Yeah, I had certainly never thought about it before helping out at my friend's farm on market day... holy cow. It is more work to harvest than it is to grow things. I'd say at least 50-50 for labor to harvest vs plant and grow, even with some hand weeding in the mix. (well they mostly wheel hoe but it does come down to hand at times).
Making jelly too - I'm happy to do it for myself and family but it would be hard to justify as a product to sell, mostly because of picking time for currants and other berries. And the currants are not that bad to pick by the handful without pulling them off the stems! But still it is labor time that amounts to a cost even though the fruit is "free" - as Richard said, not much care required once they're established.
Hard to believe the lady with the green beans
she wouldn't pick herself but would like you to do it for lower wages.
