Would you buy vegetable seedlings from a farmers market & how much would you pay?

[CookiesRYum]

So; me with my endless ideas and crazy brain has come up with yet another business idea that me and DH could do on the side to generate a little more income but was wondering if there was a market for it.

Basically, we seed save from our vegetable garden and then use those seeds the following year; raising seedlings and then transfering (or just planting seedling direct for some things)

Orginally, we brought our seeds from a really reputable Melbourne company - some were organic/some not; all where hierloom varities. Now they are prob 3rd or 4th generation from our crops.

They are organic, but we are not certified organic and probably wouldn't bother due to the cost involved in certification.

SO, long story short I was thinking we could take our seedlings to the farmers market (we live rural vic) and sell them?

The seedlings we raise are grown in toilet roll holders that we dip in wax, we don't have bottoms on them so when you plant them you just put the whole thing in the ground - the roots grow out the bottom and the paper breaks down in around 4 weeks or so.

Would you buy them and how much would you pay? And what sort of seedlings would you want?

[AmberMama]

This is an interesting idea! I would definitely be interested (pity I don't live closer!) and would be much more inclined to buy seedlings from a farmer's market than somewhere like Bunnings or a plant nursery. For me, it would be helpful to ask questions of the grower and also to possibly see the "final product" if it was something like vegetables - to be able to see produce that came from similar plants would definitely influence my decision.

I chose that I'd be happy to pay $1.50/seedling, but depending on the maturity and quality I'd probably be willing to pay up to $2. If you were offering discounts - like $1.50 each, but 10 for $12 (just an example) I would be willing to buy more than if it were just a flat rate.

I would be most willing to buy things that were a) useful to me, and b) easy to grow (I'm notorious for being a plant killer :(). Things I would look at buying would be (examples only based on what I would eat, not how easy things are to grow - I really have no idea about that!) carrots, strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes, any sort of herb, etc.

Personally it wouldn't bother me if you weren't certified organic, though it may influence some people's decision. Your assurance would be enough for me (though if it seemed a highly professionally run operation with a set up similar to what you'd see in a plant nursery etc I would be less inclined to believe things were organic - not sure why but that's how I feel!).

Hope that helped - sorry if I rambled on a bit :)

[YMo7]

i completely agree with tiahna... :)

[sandy cheeks]

I would make the selling point the hierloom varities rather than organic as you said you would have to pay to get the cert. Could you still sell them as chemical/pesteside free:confused:
I would def add the heirloom varities they are in vogue atm always in burks backyard mag.
All the farmers markets I have been to have herbs I think seed's could do well I even got a blueberry plant at the last one I went to.

[mum_I'm_hungry]

I don't have a garden and pretty much kill any plant I touch, so that's a 'no' for me!