This is a tip to help your garden make more of a positive impact on your life, and possibly the lives of the people around you. Having an income from all your hard work isn’t too bed either. But if you look at it from a non-monetary point of view, having extra produce to sell helps bring natural, possibly organic, and locally-grown food to more people. So where do you start?
The simplest way to sell your extra produce is to do a little networking with friends, co-workers and neighbors. Make up a few packages of whatever is currently fresh and keep it priced reasonably. You just sell when you have extra, or when someone asks about your garden.
If you want to step it up a bit, you can always think about getting a table or stall at the local farmers market or flea market. There will likely be a cost for your table, a set schedule to follow, and you’ll typically be surrounded by other people selling much of the same stuff as you. Still, it can be a great way to make some sales and find like-minded people who are interested in locally-grown food.
Selling from a table at the road is another option but it can be tricky, depending on your location and neighborhood traffic patterns. You don’t get the same audience as a market does, but you’re also not bound by anyone’s rules. You can open any day you want, and skip days when you’re busy or have nothing to sell. It’s also free.
Another method currently gaining popularity in the gardening world is the CSA. It stands for community sponsored agriculture. The idea is that you sell shares in your harvest before your growing season starts. This allows your customers to better support your garden, because you’re paid early to help with seed and fertilizer costs. After that, you portion out everything you grow to your shareholders. They get ongoing produce based on whatever is growing well that year, and you get upfront funds. It’s a little more complicated than the other methods but might work for your situation.