BACKYARD MARKET GARDENING
The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Selling What You Grow
by Andy Lee and Pat Foreman
Table of Contents
Foreword by Jim Hightower
CHAPTER 1
Here's what I did to start a $36,000 business in my back yard.
CHAPTER 2: Sites and Soils
Homemade Fertilizer
Green + Brown = Black Gold
Here’s How I Make Compost in my Backyard Market Garden
Cover Cropping
A Cash and Cover Crop
Fitting The Farm To The Climate
by Ed Shamy
Should You Pay Rent for a Market Garden Site?
What To Look For If You Do Rent Land
CHAPTER 3: Tools Of The Trade
Car or Truck?
Trellising
Sun screen
Walk-In Cooler
The Profit Is In The Picking
And After You Pick
15 Super Garden Tools Let You Whistle While You Work
1. Scoot-N-Doo
2. Multi-Dibble
3. Push Seeder
4. Wheelbarrow
5. Tool Shed
6. Washstand
7. Giant Cart
8. Weeding Tools
9. The Wheel Hoe
10. Maxidyne Speeder-Weeder
11. Rotary Tillers
12. When Your Garden Outgrows the Rotary Tiller
13-14. How To Install Plastic Mulch and Floating Row Covers
15. ‘Flame Thrower’
CHAPTER 4: Marketing is the Fun Part – Do It First and Do It Right
Find Your Niche
Direct Marketing
Subscription or Retail?
Subscription Direct Marketing
Retail Direct Marketing
Membership Garden
Can a Community Supported Farm Work for You?
Intervale Community Farm
Benefits of Community Support Agriculture
Feed 20 Families on Half An Acre
Pay Now, Buy Later
Codman Community Farm
Home Delivery Membership Garden
Selling Convenience
Clientele Membership Club
(CMC), A ‘Guaranteed Market’
Card Table in Your Front Yard
Farmers Markets
How Much Land is Needed to Grow Farm Stand Crops?
Sweet Corn Sure Is Popular
Getting Ready for Your First Farmers Market Day
You Should Look As Good As Your Veggies
Pricing Plays a Key Role in Profitability
Ways to increase sales and have more fun
"What Else Can I Get for You?"
More Ways to Attract Attention and Increase Your Sales
Sell Yourself, Nobody Else Will
Learning Efficient Selling
Sales In The Bag
Be A Good Neighbor
Restaurants, Caterers, Specialty Stores
Profits By The Foot
Not Too Big, Not Too Small – But Just Right
Caterers and Institutions
A Different Mix of Vegetables
Pick Your Own Farming
Cash From Christmas Trees
Bad Weather – PYO’s Achilles Heel
Producers Cooperatives
CHAPTER 5 More How To!
The New Gold Rush by T. L. Gettings
This grower goes the distance to satisfy customers by Bob Hofstetter
The Corporate Connection by George DeVault
How To Score BIG With Consumers by T. L. Gettings
Subscription Farming
From The Orient, $1 A Square Foot
2-Acre Eden
Higher-Value High-Value Crops by Craig Cramer
Grow Less, Make More
CHAPTER 6: This Game Called Business
The "Gambler’s Paradigm"
What is contained in a complete business plan?
What’s the "Big Deal" about a Business Plan?
Conserving Capital, and the Wise Use of Credit
What About all that Boring Business Stuff?
Use Knowledge to Help You Achieve Your Goals
Ways to Increase Your Specialized Knowledge
CHAPTER 7: Small Is Beautiful
City Farm Grosses $238,000 On 1/2 Acre by George DeVault
Do What No One Else Is Doing by Craig Cramer
Are Raised Beds Worth The Effort?
Cages
Trellises
Irrigation
It’s one thing you can’t do without
Irrigation Made Easy by George DeVault
Intensive Production In Your Greenhouse
A Homemade ‘Greenhouse’ For $100
The NEW FARM's Greenhouse Guide By Bob Hofstetter
Three Growers Find Profit Under Cover
$22,000 and Growing
Tunnels Of Plenty by Bob Hofstetter
CHAPTER 8: The Best Defense Is A Good Offense
For Weed, Disease and Pest Control
CHAPTER 9: A Plea for the Earth
Chapter 10: Eco Farming
The Obtainable, Sustainable Integrated Garden Farm System
Putting It Together In The Sustainable Food System
An Action Plan For The Integrated Garden Farming System
Natures Living Mulch – The Cover and Smother Crops
For Natural "Green" Manures
A Challenge to Growers Everywhere
Afterword
Appendix 1: The Intevale Foundation
Appendix 2: Resources
Suppliers
Book Publishers
Periodicals and Newsletters
Bibliography and Suggested Reading List
Index