Forget Pick Your Own! We're Picking to Sell!!! :D

[Quail_Antwerp]

We have a couple of well producing cherry trees - they cherries are small and more of a pie cherry than anything. BUT they are delicious!!!

We cannot pick them all or even eat all of them ourselves. E cannot (and shouldn't really) climb a ladder to pick them way up in the tops of trees. I could but I'm deathly afraid of heights (er rather falling?)

We're considering listing them in our local area as "Pick Your Own Pie Cherries" but am not sure how to price them.

We have small containers that we *think* are 1 pint. Do you think $1 per pint would be fair? We don't want to charge too terribly much, because they will be picking their own.

The trees are loaded, and we just don't want to see the birds get what we don't use.

Thanks.

 

[ksalvagno]

I think my only concern would be if someone fell on your property. Do you have good farm insurance to cover strangers coming onto your property and possible accidents?

 

[sufficientforme]

I would ask a friend to pick them and go halves with them, or do it myself and can them
Great gifts of cherry pie filling, cherry jam, maraschino cherries, yummm! They always looks so pretty jarred up.
If you homeowners insurance covers people coming to pick, I think your prices are a little low. I pay 2.50 a pound on average, Rainiers up to 5.00 a pound it depends of course what part of the country you are selling but I think you could go just a little higher. People pay for the experience not just the produce at least I do I pick at a U-pick farm where I live and pay a little higher cost but I can see where it's grown and the kids have a blast participating.

 

[Wifezilla]

CHerries in the store are around $4/lb. I would charge AT LEAST 2, but you could get away with $3 easy.

The U-Pic place I go to get apples and blackberries is NOT cheaper than the grocery store.

As for insurance, etc... I would post signs "climb ladders at your own risk". "No children on ladders" and then go for it.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Well, the possibility of injury is a concern for me, too. My husband said make it pick at your own risk, but I don't like that idea.

We're just tossing around ideas right now. I can go pick them, will take awhile, lol, but I think if we put up the big ladder, I'll be Ok. I don't think I'll get ALL of them picked, though.

I know we could sell them like mad at the local auction barn or the farmer's market. Or even right out our door.

Our black raspberries are just about ready, too. Last year we were getting $3 a pint on the black raspberries that we picked and took to the flea market.

It's a lot of picking when you're the only one picking. E can pick black raspberries, though. We've tried to have the kids help, but they end up eating more than half of what they pick and well....

I think I'm going to try the farmer's market/local auction route first.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

CHerries in the store are around $4/lb. I would charge AT LEAST 2, but you could get away with $3 easy.

The U-Pic place I go to get apples and blackberries is NOT cheaper than the grocery store.

As for insurance, etc... I would post signs "climb ladders at your own risk". "No children on ladders" and then go for it.

That's what my husband wants to do. He wants to have a paper for them to sign that says they will not hold us liable for any injury they might get, that we're not liable for their vehicle being parked on our property, and an agreement that they will respect our property and not destroy our tree during picking.

We only have 9 cherry trees.

He wants to charge less than the stores, because of the "at your own risk" stipulation.

Please keep the feedback coming. This is really helping! I'm putting a lot of focus into our farm working for us, and actually providing a small income base for us instead of just making ends meet.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

One more question - how long do fresh cherries keep and how should we store them to maintain their freshness??

We're talking about starting to pick today, and if we can pick enough today and through Sunday, we can have plenty to sell on Monday at Auction (they allow locals to set up and sell produce for $10 a spot on Mondays).

 

[Wifezilla]

I'm putting a lot of focus into our farm working for us, and actually providing a small income base for us instead of just making ends meet.

Awesome

My hubby said the other day, "I know you really enjoy the gardening and the ducks and quail, but you know you are not making any money on it."

Then I showed Mr. Smarty Pants my spread sheet. The garden is still in the red, but I added a LOT of new garden beds this year and we are a month a way from big harvest time. I project I will at least break even despite having to buy MANY MANY bags of dirt. Also I am making twice what I spend on the ducks. So there!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I'm putting a lot of focus into our farm working for us, and actually providing a small income base for us instead of just making ends meet.

Awesome

My hubby said the other day, "I know you really enjoy the gardening and the ducks and quail, but you know you are not making any money on it."

Then I showed Mr. Smarty Pants my spread sheet. The garden is still in the red, but I added a LOT of new garden beds this year and we are a month a way from big harvest time. I project I will at least break even despite having to buy MANY MANY bags of dirt. Also I am making twice what I spend on the ducks. So there!

I would REALLY love to learn how to do spread sheets. I think that would help me A LOT in keeping track with expenses and with what we bring in.

Right now I'm hand writing everything in a notebook - front part is for sales back part expenses (like feed).

 

[sufficientforme]

They will keep in the fridge until Sunday for sure, I ended up buying 12 pounds and did not finish canning with them for a week and they were all still fine.
You will make more money selling at market/auction and people tend to pay more for farm produce, GO FOR IT!