News from a market stall in South Africa

huntsman · December 7, 2011

This is my third year of selling tomato and pepper plants at a small food market in Johannesburg, and the first where I have actively grown plants specially for the market, using info gleaned from previous years.

We meet on a Saturday morning at 08h30 and pack up at 13h30 and although I won't be getting rich any time soon, it's really great selling something that you have nurtured from seed!

This started by my planting more seeds than I actually needed (who knew?!) and my refusal to dump the spares. As my friends and neighbours are about as 'green' as a ripe Stupice, I had to come up with something else, and tried the market, where I sold three peppers and a tomato plant the first week.

In general, South Africans have traditionally been too lazy / uninterested / uneducated to grow their own veg - even 'maters! - but I find that this is definitely changing. Provided my plants are in really good to great condition, with colourful, attractive signage, the passers-by are very interested. I'm charging U$ 12 - 20 for the 'maters and an average of U$ 13 for the peppers, and I have also started bottling fertiliser that I buy in bulk which is of a good quality.

The market is very small, with maybe 100 visitors per day, and I'm selling around 13 plants on average, and this weekend we sold more maters than peppers for the first time ever! YAY!

Selling for me are:

Stupice
Heinz
Cowlicks
JD's Special C-Tex
Yellow Pear
Black Cherry
Black from Tula
Cherokee Green
Gogosha
Ponderosa Pink

Most plants have fruit on them, are around 25" tall, and I always spend a few minutes with each customer detailing watering suggestions, etc, so it's a good deal all round.

So nice to supplement a poor income with something so wonderful to do...

Now it's your turn to take that step..

Zana · December 7, 2011

Wow....way to go there, Huntsman!

You'll have them all converted and coming back for more in no time. The foodies will be beating a path to your door or stall once they hear about it.

ScottinAtlanta · December 8, 2011

Do let us know how it goes. I was just in Joburg, and found the grocery stores full of good wine, good cheese, good fruits, and so-so vegetables. The climate there must be great for vegetable gardening.

nonamebrand · February 10, 2012

Interesting to see a South African here. I am in PE, and considering doing the same kind of thing, all going well I will be picking up a little 2Ha smallholding next week. Though I am just starting out growing anything.

Are you selling actual plants? I have been considering seeing as I love growing, and I will kind of have the "infrastructure" anyways, that it would make sense to sell excess seedling trays or small plants rather than try sell produce. If they don't sell I can always plant them on my land, compost it or feed it to worms/chickens!

Would you mind putting your price in Rands? Given the ZAR must have been trading around 8.00/USD in Dec, that must be about R80-R160! I was thinking of charing more like R10-R25! Given you can get plants in places like Builders Warehouse and Nurseries for R25 [think specifically of tomatoes, they were selling small plants for R25/plant]

Though I suppose it depends how big they are? [and of course some of the stuff from those places are pretty bad, half dead and unknown variety, (but do customers care? I only avoid them cos I want to know what I am planting, not just "tomato") but I don't know if consumers will see "heathly, fertilized, organically grown plant" or "hmm I want cheap plants"] Do you wait until they are quite grown rather than try selling very small plants?

Also, if you don't mind giving away your secrets!!, were do you get your seed from?

Those are interesting varieties, but I am not finding many places in SA where we can buy a wide variety of seed, P&P only sells basic Stark Ayres kind of thing, and other places like Karoo Seed seems to sell other seeds, but in like packets of 10000!!

I have bought seed off Bid&Buy, which seems the only place, but with R35 shipping [even from a local supplier] and seed quantities are significantly smaller that in the R10 packets found at P&P, it seems quite an expensive way to go.

I suppose seeing as I hoping most non-hybrid will have viable seed, I will be collecting seed from some of my plants and building a small seed bank, so growing exponentially, but still.

Be great if you had some advice for me!
Feel free to PM me if you don't want your Jhb competitors from finding out your secrets!

huntsman · February 10, 2012

Hi and welcome to Tomatoville!

It's great seeing fellow South Africans on the site and I hope you will have tonnes of fun here...I sure do!

I run my market stalls as a way of clearing my excess stocks from my hobby of 'mater and chili growing, and I put in enormous effort from sourcing seeds worldwide to growing them in a heated environment, to all manner of plant food (bliksem, that can cost!) and to the final expense of getting them to - decidedly expensive - markets.

I put in maximum effort, to be honest, despite trying to hold down a job, and as a result, I have no qualms about charging the maximum I believe I can get. I'm not cheap...but neither are my 'maters.

That said, they are guaranteed heirloom, are different from the ones available in all but the most select shops (and you can guess their prices?!) and are healthy and fruiting when you buy them. Couple that with my charming personality and ready wit and it's a winner!

You will probably have far more customers with your Stark Ayres - style range, and if profit is your motivation, then that system might well be the way to go. I have only a hundred (ish) SQM of garden and thus have a very small crop and I decided long ago to stick with what I love rather than try to please the masses.

You'll find kind folk in the 'marketplace' section of this forum who will be happy to help you with seed once they get to know you - these be good folk. It's too late in the season to plant seeds now, but if you pm me your postal address, I'll be happy to share!

janezee · February 10, 2012

If you were here, selling organic, fruiting JD's, I'd gladly give you $20. Right now!!!!

j

Zana · February 10, 2012

Me too!

Pickings are slim here in winter.

Wi-sunflower · February 10, 2012

nonamebrand,

Huntsman got some seeds from my web site 2 years ago (I think it was). It was the first time I had sent seeds to anywhere in Africa. It took something like 3 months for the seeds to get there. But later I found out that part of the delay was the fact that you guys were having a postal strike at the time.

Anyway, there are several of us "little" guys with small seed businesses that would be willing to try small orders of seed. Just order during your down season to give the post office and customs time to get them to you by the time you will need them.

Welcome to Tomatoville,
Carol

huntsman · February 11, 2012

Oh -

Advice for anyone trying this system, particularly if new to maters...

I'd highly recommend trying a few disease resistant plants in the mix. Some plants are waaay more difficult to grow in one area than certain others. Your local seed suppliers can advise here...

Barbee · February 11, 2012

It's really good to read an update on you

So happy to hear your plants are selling!

stonysoilseeds · March 27, 2012

i liked your post very much huntsman .. i am unable to sell plants in ny state without a specialized market license but i have a similar situation educating my customers about the merits of each variety of the produce i sell and it is so rewarding when they come repeat customers because they appreciate the difference the varities of plants you sell look wonderful good luck to you

huntsman · March 28, 2012

That's very kind of you, stonysoilseeds -

Clearly there are regional rewards as well as regional pitfalls, and it's up to each of us to learn this as pertaining to them, but there are some things we'll all have in common. The early morning sun as it rises on a new opportunity, the hot mugs of coffee, the excited squeals from new customers (and their children!) and the joy of packing up after a day spent with motivated buyers.

These are particularly rewarding if they come after hardships and distractions are involved in the preparation and setting up of the stall. Finances, weather, relationships etc, can all play a part in swaying you, but can also make the honey all the sweeter!

stonysoilseeds · March 28, 2012

that is so well said huntsman and i really appreciate that sentiment.. also you can never equate the monetary value of the produce you grow with all the love and nurturing.. at my market there are alot of low income families that would not have access to such quality produce otherwise there are so many food dessert areas all across the world that simply have no access to nutritious producee and i believe especially with the rising cost of gas local markets will really start to blossom

Salaam · March 28, 2012

huntsman,

Have you run across any local (South African) heirlooms, or is it all hybrid down there?

Zana · March 28, 2012

Sounds like you're having some fun and good days at the farmers' market, Paul. Good on you. What's your best sellers?

Salaam,
Welcome to Tomatoville.

Zana

December 7, 2011	#1
huntsman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9 Posts: 595	News from a market stall in South Africa This is my third year of selling tomato and pepper plants at a small food market in Johannesburg, and the first where I have actively grown plants specially for the market, using info gleaned from previous years. We meet on a Saturday morning at 08h30 and pack up at 13h30 and although I won't be getting rich any time soon, it's really great selling something that you have nurtured from seed! This started by my planting more seeds than I actually needed (who knew?!) and my refusal to dump the spares. As my friends and neighbours are about as 'green' as a ripe Stupice, I had to come up with something else, and tried the market, where I sold three peppers and a tomato plant the first week. In general, South Africans have traditionally been too lazy / uninterested / uneducated to grow their own veg - even 'maters! - but I find that this is definitely changing. Provided my plants are in really good to great condition, with colourful, attractive signage, the passers-by are very interested. I'm charging U$ 12 - 20 for the 'maters and an average of U$ 13 for the peppers, and I have also started bottling fertiliser that I buy in bulk which is of a good quality. The market is very small, with maybe 100 visitors per day, and I'm selling around 13 plants on average, and this weekend we sold more maters than peppers for the first time ever! YAY! Selling for me are: Stupice Heinz Cowlicks JD's Special C-Tex Yellow Pear Black Cherry Black from Tula Cherokee Green Gogosha Ponderosa Pink Most plants have fruit on them, are around 25" tall, and I always spend a few minutes with each customer detailing watering suggestions, etc, so it's a good deal all round. So nice to supplement a poor income with something so wonderful to do... Now it's your turn to take that step.. Last edited by huntsman; December 7, 2011 at 05:39 AM.

February 11, 2012	#10
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	It's really good to read an update on you So happy to hear your plants are selling! __________________ *Barbee*

March 28, 2012	#15
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	Sounds like you're having some fun and good days at the farmers' market, Paul. Good on you. What's your best sellers? Salaam, Welcome to Tomatoville. Zana Last edited by Zana; March 29, 2012 at 03:06 PM. Reason: corrected spelling

December 8, 2011	#3
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Do let us know how it goes. I was just in Joburg, and found the grocery stores full of good wine, good cheese, good fruits, and so-so vegetables. The climate there must be great for vegetable gardening.

February 10, 2012	#4
nonamebrand Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa Posts: 1	Interesting to see a South African here. I am in PE, and considering doing the same kind of thing, all going well I will be picking up a little 2Ha smallholding next week. Though I am just starting out growing anything. Are you selling actual plants? I have been considering seeing as I love growing, and I will kind of have the "infrastructure" anyways, that it would make sense to sell excess seedling trays or small plants rather than try sell produce. If they don't sell I can always plant them on my land, compost it or feed it to worms/chickens! Would you mind putting your price in Rands? Given the ZAR must have been trading around 8.00/USD in Dec, that must be about R80-R160! I was thinking of charing more like R10-R25! Given you can get plants in places like Builders Warehouse and Nurseries for R25 [think specifically of tomatoes, they were selling small plants for R25/plant] Though I suppose it depends how big they are? [and of course some of the stuff from those places are pretty bad, half dead and unknown variety, (but do customers care? I only avoid them cos I want to know what I am planting, not just "tomato") but I don't know if consumers will see "heathly, fertilized, organically grown plant" or "hmm I want cheap plants"] Do you wait until they are quite grown rather than try selling very small plants? Also, if you don't mind giving away your secrets!!, were do you get your seed from? Those are interesting varieties, but I am not finding many places in SA where we can buy a wide variety of seed, P&P only sells basic Stark Ayres kind of thing, and other places like Karoo Seed seems to sell other seeds, but in like packets of 10000!! I have bought seed off Bid&Buy, which seems the only place, but with R35 shipping [even from a local supplier] and seed quantities are significantly smaller that in the R10 packets found at P&P, it seems quite an expensive way to go. I suppose seeing as I hoping most non-hybrid will have viable seed, I will be collecting seed from some of my plants and building a small seed bank, so growing exponentially, but still. Be great if you had some advice for me! Feel free to PM me if you don't want your Jhb competitors from finding out your secrets!

February 10, 2012	#6
janezee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Whidbey Island, WA Zone 7, Sunset 5 Posts: 931	If you were here, selling organic, fruiting JD's, I'd gladly give you $20. Right now!!!! j

February 10, 2012	#7
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	Me too! Pickings are slim here in winter.

February 10, 2012	#8
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	nonamebrand, Huntsman got some seeds from my web site 2 years ago (I think it was). It was the first time I had sent seeds to anywhere in Africa. It took something like 3 months for the seeds to get there. But later I found out that part of the delay was the fact that you guys were having a postal strike at the time. Anyway, there are several of us "little" guys with small seed businesses that would be willing to try small orders of seed. Just order during your down season to give the post office and customs time to get them to you by the time you will need them. Welcome to Tomatoville, Carol

March 27, 2012	#11
stonysoilseeds Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: cincinnatus, new york Posts: 341	i liked your post very much huntsman .. i am unable to sell plants in ny state without a specialized market license but i have a similar situation educating my customers about the merits of each variety of the produce i sell and it is so rewarding when they come repeat customers because they appreciate the difference the varities of plants you sell look wonderful good luck to you

March 28, 2012	#14
Salaam Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 128	huntsman, Have you run across any local (South African) heirlooms, or is it all hybrid down there?