Farming garlic is a booming business that’s continuing to grow. There are simply many ways to profit with a garlic business. So how can you too be making good money? Here are seven ways to get you started:
1. Grow what people want
It’s simple, and be sure to stick to it—grow what people want to buy. So for starters, avoid the standard garlic you’ll find at every supermarket, and grow only gourmet varieties, like Rocambole or Elephant garlic.Before buying your garlic bulbs, do some research. If you can grow what people want, your garlic will sell well.
2. Farmers’ markets
Farmers’ markets continue to be popular events that draw big crowds eager to find the best local produce from the best local growers. That could be you. Set up a stand or stall, and put your garlic on display. Consider putting out a sign-up sheet for a mailing list, so you can keep in contact with your customers. Farmers’ markets can fill up fast, so if you’re not able to rent a stand or a stall, consider asking another grower if you can share one with them.
3. Grow organic
Not only do you need to grow what people want, but it needs to turn out exactly how your customers want it. You want healthy garlic that people are eager to buy. Be sure your garlic is growing in healthy soil. Only use organic products, such as organic fertilizers. Organically-grown garlic simply sells better and often at a higher price.
4. Mail-order sales
More and more people are turning to mail-order sales to find the kind of garlic they want. This is especially a great idea for your garlic business if you have something special about your garlic—is it organic? Was it grown a certain way? Do you offer garlic-based products? If your garlic is hard-to-find, consider selling garlic starts in regional or national gardening magazines.
5. Produce brokers
Produce brokers buy garlic in bulk and then resell it to supermarkets and other retail outlets. Selling to produce brokers is a great way to sell large quantities of garlic at once. You’ll be selling them for wholesale prices, so you won’t make as much as if you were selling them retail, but you can sell a lot at one time, which leaves you free to do other things, such as growing more garlic.
6. Make value-added products
Making value-added products is your chance to get creative with garlic. You can make several products with garlic. For one, you can make a safe garlic-based insecticide. You can also make a deer repellant. Or what about taking your “cull” garlic bulbs (ones with blemishes or an odd shape) and filling a half-pound mesh bag that you tie off at the top. This can make for an excellent natural flea repellant. There are simply many fun products you can make that can make you great money.
7. Hard neck vs. soft neck
There are two main types of garlic: soft neck and hard neck. Soft neck is what you usually see in grocery stores. For a small grower, it’s recommended you stick to hard neck garlic. It can do better in colder climates, produces larger cloves and has more flavor. For you it’s the most profitable garlic type you can grow.
Follow these seven ways, and you will soon be making big profits with your garlic business. To learn more, read Golden Harvest.
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