Have you ever considered selling flowers from a farm/flower stand?
Whether you grow flowers for profit or as a hobby, erecting and maintaining a stand will provide area residents with another option for their fresh flower purchases and put extra cash in your pocket.
I decided to open a stand several years ago and haven’t looked back. It’s proved to be a game changer for my flower business.
Before you open a stand, there are five things you need to consider: local ordinances and regulations, stand location, stand design and construction, signage, and of course your stock.
Before erecting your stand, contact local government offices and ask about rules governing farm/flower stands. This is particularly important if you plan to place your stand within city limits. There’s usually no problem building a stand on rural property as long as it’s a safe distance from the road and doesn’t cause traffic hazards.
My stand is located on a rural road. I decided to set it far enough back from the road to allow room for expansion. And I did expand so I could offer seasonal goods throughout the year—a boon to my business!
Now let’s talk about stand design and construction. Your stand can be as simple as a picnic table filled with produce, handmade goods and buckets of freshly cut flowers. Or it can be a work of art itself. Visualize what you want, sketch rough drafts, prepare a budget and then get started while the season is upon us.
If you’re going to build a permanent structure, use treated lumber and secure it well. Also—and this is very important—consider the most common wind direction for your area and the position of the evening sun. You don’t want the wind blowing over your floral stock or the sun scorching your beautiful flowers.
With a budget of just $125 and recycled materials, I built the stand shown in the photos below.
My stand isn’t fancy, but it’s attractive with rustic appeal.
I built my stand to protect floral stock from wind and sun.
Good signage is critical. Begin by thinking about a name and theme for your stand. Will you offer just flowers or an array of farm products? Your signage will need to communicate what you’re offering to the public. And if you want to entice passersby to stop and shop, it needs to be easy to see, read and understand.
Here at the farm, I focus on offering fresh flowers, but I fill in with succulent gardens, potted herbs and seasonal goods such as mums and pumpkins. This allows me to keep my stand open year-round, with the exception of January.
You need to decide what you’ll be offering, and in the early days of business, you’ll want to have a plentiful supply to keep folks coming back for more. I recommend stocking your stand daily. If that’s not possible, be sure your signage and other advertisements list your hours and days of operation. This ensures customers won’t make wasted trips to visit when shelves, tables or crates are empty.
Be sure to read my next blog post, Opening a Farm/Flower Stand Part 2, for additional details.
Happy Gardening!
Pamela Anthony
Beehind Thyme Farm & Garden