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OfflinePitcherCrab
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Scale for farmers markets?
    #26643502 - 05/02/20 11:33 AM (3 years, 8 months ago)

What NTEP scale do you guys use for farmer's markets?

I've been looking at a few and I'm trying to decide the fidelity I need on it. There is a nice "washdown" model that is 50lbsx0.02lb I can get a pretty good deal on.


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PC's LAGM 2021 (TOC & TWC)
P. natalensis Growlog 2021
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“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” - Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear



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OfflineSHROOMSISAY01M
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Re: Scale for farmers markets? [Re: PitcherCrab]
    #26648825 - 05/04/20 06:11 PM (3 years, 8 months ago)



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OfflinePitcherCrab
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Re: Scale for farmers markets? [Re: SHROOMSISAY01]
    #26649594 - 05/05/20 02:24 AM (3 years, 8 months ago)

Do you like the 40lb x 0.01lb capacity of that scale for mushrooms at the market?

I'm looking at two right now, a 30lb x 0.01lb (0.005lb/2g non-NTEP) and a 15lb x 0.005lb (0.002lb/1g non-NTEP). I guess when used legally to NTEP standards they're not as sensitive, but they can still measure smaller amounts non-NTEP certified. I keep going back and forth, as I will likely not need to weigh anything over 15lbs and it would be nice to have the finer measurement for other lab work, but it seems like most farmer's market scales are around 30lb capacity, and my primary reason for getting a new scale is for markets.

Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated!

(I'm aware I'm over thinking this, but I'd love your thoughts anyway :grin:)


--------------------
PC's LAGM 2021 (TOC & TWC)
P. natalensis Growlog 2021
Pans for PC Fall 2021 Growlog

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” - Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear



Edited by PitcherCrab (05/05/20 02:38 AM)


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Offlineseagu

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Re: Scale for farmers markets? [Re: PitcherCrab]
    #26649768 - 05/05/20 05:02 AM (3 years, 8 months ago)

Have you considered not using a scale and just selling by volume, such as pint cartons or those plastic clamshells? From what a lot of people on here have said most people seem to prefer the grab-n-go vs waiting for it to be weighed.. then all your fragile mushrooms will be picked up and handled and put back down and will lose luster. But pre-weighed and packaged volume packaging eliminates that. You don't need a certified scale since you won't be selling by weight but by volume. A plastic clamshell has a nice presentation to it for a lot longer, easy to package and carry to and from. You can fit a lot more in a space that way too instead of those cardboard cartons where the mushroom will stick out.


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Plan to win or you are planning for failure. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. Just figure out the solution. Even if that means banging your head on a wall until the solution oozes out of you.


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OfflineSHROOMSISAY01M
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Re: Scale for farmers markets? [Re: seagu]
    #26650064 - 05/05/20 08:22 AM (3 years, 8 months ago)

I am not really sure what you mean by capacity. Most people are going to buy 1/2 to a pound from you so it is more than enough space and can do way more weight than you need. Even if you are weighing out 10lb boxes for restaurants.

I am sure any scale is close enough as far as accuracy goes. I have never had anyone say anything negative. I liked the Torrey because it reads on both sides so I am not the only one seeing what it weighs. You really need to check with the farmers market and see if they have any restrictions on scales or what they suggest.

Containers are an option but they are expensive and I believe you will lose out in the long run for a couple of reasons. 1st off people like to know what they are getting and not have to guess. You look more professional with a good looking scale sitting there. would you buy lunch meat if it had a sticker on it that said it weighs around a pound but its a guess? If the containers are let's say 0.20 each the biggest ones would only fit about 1/4 lb. of oysters. Do you really want to give 0.80 cents of every lb? To the container company?


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Offlineseagu

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Re: Scale for farmers markets? [Re: SHROOMSISAY01]
    #26650134 - 05/05/20 09:13 AM (3 years, 8 months ago)

Quote:

SHROOMSISAY01 said:
Containers are an option but they are expensive and I believe you will lose out in the long run for a couple of reasons. 1st off people like to know what they are getting and not have to guess. You look more professional with a good looking scale sitting there. would you buy lunch meat if it had a sticker on it that said it weighs around a pound but its a guess? If the containers are let's say 0.20 each the biggest ones would only fit about 1/4 lb. of oysters. Do you really want to give 0.80 cents of every lb? To the container company?




I can get containers for $.06 and $.12 depending on what I am using. And pint containers will fit 1/4 lb mushrooms. Even the plastic clamshell pint containers. And there have been people on here with pictures selling in pint containers 1/4 lb at $5 per. And a lot of them said they had success at it. But, as everyone who does it says, you don't put a weight sticker, you put a Pint sized sticker. So, it costs a lot less than you think. There are some places that do sell more expensive containers, but why buy from them. And you can always do the open carton pint sized and just carry in a bigger box to get around mushrooms sticking out. But, plastic clamshells stack and can more easily fit in a few large coolers.


--------------------
Plan to win or you are planning for failure. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. Just figure out the solution. Even if that means banging your head on a wall until the solution oozes out of you.


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OfflinePitcherCrab
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Re: Scale for farmers markets? [Re: seagu]
    #26650155 - 05/05/20 09:24 AM (3 years, 8 months ago)

I'm considering both options. I believe in my area I will need to have a, "closed" container with a label saying the product name, my company and address and the weight. It was explained to me by my county weights and measures person, who also does the Certified Producers Certificate inspection, that "closed" could just be a paper bag with the top folded over.

I really like the idea of biodegradable packaging, but I'm thinking based on those requirements that the open top cardboard container just isn't going to cut it, as I'll need someone that actually has a top. I did find a company that has such a thing but I'm waiting on a sample to see if the size will work for me.

Seagu, what do you find to be the best size for you? I'd like some flexibility in how much I'm about to sell but don't want to have to stock too many different sizes.

I'm honestly thinking about doing both and getting a scale because I'm in need of one anyway for harvesting and weighing bags etc. My current one is a $25 kitchen scale that is barely working.


--------------------
PC's LAGM 2021 (TOC & TWC)
P. natalensis Growlog 2021
Pans for PC Fall 2021 Growlog

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” - Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear



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OfflineSHROOMSISAY01M
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Re: Scale for farmers markets? [Re: PitcherCrab]
    #26650208 - 05/05/20 09:51 AM (3 years, 8 months ago)

$5 a 1/4 lb? I don't think they are selling much. You have to find the sweet spot on pricing. Or you will be throwing away a lot of mushrooms. That person may be selling all his mushrooms at that price, but I prefer to not try and sell in front of an insane asylum.

I have heard the story $5 a 1/4 lb $10 an lb to try and encourage people to buy an lb. But it does not work like that most people will just pass you by if they only want a 1/4 lb. Last year I was selling 60 lbs a week and more than you think just want a 1/4 lb and they are happy to pay $2.50 for it. Once I get them to stop I can upsell from there. You also get regular customers and not just the occasional person that wants to try the expensive mushrooms. Your goal is to get restaurants from the farmers market and if your prices are not good they will laugh and keep going.


Edited by SHROOMSISAY01 (05/05/20 10:01 AM)


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Offlineseagu

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Re: Scale for farmers markets? [Re: SHROOMSISAY01]
    #26651142 - 05/05/20 04:12 PM (3 years, 8 months ago)

I have found the pint sized berry clamshells I can fit 1/4 lb of oysters of a peeled off section of a cluster just fine. We only have to have a weight on the label if selling by weight over where we are. Otherwise if we put pint or per container then that covers whatever is in the container. So, that is why you say by the pint so there is a measurement attached to the sell. Sounds betters I think. And people buy by the pint or quart, etc. all the time so there is familiarity.

Yes, plenty of people have sold for $5 per pint. Andrew Read of Mossy Creek has on one of his videos of him doing just that. How they even priced it super low to try and be kind and not charge it to people and they had trouble selling, so they upped their price to $5 a pint and they sold like hotcakes. There are others that have said they have done it successfully on here as well, that would sell a lot. It's also how I am planning on doing it once this virus thing settles down a little more. Also, restaurants expect a farmer's market pricing to be more on mushrooms, at least they do around here that I have seen, so negotiating a restaurant price is not a problem. I already have my restaurant pricing figured per case and size of the box, and of course priced bulk case sized. 1 case minimum order. Which is inline with what others are charging for my area.

I dunno, it's just an option I was just wondering if he thought about this route...


--------------------
Plan to win or you are planning for failure. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. Just figure out the solution. Even if that means banging your head on a wall until the solution oozes out of you.


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OfflineSHROOMSISAY01M
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Re: Scale for farmers markets? [Re: seagu]
    #26651672 - 05/05/20 08:45 PM (3 years, 8 months ago)

Yea Mossy Creek is about an hour away from me. Door to door. I tend to be careful of people who are potential competition. You are right about it just being your opinion as I only have an opinion also. Do you know what they say about opinions? There like noses, everyone has one and they usually have a couple of holes in them. LOL, That is the good thing we got going on this site. We can state our opinions and then a third party can choose what they want to do. Nothing is written in stone we all have to make the best choice for ourselves.


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Offlineseagu

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Re: Scale for farmers markets? [Re: SHROOMSISAY01]
    #26652271 - 05/06/20 05:58 AM (3 years, 8 months ago)

Mossy Creek isn't local to me. But he isn't the only one who has done it, he is just the specific one I remember and can point to, whom we all know is successful. I think when he was doing the pint sized he was at a Farmer's Market, he said in his video. Back when he and his wife first started. Anywho, yea opinions, they all got holes. And for me and what I have to deal with in the heat, transportation and storage is why I chose what I chose to plug up a hole or two in other ideas. I dunno, years back I used to work selling at a farmers market selling all sorts of food in all sorts of packaging. So I feel good about any of them der ideaers we are talking about working well, if a person can sell. But, like some people have pointed out, each area is different on what works better too. :shrug:


--------------------
Plan to win or you are planning for failure. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. Just figure out the solution. Even if that means banging your head on a wall until the solution oozes out of you.


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