At almost every farm market across the nation there is a long line waiting for the fresh vegetable merchant, but there is also an equally long line waiting for fresh cut flowers and bouquets. This relatively new addition to farm markets comes as a response to a busy lifestyle, smaller gardens to grow flowers and increase disposable income that allows pretty bouquets to be purchased rather than grown. Serving this market requires both knowledge of plants and a decent amount of space. However, large amounts of space are not necessarily required. In Virginia, Robin Seeterlin and Elaine Wood run a market stall called Bloomers where they sell fresh cut flowers that are grown on just one third of an acre.
It is important to have a steady succession of blooms to be able to run the whole market. This means starting annuals early, but also growing some perennials that will bloom in the late spring when the market opens. Most markets start around the time that the strawberries mature and for northern seasonal markets this is late May or so. Obviously you will want to find flowers that bloom on stems at least four or five inches long so that they can be bunched together for a bouquet. Also consider selections that are known to be good cut flowers. The County Extension service will likely have a list of good, reliable flowers for your area.
Color is important for the selections too. Bright yellows and oranges, along with burgundy and rose colors are popular in groups, perhaps offset with a beige or white. Have a few different textures as well to give body to the arrangement. Color and arrangements, of course, will be somewhat dependant on your clientele and the trends of the area, plus your own preferences. Remember that if there are two vendors of flowers, the customer will pick one or other based on the specific style of one over the other, and this is a very unique thing that you will establish.
On a practical level, you must get the flowers picked and conditioned as well as shipped so that they arrive on the market looking fresh. Most seasonal markets start early on Saturday, around 8 in the morning, so you will probably be picking the evening before. The flowers need to be stored carefully before loading into your van in the morning. A walk-in cooler is ideal, but most basements are also cool enough for someone who is just starting out. Transporting the flowers, complete with buckets of water can also create logistical problems. Bloomers used a suburban van for many years that they had converted. They replaced the floor covering with linoleum to accommodate the numerous, messy buckets filled with plants in water that they carried to markets twice a week.
When you get to the market, you will be able to display your flowers in various ways. Most markets do not provide tables or chairs, so you will have to bring the whole set up in the vehicle alongside the flowers. Make a mock set up at home before you attend the market for the first time, so that you get a feel for how to make an appealing customer front. Deciding how best to display and present the flowers is an important part of the process and one that can be changed along the way, but a practice run is a valuable way to start out.
Things that you will need to remember to attend to will include how to keep the blooms looking fresh on a hot market and remember not to use glass on the market as these containers are likely to break and cause problems in a crowded market. You may find that you need a canopy for both you and the flowers, or you could find that just a supply of fresh water is sufficient. Of course this will vary with the weather as well. Once your customer has purchased the bouquet, they will expect to have it wrapped in some way, so as not to be destroyed by market crowds, and they will not want it to drip. Assuming that your customer buys early in their market time, you will also need a way to keep the stems moist so that the bouquet does not wilt prior to arriving home. Wrapping the stems with damp newspaper or paper towel will help. Wrap the moist end in plastic film so that the moisture stays in and does not leak. The entire bouquet can be wrapped in a large piece of wax paper, or special flower sleeves available from a wholesaler that specializes in these items.
Finally you need to decide on pricing your fresh flowers. You can do this by pricing per bloom, or per bouquet, but whichever way you choose make sure that it is clearly displayed. You will doubtless need to have change on hand too, but if you make your prices such that they are whole dollars including sales tax, both you and your customer will complete the transaction faster. Additionally, no-one wants to walk around with a pocket full of change, when the total comes to $3.07 and they give you a $5 bill!
All your sales should be carefully recorded so that you can pay any sales tax required. Careful records also help with the year-end income tax forms.
Don’t forget to bring items for your personal convenience too. Sunscreen, a hat, bottled water, and sunglasses will all need to be part of your market bag.
Selling flowers on a farm market can be fun and can bring in substantial income. So if you have the talent and room plus interest, consider giving this idea a try – you will be glad you did!