Oct 13 2008
Selling Your Own Fruits and Vegetables
I’ve been writing about being more self-sufficient. With the economy on a downturn, it’s not a bed idea to start thinking about how you might earn some extra money. That second job, selling fruits and vegetables, may be the difference between being able to purchase the extras you want now and the necessities you need later - if the economy gets worse.
If you are thinking about following my advise as in past articles, you may have joined a community vegetable garden, started a “Freedom Garden” of your own or just a back yard garden. You may want to go one step further and grow some extra fruit and vegetables that you can sell to others.
Selling Vegetables
Step 1. Find a good location for your fruit and vegetable sales. If your property doesn’t run along a busy street, find an empty lot where you may be able to locate a vegetable stand. Make sure you get permission from the owner to use the lot. If your property does run along a street, but not a busy one, perhaps you can find a traffic street adjacent to yours. Post signs that can be seen by the traffic with an arrow to your location. Sandwich board signs on the street corner may work to advertise your fruit and vegetable sales.
Step 2. The fruit and vegetable stand. Certainly you can build a stand out of wood, but it will be heavy and cumbersome to move. I would suggest a camping or backyard fabric canopy. These come in sizes 8X8 feet or 10X10 feet and fold up nicely when not in use. You will want to anchor them into the ground or tie some heavy bricks to the corners as they can take off in the wind. Make your counter(s) from heavy fold up tables.
Step 3. Display. Keep your displays neat and clean. Use clean wooden boxes or baskets. Cover your tables with plastic table clothes that can be wiped off easily. If fruit and vegetables begin to look “sad” replace them. Always have fresh food displayed and people will return. Get up early each morning to pick your food to be displayed so it will be the freshest possible. Organic vegetables can make you even more money.
Step 4. Paperwork. Make sure you check with your town to see what permits you need and always be prepared to pay any income and sales tax required. For further information see the website helium.com/items/1108375-how-to-fruit-stand-produce-stand-fruit-and-vegetable-business.
