Saturday 21 March 2015

What To Grow For An Honesty Box?

It's the first day of spring and the garden is really kicking off. I'm big on planting seeds, sets and potatoes at the moment, as well as getting the rest of the beds ready for planting. 


 I've been thinking about what quantities to put in. 
I always struggle with how much to grow, in my mind I need to plant enough to allow for a bad year but this normally means that we're left with a glut that I then preserve - which isn't always a bad thing. In fact I'm currently thinking of increasing my summer crops and starting an honesty box on the road to sell my surplus along with my eggs, a few quid here and there would really help to cover the costs of my garden (which is pretty low anyway) and reduce waste. 
The seeds planted in the next month or so really dictate what I grow for the rest of the year so now's the time to do something about it. I'm thinking of lots more quick growing summer crops like salads, beets, carrots, beans and courgettes, but I was wondering what everyone else thinks? If you ever use an honesty box what do you buy? Or if you have one what do you find sells well?

23 comments:

  1. 22 years of selling! Best sellers here =tomatoes, runner beans, pencil thin French climbing beans ( REALLY good profit on these!) onions, beetroot in bunches, cucumbers.
    Worst -courgettes especially when everyone has a glut.
    Caulis sell but take up a lot of room for their worth. Lettuce doesn't sell well and is no good after being out for a day. Longer term - All soft fruit ( remember my 300lb of gooseberries every year!)
    Although it might be different for you. We don't do carrots as they don't do well here.

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    1. Good advice! I need to get some more fruit bushes in so I can do this, I'm not doing too bad with fruit trees. As for caulis they have to be my least favourite veg to grow so no chance of that! Good tips on the salad though - I hadn't given that much thought.

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  2. I too would avoid lettuce unless you are prepared to eat all you don't sell , eggs and preserves go well in summer we sell beans courgettes new potatoes kohlrabi chillies and cucumbers . Our fruit is only young so no fruit surplus but i know that people like buying things they cannot get in the supermarket I can forage Damsons and these sell like hotcakes :) we don't grow carrots or onions as they take up too much space and i can buy cheap at farm shop.

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    1. I guess the chickens could have what I don't sell. Good to know damsons sell so well, mum and dad have an old damson orchard so I'll have to pick some to sell next year with the girls. Kohlrabi is a good idea as well as they grow quick and don't take up much room.

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  3. All of the above..
    Damsons are a BIG seller as are Gooseberries and Blackcurrants (so difficult to get in the shops) Cooking apples and tomatoes do well as do french beans. Don't bother with anything that takes up a lot of room and only sells for pence.
    We sell eggs and honey too and leave these signs out all year if we can. You can then put all sorts of bits and bibs out that you haven't enough to put a sign out for.
    Good luck, we always said that the veggies paid for seed and the damsons for the winter hay!

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    1. I think more fruit bushes is a must here, I'll take more cuttings this year. As for honey it's something I keep toying with as if you can keep the bees alive the money is quite good (correct me if I'm wrong) and it's a great one for self sufficiency. If damsons pay for the hay then they must be pretty good!

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  4. Where I used to live in South Shropshire, selling from farm gates and honesty boxes were not allowed.
    You had to have permission from the local parish council and the local council to have a sign up, because it 'distracted drivers', then you had to have 'safe parking' for customers, public liability insurance was also required in case anyone slipped or fell on your property, and some even had to provide toilet facilities.
    I never went ahead with that !! I have a friend though who sold honey, eggs and surplus veggies from her gate until an 'upstanding' neighbour reported her to the local council, and she was stopped immediately.
    So good luck with that but make sure you are not breaking any laws or contravening any local rules and regs.

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    1. I'm guessing you mean Ludlow as that's pretty much south Shropshire (where I grew up) and I'd not heard that rule but it doesn't surprise me. There's plenty of honesty boxes around here though so I think I'll risk it, although I might give it a google just to check. Thanks for your comment!

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  5. People used to set out preserves and honey here fifteen years ago, and people would leave the money for the products. But then the tourists started coming up and they would not only take the products but empty the money box. So nobody does that anymore.

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    1. I think that where I'll have to put this box is much more risky than where I keep my egg one now as it's quite far from the house or any other houses but it's the only place I can think to put it. I'll try and see, if it keeps getting stolen I'll have to give in, but hopefully it won't!

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  6. I have been putting some thought into for a while about selling our surplus veggies as well. I have sold a dab here and there people at work asking could they buy some etc. At first I felt odd taking their money. But then I thought well it was hard work and they get fresh organic produce at a very good price. I actually have a location that would let me set up and sell my produce by their store. I was thinking maybe have a set schedule of the days and times I would be at that location,so people would know exactly when I would be there. Just trying to figure it all out at this point. Tomatoes here I know are always a good choice to sell and peppers, I think summer squash would do well also. Cucumbers. Ya the store sells all these but we all agree store bought vegetables simply doesn't taste like home grown!

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    1. My wife sells things at her work sometimes (eggs mainly) and I think it felt weird for her to take money to start with but then demand was up and everyone wanted them!
      Could you not do it as an honesty box at work as I'm sure you could trust your co workers. I was thinking about selling cucamelons as well and see if people like it.

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  7. There is A Sheeps Head Producers market on our peninsula Kev. It's got a voluntary run shop and you can sell your produce there. They also have a Sunday market in the summer time. Perhaps you could start your own?

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    1. I don;t know if I'd ever have enough in one go for a farmers market, bu there is one in the next village over once a month - I had thought about selling my apple trees there when I have enough.

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    2. Kev, don't worry about not having enough...
      there is an elderly gardener who comes to the market at Preuilly sur Claise... the village next door...
      he has very little to sell... but it is good stuff and he's usually sold out and in the bar by 10.30!!

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  8. The Squirrel Family said it...
    things that are known to be popular...
    but don't reach the shops...
    we buy things we like that no one else sells...
    Don't forget, too....
    your courgettes will be ready at a time when...
    everyone elses are...
    and when they are cheap in the shops...
    instead..
    grow something unusual...
    try Sweet Dumpling Squash...
    or Yellow Crookneck...
    the latter are used like courgettes...
    but are creamier!
    Or try Marketmore or Diva cukes...
    six inches long... never more than eight...
    small, individual cukes... and with flavour...
    that is the way to go.

    And do some recipe leaflets or cooking hints...
    many people don't know "strange" veg...
    so don''t want to try them.
    Good luck!!

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    1. I like the idea of leaflets with the unusual veg, I think that would work. I have some patty pan seeds so I might put them in as they grow like mad and produce loads and be a good alternative to courgettes.

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  9. Our neighbours sell eggs Kev, unfortunately they left a sign out a few months ago saying someone had not only taken all the eggs but the honesty box too. It only takes one, but where you are it should only be 'locals' so perhaps safer.

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    1. I think it's a risk you have to take. at worst you loose a few quid I guess, but it's more than that as its the effort that's gone into producing it. My egg box now is buy the house so we have no problems there, but he new one would be on it's own so much higher risk.

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  10. Hello Kev. I found your blog through Frugal in Suffolk. It makes an interesting read for me here in North Yorkshire. I see you are putting in your onion sets - I am off to buy mine tomorrow from the garden centre. We had such a good crop last year - just finished them this week and they have stayed firm and crisp.
    A friend who lives in the village (our farm is a mile outside) sells my eggs at her gate and so far (touch wood) has not lost any eggs or the honesty box.
    I hope we can keep in contact in the future - we seem to have a lot in common.

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    1. Hello!
      Yep, my onions are all in now, my harvest last year produced loads but not much size to them, so I'm going to space them all a bit further apart this year and see if that helps. Mine were from lidl I must confess, but they're so cheap!
      It's good having a friend to sell them for you, I've been selling eggs for over a year now and we're still doing alright with it (although I taken the sign down over winter as they've been laying so few).
      Thanks for you comment!

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  11. I sold all my surplus through an honesty box/farm gate system when we lived at our last rented place. We did have the money pinched once and the goose eggs taken without any money being left twice, but apart from that it was fine.

    We put posters up with information on the veggies (if they were slightly unusual and what to make with them, and also with photos of our chickens and geese on. It helped create interest and one lady left a lovely note thanking us for helping her teach her young children where veggies and eggs came from, which made our day.

    I did sell lettuces (and lots of them) but in the form of living lettuces ie, in small trays. They were successful, a good water first thing and they lasted the day at the gate in good condition. If they didn't sell and we had lots more we simply put the tray over the fence in chicken world and the chickens got a good snack :-)

    Another good outlet is car boot sales, there are lots of folk willing to pay for homegrown veggies, surplus plants and homemade jams etc. You can combine it with a clear out of outgrown children's clothes and toys too and have a nice day out in the process.

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  12. Pumpkins!
    You could bung the plants in your new compost bins and have them on your honesty table in time for halloween along with apples for bobbin' They'll advertise your wares from a distance....great big globes of orange loveliness....and a bit of extra cash ready for xmas.

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