BEST TIPS For A Flower CSA | Fireside Chat | PepperHarrow

Jenn and I sit down and talk about what we've learned about starting a flower CSA or subscription.
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Links to the tools that we use here on the farm-
Growing Supplies:
Grow light- amzn.to/3zGxU3q
Seed starting medium- amzn.to/3JMgoiO
Growing Trays- amzn.to/3GAHx62
Plant Labels- amzn.to/3pP5yiZ
Spray bottle- amzn.to/3zztYRP
Garden markers- amzn.to/3F49Ng6
Floral snips- amzn.to/3ICuIKa
Earthway Seeder- amzn.to/3DIF87a
Wilcox Bulb Tool- amzn.to/3lTUGz4
Dosatron Fertilizer Injector- amzn.to/3rTy4SV
Organic Liquid Fertilizer- amzn.to/3DFwkPv
Irrigation- amzn.to/3EIJbBV
Sunbelt Fabric- amzn.to/3lPaqTS
Greenhouse Shade Cloth- amzn.to/3pNSE4w
Farmers Market Supplies:
Tent- amzn.to/3rYwtvc
Tables- amzn.to/3IGlUmi
Table Cloths- amzn.to/31Pmmht
Bouquet Paper- amzn.to/3dGB2SI
Organic Insect Control:
Pyganic- amzn.to/33k4snG
Insecticidal Soap- amzn.to/3lV4x7H
Neem Oil- amzn.to/33iTUFo
Milky Spore- amzn.to/3rSfcUm
Sticky Traps- amzn.to/3GBRbFr
Bug A Salt- amzn.to/3Gvxnn1
Deer Control:
Electric Fence Charger- amzn.to/3oGDsqy
Polywire- amzn.to/3rUEQrJ
Step-In Posts- amzn.to/3Gw4N4N
Workwear:
Garden Gloves- amzn.to/31GkV5g
Work Gloves- amzn.to/3EJF3Sh
Sunhats- amzn.to/336MxR9
SPF Sunshirts:
Men- amzn.to/3rORloK
Women- amzn.to/3oK1wJq
Footwear:
Adam’s Favorite- amzn.to/3rUG6uQ
Jenn’s Favorite- amzn.to/3dLem3r
Muck Boots- amzn.to/31KlEC
Pants:
Adam’s Favorite- amzn.to/3dEQIWp
Jenn’s Favorite- amzn.to/3ycGQNc
Sunscreen- amzn.to/3pO0Z8k
Video Equipment:
Drone- amzn.to/3oQKTfb
Camera- amzn.to/3Gxyi6t
Mics- amzn.to/3GyNEYw
Lighting- amzn.to/3EEwAQ9

[@cbak1819]

Thank you again.. wow.. so many channels are not saying this! It's get in there and just do it.. I wasn't comfortable in doing that.. but I felt at times pressured.. I then prayed about it and felt lead at my age of 57 to take a few year, God willing. I trust if it's meant to be it will be, with hard work of course. Thank you, thank you for this encouragement and advisory. I don't enjoy the bugs crawling on me.. 😝other than that I love it! 💐🌻

[@laurieclarkson9180]

"Get a few years of growing under your belt first" simple yet excellent advice. Things have not gone as easily as I thought and I'm so glad I didn't do a csa! There are so many challenges with growing flowers versus vegetables. Excellent video all around!

[@onehubcapfarm]

Thank you.

[@mapleleafbarn]

So glad you guys did this video!!!! So helpful for us who are just starting out. 🧡

[@brankenflowery8416]

Calming nerves for my first year. Thanks to the both of you.

[@jimg311]

Hello Adam & Jen… During this Video… Adam suggested a baseline target 🎯… 50’ Rows… 200 SF… should… or could… equal 10 Bouquets 💐 Per Week… and I believe PepperHarrow is Zone 5 or 6… which is similar to our Farm in Michigan… which means… we both have approx 20 Prime Selling Weeks (Week 20-Week 40) each year… Just using round numbers… if an acre is 44,000 SF… (and for this illustration let’s just call it 40,000 SF) and each Row… has 4’ of Growing Space Wide… with 2’ on each side for walking… that means each acre… could potentially have… One… 5000’ Row…(that’s 8’ Wide)… or… more likely… 50… 100’ Rows that are 2’ x 4’ x 2’ (8’) wide… So (for this example) the ideal growing acre… would be 50…. 100’ Long… 8’ Wide… Rows Back to your suggestion that each 50’ x 4’ (200 SF) should equals approx 10 Bouquets Per Week (but let’s cut these numbers in HALF… again… for simple math… therefore 400 SF = 10 Bouquets Per Week x 10 or 20 Prime Selling Weeks… Let’s call it 20 Prime Selling Weeks… Am I correct to extrapolate… that “if” 400 SF can equate to 200 Bouquets (10 Per week x 20 Weeks) Therefore 400 SF should equate to 200 Bouquets Per Selling Season (and remember… we cut your numbers in half…) That would suggest that a Prime Acre… 40,000 SF should then potentially equate to 20,000 Bouquets Per Selling Season… 20,000 Bouquets x $10 = $200K Per Acre OR… 20,000 Bouquets x $20 = $400,000 Per Acre… Therefore… a 10 Acre Flower Farm (where there is 10 Acres PLANTED) should… or could… equate to… 20,000 x 10 = 200,000 Bouquets Which… @ $10 - $20 Per Bouquet… would equal $2,000,000 to $4,000,000 (And again… your initial suggestion was double… this… correct?) On a scale of 1-10… regarding Flower Farming Knowledge… I am A Solid “2” hoping to someday be a 3… 4… and with enough time… failures… and efforts… maybe get up to a 5…6… 7… or 8:) So… being such a neophyte… I just want to make sure I “heard” you correctly… AND the number are accurate… Let me make one other thing clear… I WANT YOUR NUMBERS TO BE CORRECT… I WANT TO (eventually) LEARN Enough… so that I TOO… can generate the Numbers of which YOU are suggesting… I live within 120 Miles from (3) MAJOR Cities… Chicago Indianapolis & Detroit “Can” I imagine that these Major Cities have an appetite for 20 Weeks… of 1000 Bouquets Per Week? YES… of course THAT MUST BE TRUE… Chicago ALONE… has nearly 70 Major Farmer Markets during the 20 Prime Selling Weeks (Week 20-40) But then again… remember… I’m a Self Admitted “2” on the “Knowledge” Scale… so I don’t even “know” (with any conviction”) that “weeks 20…. through week 40” even “IS” considered the “20 Prime Selling Weeks” If you have time… would you give me a call… or a text… 480.235.8011… I would gladly PAY you for your time… and I’ve enjoyed your Book… and 140 Video’s since 2015…. You and your wife have certainly shared a LOT of Wonderful Information and it’s clear (to me) that you are both… very generous and kind (SMART) people! James

[@reginafick6620]

Best flower CSA video I have seen yet! Thank you!!!

[@karimulderink7711]

I send an email reminder with pictures and names of all the flowers/foilage in each bouquet. Customers really seem to like it.

[@EvelynM-vlogs]

Excellent video on CSA's . As a micro urban flower farm that specializes in dinnerplate dahlias for the past three years, I've hummed and hawed on CSA's and this is the best video I have seen on the "how to's" to make a CSA worthwhile. I just might start one up in October for the 2023 season. This might also be a great way to pre-sell sprouted dahlia tubers as a first purchase, first choice at a "valued customer price" scenario.

[@taxigirl5637]

Do you have an Instagram?

[@willowsmom1489]

Thank you so much for your channel! My husband and I have just found you and are devouring your content!! We bought a property that used to be the area skating rink!!! We have slowly been transforming areas for cut flowers. Keep the great content coming!!

[@k.millen4046]

Thank you so much for the detailed video on CSAs. This is my preferred method of selling but it is my first year and I really have no experience with growing and cutting flowers. I definitely agree with getting a year or two under my belt before making such commitments to people. Hopefully Facebook marketing and my pop up sales can get me through my first year. Thanks again for the content, knowledge and experience you give to us newbies.

[@georgepatterson4707]

I love this. Thank you

[@Maritzenia]

Always super helpful 🌷💐🌺🌻🌹thank you.

[@cindynicholson372]

Great information. Thanks.

[@rosemacdougall2967]

Great information! Thank you.

[@karenlopez5441]

Excellent tips, you touched on everything!!

[@029ericam]

I appreciate this thorough explanation!!

[@MarshsGarden]

Thank you for always giving wonderful information!! I definitely want to visit your farm one day. I started farming in Knoxville, IA last year and appreciate the tips!! You both are an inspiration!! ❤️😁

[@MP-js5ro]

One day!! Thank you

[@nicolemeyer5159]

Glad to hear your feedback on vases not coming back - I've wondered about this. I think I'm going to get waterproof labels (probably from NameBubbles) to put on the bottom of mine in hopes it will help them make their way back!

[@donnaj1049]

Love your You Tube Channel! Excellent advice I will be following as this will be my first year ever trying to grow cut flowers. As I was listening to you, I was thinking that you should really write a book and 'SURPRISE' at the end, you have a book! Is this your first ever book? Going to pre-order right NOW! Thank you. Thank you.

[@PepperHarrow]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@jeanfrisone5794]

Would you consider showing a simple drawing of an overhead view of your farm? How you organize perennials, annuals, wild flowers in relation to your house, outbuildings, etc.

[@PepperHarrow]

Great topic for a video!

[@Littlebitesofjoy]

Thank you for the tips! More on greenery, what are your top faves?

[@PepperHarrow]

We have a video on greenery on our page! 🌱

[@nimkhosimncwabe1147]

I am having difficulties to get the book brought to South Africa

[@shawnsg]

Have you noticed a limit on how far people are willing to drive to pick-up their bouquet? Our property is technically in the city, but it's pretty far out of the way, relatively speaking. Like, a person wouldn't ever just be _in the area_ unless they lived this way.

[@PepperHarrow]

Some people think it’s far but we encourage our CSA members to make it an experience and spend some time walking the farm, exploring the town. This is also why we do it monthly rather than weekly.

[@sandycoelho9091]

Please tell us what is coveted in your new book. Is it instructional? Is it simply inspirational? Are there growing charts or succession planning charts? Please give us info on what’s in the book. Thanks.

[@PepperHarrow]

All of those things are in the book. You should be able to check it out at a book store before buying it. I know Barnes and Noble will have it.

[@RuthanneR1]

What kind of businesses did you approach to purchase a CSA?

[@PepperHarrow]

Salons are a good start

[@cristincarlisle7675]

Will you have an ebook available?

[@PepperHarrow]

👍