Dear Reader:
In the previous blog, I offered projections about the Net Cash Farm Income that Permaculture Incubator Program trainees could hope to earn from their plots. However, there may be other interesting ways that they can supplement their income. Let me share an idea with you.
Last fall, we took a week-long bicycle tour through Southern Bavaria. Along the way, we passed a field planted in flowers. Upon closer examination, it was a U-pick operation. At the end of the field, there was a price list and a deposit box into which customers could drop their payment. Below are some pictures.
The idea would be to do the same in the front yard of the house, where the trainees live. Below are two pics, one from the front and the other an overhead shot with the area that where the self-serve flower beds would be planted, outlined in red.
Here is a list of flowers that we might consider planting for sale. In Bavaria, they were also selling gladiolas:
This could be a win-win-win deal. 1) The flowers would be beautiful landscaping; 2) flower sales could bring in some additional income; and 3) flowers could be a loss-leader for sale of the trainee’s garden produce.