# vegetable stand at my house



## MARY OKREY (Jul 28, 2002)

This is the first garden season that I have not worked outside the home full time. I plan to grow a garden and hope to sell a little produce from our house. I live on a fairly busy state hwy. Do I have to have anything special, such as a license or anything? 

Thanks,
Mary


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## kathy H (Dec 10, 2002)

I am thinking along the same lines. I think you need good insurance incase any one trips and hurts them selfs while on your property. Here [ calif] we can be certifited by ag dept so we can sell at farmers market which is what I plan to do this spring. The farmers market is right down the street from me but they want twenty five up front to register and ten dollars every time you come to sell, sure takes some right off top for small home grower.


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

I started by putting a sign out" ORGANIC PRODUCE" . That was about 3 years ago and last year I made about $5000.00 from the veggies alone. It was a good way to introduce those people to my Raw goats milk and My customers of milk to my veggies. Good luck.
steff


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## Hank - Narita (Aug 12, 2002)

We want to do this too. Any special tips? Seems private messaging isn't working. Our email is [email protected].


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## Guest (Mar 4, 2004)

I sell veggies, jams and jellies, pickles and other canned goods, baked goods, toiletries, poultry, and eggs off my farm. I have a state-inspected kitchen, a home food manufacturing license, a catering license, a DBA certificate, and a land use permit. I also formed an LLC and I maintain separate checking and credit accounts for the business. This is not overkill...it's protecting my butt.


For selling veggies, you need:
:a building and land use permit from your town. If you do, you'll have to submit a statement about the nature of the business and how it will affect things like traffic patterns, where people will park, etc. My town considers a couple of small tables reason enough to get a permit.

:a good homeowners insurance policy that covers you if a customer breaks a nail on your property.

You risk a $10,000 fine from the USDA if you get busted marketing your veggies as "organic" if you're not certified. Even if you adhere to organic principles, you're not growing or selling organic vegetables unless you're certified by your state agency. "Natural," "home-grown," etc. are good alternative adjectives.

If you're selling raw milk, eggs, etc., you'll also want to form a corporation (like an LLC) to protect yourself in case someone gets sick and sues you; check with the state about licenses or restrictions for those sales; a nice woman who loves your raw milk for her baby can turn into quite a pain if her kid gets sick and she suspects your product (even though it's unlikely).

Just because we're choosing a "simpler" way to live and make a living doesn't mean that everyone else looks at it the same way. Anything having to do with food is no place to not be covering your tushie in the event of something bad happening.

fin


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## RoyalOaksRanch (Nov 14, 2003)

MARY OKREY said:


> This is the first garden season that I have not worked outside the home full time. I plan to grow a garden and hope to sell a little produce from our house. I live on a fairly busy state hwy. Do I have to have anything special, such as a license or anything?
> 
> Thanks,
> Mary


 I think alot depends on your area too.. For example where I live its common to see some farmers kid selling vegies from a little table set in the driveway....... Or an orchard that sells peaches right off the tree... I know several people who sell vegies and fresh eggs. I myself and getting ready to sell eggs and whatever vegies I dont use myself from our garden. If you arent trying to be like a professional stand around here noone really bothers you. Alot of people up here sell their extra stuff... Im not talking row cropping 40 acres either. 
One town we used to live near I woudnt have tried to sell eggs let alone vegies because it was so strict even kids selling lemonaid was frowned upon.


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

My house is fairly close to the road and so is one of my gardens. I have a small building, like a potters shed near it. I use this to sel out of. I have a fridge in there kept real low( 60) so I don't have to bring anything in to the house at night.By word of mouth folks just know where to go. I think if you put up a stand many towns want a permit. One thought we had was to put it on a trailer. Can't have a permit for something that is not permanent.
I also sell soap and some baked goodsbut, I only put a sign out for the veggies and milk, which I do have a permit for, 
As far as the organic thing if you sell under $5000 worth of products you don't have to be certified, unless you sell to a store. 
That is in NY your state might be different.
Good Luck Steff


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## heelpin (Nov 18, 2003)

I found that tomatoes and melons are good leaders for home sales, people will drive for miles to get them if they are good guality at a reasonable price. In my state you don't need any kind of license to sell at your house and there is no sale tax, as far as liability, be sure the area is level with nothing to stumble over, no dogs running around and there are no obstructions for seeing how to enter the highway.

Tom


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## Guest (Mar 6, 2004)

You need to get your licenses protect your family with an LLC.
Steff-if you're not licensed for baked goods, you're taking a big chance; since you made no comments about the LLC stuff, you're probably taking a bigger chance there, too. And heelpin-just because your driveway is level doesn't mean someone can't trip.
You need to protect yourself and your family from financial liability should something bad go down on your farm. Not doing that is totally irresponsible. Once your LLC is in place, all licenses issued to it begin to form a paper trail to prove that you're running your business like a business instead of a hobby. That's important should someone ever go after you.


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## SueD (Aug 1, 2002)

You will probably need a business license at the very least. Check with your county clerk's office. It wouldn't be a bad idea to check with the county health department to find out what the official regulations are as well. Here in IL, the health department issues a certificate for us to sell produce at farmer's markets, which is the regulation you will probably come under.

So far as the selling, it would be better in the beginning if you could do it with a patio-type umbrella table (think shade!!!) instead of building even a small stand... I wouldn't recommend doing something like this off of, say, a front porch. Limit your liability! Don't need permits, and the insurance will cost less.

Sue


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