Here in Vermont, trees are starting to come out of their winter hibernation as their sap starts to flow from the roots on warmer spring days. The trees stored the sap during the shortened days of autumn. In the early spring, the sap occasionally travels from the roots to the leaf buds awaiting to unfurl. […]

The first rule of marketing is that the customer is always right. It’s a wise rule because customers who have good experiences are much more likely to return to your business. And in the age of the internet, people who have a bad experience are likely to share it. Sometimes it’s a Facebook rant, other […]

Many farm-related businesses are seasonal. Our farm stand is open to the public from Memorial Day weekend through the end of November each year. It can be quite tricky to have enough inventory to have a nice selection of items for customers without being stuck with more than we need over the winter months. In […]

Have you heard of Etsy? It is an online marketplace where vendors can sell handmade and/or vintage goods. Selling on Etsy has lots of benefits for us. It has a lot of name recognition and has been around long enough to be a publicly-traded company. Lots of lifestyle magazines feature  products found on the site. […]

A social media marketing strategy is essential for any entrepreneur and is especially important for those of us who are hustling from the homestead. Properly harnessing the power of social media can boost business and mean big returns. Failing to take advantage of social media can cost you traffic and help drive customers to your […]

We have a roadside farm stand here on our 50-acre family farm, and each year our season runs from Memorial Day weekend through the last Saturday of November. We choose to have hours just two days per week- Saturdays from 10-4 and Tuesdays from 12-6. This allows me to run the stand without hired help […]

Sell Homemade Jams and Jellies at Your Local Market Written By: Shirley Splittstoesser, Grit Blogger Americans are hungry for quality, homemade goods, and people with a passion for cooking are filling that flavorful niche. Treats such as Meaner’n a Snake Pickles, Hot Pepper Jelly and Cobbler in a Jar, previously served only at the kitchen table, […]

The Business of Culinary Herbs Shared From MOTHER EARTH NEWS  Written By: MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors This is one of the most important phases of the herb business and offers good opportunities for the beginner. The herbs that are dried and packaged are numerous, but for the beginner we recommend starting with the most popular varieties. […]

Selling Your Herb Products Shared From MOTHER EARTH NEWS  Written By: MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors Your best prospects for selling display cards of herbs will be found among supermarkets, grocery stores, health food store. and specialty shops. Any store that sells food is a prospect for a dried herb display card. A good time to see […]

How to Get Accepted Into Farmers Markets Written By: Forrest Pritchard, MOTHER EARTH NEWS Blogger It seems as though everyone has at least a passing dream of selling at a farmers’ market. From backyard tomatoes, to foraged wild morels, to grandma’s incredible pound cake recipe, the possibilities often appear endless. My own journey started in […]