Now he tells me!

I drop a couple of papers off at a hardware store each week. Over the course of time, the manager and I have developed a good relationship - he bought a few plants from me last year and I do a decent amount of business with them.

Today, he said he has a business proposition for me - he would like to sell plants, especially tomatoes. It would be on a consignment type basis; give him X number of plants, collect Y dollars based on how many plants he sells.

The only problem, I did not see this coming, meaning I didn't start way more plants than I reasonably expect to sell, even though it will mean delivering them to several businesses and setting up a marketplace for a few days. But OTOH, if I can sell out without having to spend time and treasury, even though my net profit will be lower it will be a lot less work. Plus, it would set up a basis for next year. And even though this is only one store now, there are five in the chain - that could lead to maybe 1,000 plants next year.

Starting 1500 seedlings would be a bit of a challenge but still doable. I have another spare bedroom; I would just need to build tables in it and add lights.

This may be the straw that pushes me where I have been leaning - toward making growing my day job. Or at least creating a business plan for such. As my grandpa, a man who never said a cuss word that I or mom ever heard once told me, "Mike, it's time to have a bowel movement or get out of the outhouse!"

Mike
 
Jay,

If he is willing to do it, I'd go for it. The store I took mine to wanted me to take back what didn't sell and I was fine with that. If has enough customers lined up, he may agree. If not, you haven't lost anything!

Mike
 
Back
Top