Trees As Well As Soft Fruits

 It may be possible to take advantage of seasonal markets, such as Christmas trees, as well as soft fruits, either by providing the produce from the farm, or by buying in. It may also be possible to run a box scheme (see below) in conjunction with the farm shop. Growers may find it worthwhile buying some crops that are available cheaper on the wholesale market than they can produce, especially if they can work collaboratively with other local growers. Produce reaching the consumer must be fresh and harvested according to demand — this is particularly important for soft fruit.

Farmers' Markets

There are more than 500 markets countrywide, with a concentration in the south-west and south-east of England, as well as a dedicated organic market in north London. The Soil Association has estimated the proportion of organic food sold through farmers' markets at 15 per cent. The idea behind farmers' markets is to provide local small-scale producers and processors with a forum through which to sell direct to the consumer and contribute to the local economy. This saves the expense and risk of setting up a farm shop. For the consumer, farmers' markets offer direct contact with producers, and thus traceability, combined with a normally more relaxed shopping experience. Producers, in turn, get valuable feedback from their customers. With the increase in market numbers it is possible for individual producers to attend a substantial number of different markets. However, a farmers' market will only work if the producer enjoys selling to the public and has the time to do so.

The National Association of Farmers' Markets (NAFM) was established in 2002 to monitor and guide the conduct of these markets. In order to be a member of the NAFM the market must adhere to certain criteria. The main factors that affect producers are:

Box Schemes

Box schemes are one of the fastest growing methods of direct marketing for organic growers. There are several hundred now operating in the UK, ranging from supplying fewer than 100 boxes a week to supplying over 4,000. As the total volume sold through box schemes is still small, but increasing, there are substantial opportunities for expansion. As a benchmark, about 100 boxes a week requires one full-time worker and a part- time assistant. About sixty boxes can be produced per hectare from a mixed vegetable and fruit production system.

Box schemes have proved to be a simple and effective method of marketing and distributing organic vegetables for many growers.