Worth the time & effort?

yak651 · Mar 9, 2009

The last 2 years, I've been planting about an acre of pumpkins and selling at a roadside stand. Not a big money maker, but it pays for my imputs and gives me spending money. This year wondering if I should waste my time or not. Wondering if people will spend the little disposable income they have left on a "luxury" of halloween pumpkins. What do you think the market will be this fall?

flying belgian · Mar 9, 2009

Ya know I think people will find a few bucks to spend on a little halloween fun. We don't have the $ for big buck purchases but I think a couple pumpkins are still in most peoples budget.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 9, 2009

If they have kids, they will most likely buy pumpkins..

kyhayman · Mar 9, 2009

I'd speculate that pumpkins are one thing people wont give up. They are cheap, festive, and 'for the kids'. Most people will spend their last 3 bucks on their kids for holidays. Its kind of like hay for horses. From the volume I've moved this winter you'd never know their was anything wrong with the economy.

Stovepipe · Mar 9, 2009

Anyone with kids is going to buy them no matter what. Decorate things to make it exciting, if you don't already. I think you'll be fine.

Bob Huntress · Mar 9, 2009

Yak, I love raising chickens. By selling eggs we make more than it cost, but still we never made the big money. If you are doing the pumpkins because you need the money, there are more profitable crops to grow. I suspect that as long as you break even, you'll be happy, though. It's possible that people won't be buying pumpkins this fall. I won't lie, but if the risk of that is to high, grow something that will be more marketable. Since people eat watermellons, you can bet that they will sell. You may, or may not get the best price, but they will likely sell.

spanky · Mar 9, 2009

There is a guy near me that got his start growing pumpkins in high school. He now has a good size business. He always said a big part of the buyers were divorced fathers.

37 chief · Mar 9, 2009

Of the two holidays I think parents will spend as much as always on holloween. Maybe not as much on Christmas. When do you plant them I thought about planting some my self. stan

Sid · Mar 10, 2009

You have been doing it for two years. You have been paying for inputs,plus a little spending money. If you enjoy it,I suggest you stay with it. It is my opinion that the little roadside stand,and farmers markets are going to do a little better than in the past. You might try a little corn patch to sell for decorative purposes along with you pumpkins.

yak651 · Mar 10, 2009

(quoted from post at 21:51:12 03/09/09) Of the two holidays I think parents will spend as much as always on holloween. Maybe not as much on Christmas. When do you plant them I thought about planting some my self. stan

Usually plant them right around memorial day. I do plant indian corn also, sell the cobs in bunches and bunches of corn stalks. The indian corn didn't sell very well last year. My brother grows and sells tomatoes, he planted some gords that also sold well with the pumpkins.

vapet · Mar 10, 2009

If you don"t need the money, could be a good year to either give them away or reduce price. May help you more than anyone else.

Mike (WA) · Mar 10, 2009

Its a pretty cheap outing for the family, so I don't see your business going down that much. You might advertise a free pumpkin for each kid whose parents show a current unemployment payment stub- If you were in my area, I would go out of my way to buy from you if I knew you were doing something for the less fortunate.

DoubleR · Mar 10, 2009

I do the same thing with about 4 acers of pumpkins.I sell cornstalks, straw, fall decorations as well in a self-serve stand in front of my house. I do pretty good with it and have been doing it since my high school days. (I'm close to retirement age) I have a clientele of customers that come year after year and count on me to supply them. I aiways have made money and they count on me being there every year. So I would consider your clientel base when thinking about dropping out for a year. I lost money last year feeding my 10 steers that high priced corn but all my freezer beef customers were happy as they are every year and will be back again this year to buy beef.

2t2@IA · Mar 10, 2009

I would think that sales would not change much. You might find it worthwhile to plant some squash for sale to diversify a little.

Worth the time & effort?

yak651

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flying belgian

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Anonymous-0

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kyhayman

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Stovepipe

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Bob Huntress

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spanky

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37 chief

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Sid

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yak651

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vapet

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Mike (WA)

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DoubleR

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2t2@IA

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