A Guide to Starting a Farm Produce Stand

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Autumn has arrived, which means that farms all across the state are harvesting their fruits, vegetables, herbs and grains. If you’re looking to make some extra money and you have extra crops on hand, you can start your very own farm produce stand at a local farmer’s market or even at the end of your driveway so that drivers can stop by and pick up some fresh pumpkins, apples and homemade jams.

So how do you get started with your farm stand? Rivera's Machinery, Inc. in Donna, TX, is your Lone Star State farm equipment dealer. Here’s a convenient guide to starting your own farmer’s market produce stand so you can successfully sell your fall harvest!

1. Gather Supplies

Aside from the fruit and vegetables you intend to sell, you’re going to need some additional supplies to make your stand as convenient as possible. Here are some recommendations:

Hand sanitizer pump
Trash receptacle
Plastic or paper bags
Small cardboard boxes or plastic fruit baskets
Cash box
Stools or chairs for yourself and customers
An extra table where customers can package up their goods

2. Build Your Stand

You’ll also need a physical location to sell your wares. A folding table under an umbrella is the most basic and cost-effective set-up. If you’re extremely ambitious, you can use scrap wood and metal to build an open-faced shed with shelving at the rear and a countertop.This provides a more attractive way to display produce and provides you with more shelter from sun and rain.

3. Create Signage

Your next step is to create some signs for your stand and for the side of the road to draw customers. Choose someone with good handwriting to create the signs so they’re neat and consistent and make sure to proofread them! You can make a sign with your farm’s name to place on your stand, in addition to price signs that clearly display the item in question and how much it costs per unit. Set up folding roadside stands a few hundred yards down the road in both directions, too.

If you like, you can make fliers for your produce stand to display at your local church, grocery store or library. Just make sure that you get permission from the proprietor first.

4. Assemble Your Wares

Now you’ll want to get your items ready to display. Use large baskets or neat cardboard boxes to hold raw produce. Certain large items like pumpkins and watermelon can simply be stacked to either side of your stand for customers to select their favorite. If you’re selling homemade jams or fruit butters, arrange the jars neatly in a row or stack them carefully where they’re visible.

5. Sell Those Crops

Now it’s time to get those crops sold! You’ll need to make sure that you’ve got someone to manage the stand and help out your customers during the times you’re open. You can either take cash in a cash box, use a card reader on your phone or tablet to take customers’ money or provide them with a link to a cash app account where they can pay you for your goods. Having all three options available is best so that you don’t lose a customer!

If you have items left over after you’ve sold for as many days or weeks as you want, you can donate the excess to a local shelter or food bank. This is a great way to give back to your community.

We hope this guide helps you sell your wares this fall. Seeking farm equipment for sale near Harlingen, TX? Shop our great selection of new and used farm equipment on our website before heading to our dealership in Donna, TX. Rivera’s Machinery, Inc. proudly serves the cities of Harlingen and San Benito, TX.