Vegetable exchange

[halip66]

Hi all

First post here sorry to be asking for things but it seemed a good place to start.

I'm thinking of setting up a vegetable exchange for home growers. I live in Cornwall & there's loads of people locally who grow veg it got me thinking as to how any surplus could be used.

If I was going to be doing it seriously I would hopefully make a bit of cash out of it so I came up with the idea of buying the veg from growers at a third of the price tesco charge & selling it on at two thirds of the price.

That way people could come & buy the stuff & it would always be cheaper than tesco & growers would be able to offload the stuff they have too much of & either take the cash or buy something else.

What do you think? Do you think that would be a fair exchange? Would you use a service like that?

[zazen999]

haliop66...

I think you would have to discount allotment growers, as they are restricted from selling on any surplus....but isn't this just opening a fruit and veg shop?

[ckfe]

haliop66...

I think you would have to discount allotment growers, as they are restricted from selling on any surplus

i didn't know that zazen

[zazen999]

http://www.communities.gov.uk/docume...pdf/131012.pdf

page 9.

[ckfe]

i can't open pdf files on this puter for some reason, not sure if it's the browser i'm using or some other prob but i'll take your word for it zazen

[zazen999]

What can't I do with
my plot?
Any fruit or vegetables grown
on your plot should be for
you and your family's
consumption. You are not
permitted to run your
allotment plot as a business;
or sub-let your plot.
You should not change the
nature of the plot in a way
that makes it less valuable.
Also, you should rotate crops
and apply manure and
compost as this helps to
maintain the quality of
the soil.

[halip66]

I suppose it is really except all the produce is home grown & you can sell your veg. Can you sell your veg to a normal grocers? I don't know I've never tried.

Where I am located there aren't many allotments, it's very rural & the middle of nowhere really.

I am really interested to see if growers would actually use a service like that?

[zazen999]

People have been ousted for selling on crops - I think someone on here knows someone who lost their plot because they were selling seedlings at a boot fair - even though these were grown at home.

[ckfe]

where would you be growing your veg? would it be in your back garden or private land or something?

[SarzWix]

There is already a website set up to bring together growers to swap plants, veg, produce and preserves; vegswap.co.uk. Although it's national I think, rather than regional.
What you're talking about doing isn't a 'Vegetable Exchange' because that would imply a straight swap from say a cabbage to a handful of spuds. It's really selling cheap veg, and making a profit. Not that that is a bad thing, but it's a bit misleading to say 'exchange'.

[halip66]

where would you be growing your veg? would it be in your back garden or private land or something?

I wouldn't be growing any veg at all. I would just be buying & selling it.

[ckfe]

oops sorry totally misread it..

[zazen999]

I wouldn't be growing any veg at all. I would just be buying & selling it.

You'd be buying off me for x and selling for 2x; so no - I'd sooner give it to my family/friends/neighbours which I already do.

[halip66]

There is already a website set up to bring together growers to swap plants, veg, produce and preserves; vegswap.co.uk. Although it's national I think, rather than regional.
What you're talking about doing isn't a 'Vegetable Exchange' because that would imply a straight swap from say a cabbage to a handful of spuds. It's really selling cheap veg, and making a profit. Not that that is a bad thing, but it's a bit misleading to say 'exchange'.

Fair point.

[halip66]

You'd be buying off me for x and selling for 2x; so no - I'd sooner give it to my family/friends/neighbours which I already do.

What would you think would be a fair percentage for the exchange?

It's really just an idea at this stage but I have somewhere I could set it up so really interested to hear peoples opinions?