The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Maria1970 on April 14, 2011, 06:06:13 pm

Title: Hello all.
Post by: Maria1970 on April 14, 2011, 06:06:13 pm

Hi,
I am 40 years old and having just completed 23 years in the Royal Navy, I am looking forward to a bit of a lifestyle change and am starting out with a very likeminded friend. We have a dream of one day opening a fresh produce shop where we can sell our own produce as well as local produce to give our villagers the opportunity to eat well hopefully at a price they can afford.
I am looking forward to reading the forum articles on here the tales of other smallholders.

Cheers Maria :sheep: :pig: :chook: ;D

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: Beewyched on April 14, 2011, 07:40:59 pm

Hiya & welcome Maria from West Scotland  :wave:

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: Hilarysmum on April 15, 2011, 08:42:15 am

 Hope you are enjoying your new life.  Wonderful idea but remember people are very supermarket oriented these days. 

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: JulieS on April 15, 2011, 08:53:49 am

Hello and welcome from Devon  :)

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: Rosemary on April 15, 2011, 08:54:14 am

Hi and welcome from Carnoustie  :wave: Hope you've got your land legs. Where are you based?

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: Sandy on April 15, 2011, 09:04:10 am

Morning from Clackmannan  :wave: welcome to your new life, good to have a change  :wave:

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: Maria1970 on May 19, 2011, 12:59:26 pm

Hi Hilary's Mum,

Thanks for the response, i know people are very supermarket orientated these days, I am hoping that if I can convince just some of the people in this large village to use us instead then I will be making a difference.
I can never beat the supermarkets but I can have a good go at matching some of there prices and improving on the quality (maybe)

Maria

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: katie on May 19, 2011, 03:47:00 pm

Many people are fed up with the hold the supermarkets have on them and are only too keen to buy fresh,local produce.This is what we are doing and we've had a lovely response from the locals.
Best of luck to you in your new venture!

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: lill on May 19, 2011, 05:50:38 pm

hi and welcome to this forum, from central scotland :wave: :wave:

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: Hilarysmum on May 20, 2011, 08:58:58 am

If you market your product to suit your target clientelle, then you should be able to command a better price than supermarkets.  I know they now sell designer clothes and better quality stuff, but go for people who really want a decent product.  HFW and Jimmy's farm have done well out of it.  Why shouldnt you.

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: plumseverywhere on May 20, 2011, 07:47:02 pm

Hi Maria

welcome from WOrcestershire  :wave:  The local farm shop to us is very popular and the lady who runs it has made up a huge sign showing the price difference of her produce compared to tesco but also added the extra pence for petrol to it. There's not a huge difference really and even today when I popped in to pay for my veggie box, her car park was heaving! I'd like to think its because she stocks my soap lol but i think her homemade cakes and jams also help  ;)   

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: darkbrowneggs on May 21, 2011, 10:30:54 am

Hi there and Welcome Ashore  :wave: 

All the best
Sue

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: Eastling on May 22, 2011, 10:00:27 pm

Hi welcome from Kent  :wave:

Good luck with your new venture

Title: Re: Hello all.
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 25, 2011, 02:28:12 pm

Hi Maria.  Best of luck - where are you, I'd come and buy from you!  (Hate supermarkets if I can possibly avoid them.  I have a veg box at the mo, which is great but of course you don't choose what you'll have so I do buy other veg and fruit to top up.)

In fact, seeing the support in our area for farmers' markets, I do think local produce is sought after, and shops stocking their own and locally produced things should do well.