The Economics of 1800 Tomato Seedlings

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You Can't Eat The Grass - Today On The Farm

5 жыл бұрын

I'm not saying I regret growing 1800 tomato seedlings, I'm just saying it might not be a smart idea. I'm breaking down the cost of growing all my seedlings, in money, equipment, and time. And also talking about the other values we are getting out of having a crazy amount of vegetable seedlings this year. Oh, and come buy my plants, lol
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Ian and Serina of YOU CANT EAT THE GRASS feel that every small change can make a big difference to the world we live in. Every garden planted leads to a better future. We hope to inspire and motivate others to make positive changes in their lives by sharing our journey towards greater sustainability as we build our family farm. It's hard work to build a life worth living, and completely worth it!
Contact us at: iancolbeck@gmail.com
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Пікірлер: 46

@TIERRAYLOMBRICES 5 жыл бұрын

My respects to all the farmers, I promise never to complain again about prices at the farmers market.

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

Lol, I don't think farming is a get rich quick profession

@RunnerThin 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your videos. I am studying and preparing to do what you are doing but in about 2024. You are doing a great job. Bless your home.

@MrOldfart47 5 жыл бұрын

1800 tomato plants!! Well, if nothing else works you guys could go into the salsa business! Great job.

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

Lol, could you image having them all planted. We are thinking we will plant about 200 plants. They are a lot of work to keep picked and pruned, so I don't think I could do anymore more.

@cynthiafisher9907 5 жыл бұрын

You’re amazing, Serina! Look what you did! I’m so proud of you! I could never successfully grow that many seedlings. I grew 500 tomato seedlings a few years ago and only sold 150. I was disappointed, but it was a good learning experience and I was able to donate a lot to my local community garden as well as other people, so not a complete fail.

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

Ya, that is definitely one of the things about the seedlings. Growing them is only part of the work, there is also all the work of selling them. We are lucky that so far we have had lots of interest, and people get about 10 tomatoes on average and spend about $40. My goal has always been to try and get about 100 customers, but we also live in a place where the local nursery will have 1 hour line ups this coming weekend, so I also offer the value of not having to deal with that, lol.

@cazmarsh6395 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for telling the honest truth about how much hard work you’ve had to put in. 🥰 but look how far you guys have come in just a year 😮 wow it’s awesome 👏🏻🇦🇺

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much 😀 It's really exciting to see things greening up, and plans coming together. We still need a few more years to get it all built, but there is lots that we are proud of already.

@pnwgardenergal1325 5 жыл бұрын

Remember this is your first year and a learning curve ♥️

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

Totally! I think there is value in trying a few different things this year to see what we like and what we have success with.

@Wicked1TN 3 жыл бұрын

I have been watching your other channel. I love the content, and you guys are doing a great job! I can not wait for new content on this channel.

@radhikam2401 5 жыл бұрын

Great video. The level of effort you have put in is amazing!! I will b be sure to thank the farmers at my local farmers market. Take care. May you have tons of success.

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much 😀

@Citystead 5 жыл бұрын

Great break down! You guys are giving valuable information for aspiring farmers out there

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks. There are definitely ways to make seedling sales work, I just think it's something to be careful with before people go all in.

@lizteske4453 5 жыл бұрын

I’m really enjoying watching your farming journey! You guys are such hard workers! I couldn’t comment on the other video, but my heart sank when you showed all the little blades of cooch grass in your newly tilled dirt. I can’t imagine sifting all that soil! Impressive.

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

Lol, ya, the farm is going to be pretty weedy this year. It will be a process.

@sadie5631 5 жыл бұрын

I hear you! I have several hundred tomato seedlings, but went into it knowing this is my learning year and most would be given away. Next year, our farm gate market will be up and running, so I'm starting "word of mouth." I saved money by making my own potting soil and getting free trays and such from a local big box store (they recycle trays and will give them to you). We have two smallish hoop houses and three+ acres in Kentucky. I haven't added up the total expense yet, but it's all an investment in our sustainability and future retirement income.

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

That's exactly how i feel. It's a learning experience and investment into the future. If farm businesses had to be profitable right away, no one would ever farm ever again, lol

@catherineglinskaya6747 4 жыл бұрын

appreciate the honest breakdown of the cost, but my business-trained brain can't agree on a few things: you seem to try to recoup all the costs in one year, which isn't exactly the way to go... the light and the grow system you bought, bunch of the plug trays, and ALL of the greenhouses you built will keep on giving you benefits for years to come.. at least spread the costs for those in 3-5 years, that would be a more accurate way of calculating costs and profit. it's a big investment the first year, but you are are going to use them in the many years to come, you can amortize the costs of these first year investments throughout the years you think it will serve you.

@mio.giardino 5 жыл бұрын

I wish I lived closer to buy some of your seedlings

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

You live close in International stardards 😉 But a little far for seedlings.

@pnwgardenergal1325 5 жыл бұрын

Your outdoor greenhouse is beautiful !

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks 😀

@jheremck 5 жыл бұрын

...your videos, along with Curtiss Stone's videos, heIp me reaIize what vegetable/fruit farmers experience bringing their products to a Farmer's Market. I was an Arts and Crafts vendor years ago, and made no profit, due to labor time, cost of inventory, and space cost. Sadly, this may be why farming is being taken over by BlG AGRA... Thank you for sharing ~ Take Care

@HoneyHollowHomestead 5 жыл бұрын

People do not realize how much time and effort, not to mention the hidden costs behind everything made or grown goes into the final product put out there for sale.

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

I think that that is one of the biggest values that Curt offers, with his focus on really looking at your product and seeing if it is making you money. The farmers market is a long day, so it really doesn't make sense for everyone. We are mostly excited about the farmers market as a way to network and meet people in the local community. It would be hard to make enough to pay someone to go and sell for us there

@kitemanmusic 3 жыл бұрын

I saw a way to handle tiny seeds. Make up wallpaper paste. Sprinkle in the seeds and stir. Pour into a plastic bag, and cut off the corner. Squirt out into a compost filled seed tray.

@RickMitchellProvenanceAndRoots 5 жыл бұрын

Great product placement at 5:01! 😎 The first year is always the hardest. And, remember, as time goes on, you've got 2 built-in "interns" that will help. 😁 I think it's amazing what you're doing. I imagine the space just these tomatoes take up is the entire space you had to grow before you moved? Love the dandelions! I'm working hard here to convince people to stop killing their dandelions. Makes me happy to see a field of them (even if they're clear across the continent)

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

The dandelions look so pretty, it's hard to want to kill them. Plus, they were the only food for the bees for a while. They are starting to spread seed everywhere, so we are mowing them down now. But I have no plans to actively kill them.

@ronaldandsusanshaws-growing 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Ian and Serina, I reckon you have done a fantastic job on the small farm in such a short space of time, I know you will make mistakes like over sowing things but it's all experience and I know you will master the situation in the end when you work out just what you need to grow to make the farm pay, I thank you for this video thank you for sharing your experiences, stick at it you will learn from your mistakes, Take care.

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

That is one thing we are trying to kep in mind for this year. It's all just a practice year. And the experience is where our real value is, not money, so we can make decisions going forward.

@elisataylor556 3 жыл бұрын

I'll bet you got sick of seeing tomato seeds, seedlings. You're a brave gardener to tackle so much.

@carriem7832 4 жыл бұрын

I think most people get enticed in buying their veggie plants from the box stores...I worked in the greenhouse at Walmart....well those plants come in refrigerated trucks, get stressed and are not taken care of by all employees .... I only bought from greenhouses only and now I grow my own.... I found making up planters with veggies and vining items sold very well when I worked in a greenhouse......also planters with flowers and herbs.....especially around Mothers Day.......novelty planters entice sales......good luck....

@bintlooda 5 жыл бұрын

Sorry for the amount of questions i ask on these videos lol but I really find what u are doing so fascinating 🌹🌹 my question is : why are u not planning on transplanting the rest of the unsold tomatoes into ur farm ( any unpreped area where u didnt invest time preparing for the growing season ) and instead u r thinking about donating them ? I believe u can grow them anywhere are just harvest from them when u can other wise just put them near where u think u will have ur chickens one day and they will for ever have something to munch on and play with in their soil from the amount of seeds that will reseed lol

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

We are going to plant about 200 of them, but anymore will just be too hard to keep up with because of everything else we have going on. Tomatoes take a lot of work to maintain and pick. We also get no rain in the summer, so nothing will grow here without irrigation, so we can't just plant them and forget them. I'm happy to donate them though, and know that other people are getting fed by them. There is still lots of value in that for me.

@lesleyharris3198 5 жыл бұрын

Hi, really hope you can sell all the starts , good luck to you,

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

Lol, I have no plans to sell them all, but it would be amazing. My goal is to sell 1000 of the tomatoes, and make back 3-4ks. I would consider that a success.

@stephenzevetchin 5 жыл бұрын

yep

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

Lol

@kitemanmusic 3 жыл бұрын

Just thought. How about rigging up an irrigation system? Plastic tubing is cheap.

@drekfletch 5 жыл бұрын

Are you allowed to count the donated seedlings as something like a business expense? To go toward the 10k. Ooh, maybe have an option when people come to buy seedlings, to purchase a seedling to be donated?

@youcanteatthegrass-todayon3019 5 жыл бұрын

The donate a seedling idea is really great! I'll have to think about that one.