!

Dang, that is a gorgeous cake, what's the occasion? Or do you just like to eat fancy cakes for Sunday dessert?

My dad settled for steak...
=0) Jay

Amazing, and I worked for a bakery and have seen some really good ones.

That cake is beautiful......

OMG I love the composter.....What a great idea. I wish I knew where I could get drums like that. I would have the guy down the street build the stand, although looking at it closer, I think with the help of my husband I could make the stand.... now to find a drum to do that with.

Man you sure are smart and talented.

Janet

hay "Jayryunen" thanks and it's for my nieces "by marriage" sisters wedding found out i had to do it on Friday thanks "cathy4" and "meadowyck" in the holes on the composter i have 3" bolts to help mix the compost when i turn it.

Meadow... If there's a little winery anywhere nearby, you might be able to get plastic barrels from them... that's where I get mine for the price of the return deposit they pay.

WB... I wondered about the mixing, thanks for saying. =0)

Hope the marriage isn't as short-notice as the cake!

Winery, why I do believe up north by the lake. Will check them out. Thanks for the tip Jayryunen.

Janet

WOW! It's such an honor to get to know you. You are amazing! Do you sleep? I, myself, require at minimum 8 hrs and do best when I can get 9. Early to bed, early to rise. Well, if you consider 6am early. ;) I don't get as much done as you do.

My hubby is more a 5 hour man, but he tends to be groucher than me, lol.

Keep up the good work and I will keep tabs so can learn more things.

Great job, pat on back.
Lisa

Pretty Cake.

I made my sons wedding cake and made a cream cheese icing. OH my, I thought it was goin to melt before the ceremony was over. I kept it chilled til the ceremony. Good thing I did.

Just thought I would share in the moment.

You are all amazing, muffins from a mix are my limit, but I do make good meals.

no problem "Jayryunen"
"lratliff29" thanks and 3 to 4 hours a night is a lot for me.
great looking cake cricket i love cream cheese frosting its my fav.
hay "cathy4" i love a good meal too, you can only take so much sweets.ya no what i mean.
back on the greenhouse bizz for a min. the tilapia are doubled in size and growing by the day hope to have the aquaponic system completed by the next weekend. i'll keep the pics a coming. i'll try to take a pic of the tilapia tomorrow. and the living tunnel is starting to sprout seedlings.going to plant the cucumbers this week thinking of doing a living tunnel with them too.
well talk to you guys tomorrow i'm going out to the shop and build something.
"whitebear"

I'm going to bed for 9 hours, goodnight everyone!

Yeah, I need at least 6 and 8 is better...

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.