Can i sell my veg?

[hypnophil]

Thanks for the info cutecumber,
i am a trained chef so ok with the food hygiene certificate etc.., i just wondered if i had to have some sort of certificate to sell stuff, and for being sure about what are put on the growing veggies, people buy from markets and honesty boxes and we dont know whats on them, whats the difference at a boot sale? too many confusing regulations, lol.
This is my first full year on my plot and having such little produce last year i want to make sure i am gonna get some this year, so i will probably be sowing more than i need, and because i havent got my years menu written up in advance i may have some over, i am not planning on running a cottage industry and most certainly wont be dividing up my plot which is relatively small anyway.
Maybe if i have too many plants i should sell them, i just didn't want to throw any away.
I'm sure things were much more simple for my grandfather .........

[Stacey Steve]

I am under the impression that for my council, we are allowed to sell excess produce but it can only be small quantities for a nominal sum. If you were growing beds and beds of a particular item, then the would be questions asked.

However my neighbours have the next 3 plots to me are the Christian Foundation, there workers are young people on training programs due I think to community orders being placed on them.

The produce is used in the CF cafes, where they definitely sell for a profit albeit to raise money for their charity, a bit wooly.

[jackie j]

Hi Hypnophil I live in Newton Abbot as you probably know its a market town. they hold a farmers market on a Tuesday and a trash and treasure on a Friday as well as normal market days on Wednesday and Saturday if you ask the market Manager he will be able to tell you what you can sell as he also has an allotment. Car boot sales are held at the cattle market or the racecourse, usually on alternate Sundays.

[Cutecumber]

I found an excellent publication which outlines the legal and moral aspects of selling produce from allotments. I learnt a lot - it's really worth a read.

http://www.organiclea.org.uk/selling...entproduce.pdf

[hypnophil]

Thanks jackie, i will check them out.
Very interesting cutecumber, thanks

[Rich75]

i just gave a whole load of extra stuff away last year, ( mainly bags upon bags of cucumbers and courgettes ), .....in the pub..... amazing how much free beer comes your way

[Paulottie]

I found an excellent publication which outlines the legal and moral aspects of selling produce from allotments. I learnt a lot - it's really worth a read.

http://www.organiclea.org.uk/selling...entproduce.pdf

Thanks for that CuteC. Interesting, I found a good article in the Telegraph about a village in Hants that are running a communal farm but not sure how to provide a link.

[Powerspade]

You are not allowed to sell for personal gain from a allotment, But if you do sell you are supposed to use the money to improve you allotment. For instance a load of manure,fertilizer, or general improments to the site, The allotment I am on we have sold produce for years and with the money we have replaced the boundary fence, installed watering points and also built a toilet and wheelchair access to the site

[ClayGarden]

Thanks for that CuteC. Interesting, I found a good article in the Telegraph about a village in Hants that are running a communal farm but not sure how to provide a link.

I heard about that on R4 last week aswell, but couldn't find a link for it either. They described it as an allotment though, that had pigs and chickens on Does anyone have livestock on allotments normally? is it allowed?

[peanut]

So can you sell produce grown in your garden at a carboot then?

[Pootle]

I think the Allotments act states something along the lines of you NOT being allowed to sell your produce - but the loophole is that if you have added value to the produce (made it into jam/chutney/veg box) then you can.

But I expect that if its just the odd bunch of carrots nobody would be too bothered. You might be on less solid ground with car booting - you might be deemed to be running a business...could you try bartering your excess produce for other goods/services you need? Maybe along the lines of a LETS scheme

[gojiberry]

I don't know if such a thing still exsists but years ago you had to have a traders lisence to sell on a market stall. However that was even before the days of car boot selling. (showing my age now)

Ian

[Tam]

The link for the self-sufficient village of Martin is:

The real Good Life: An entire village turns against supermarkets and grows its own food | the Daily Mail

[Paulottie]

I heard about that on R4 last week aswell, but couldn't find a link for it either. They described it as an allotment though, that had pigs and chickens on Does anyone have livestock on allotments normally? is it allowed?

As far as I am aware it is down to your allotment tenancy rules; Some do, some don't. Ours, for instance says you can't have a pigsty! Doesn't mention livestock else but you have to have permission in writing from the manager...(ME! lol) for any shed or greenhouse or building. I know that the previous allotment manager stopped someone taking an allotment because he wanted chickens there. However in my view if an established tenant were to want to run chickens in an ark for a few months in winter I might allow it, but not as a permanent feature. really it is just a hassle though.

The subject of bees is a bit more vague, they are technically livestock but to the general benefit. I would like to site a hive or two there but I am in the process of asking neighbours and all tenants if they have an allergy etc. Although they would be in the top corner on a raised headland and our site is on a hill I would be sure that they had a fence in front to make double sure they don't arrive on a low trajectory.

[yoanbob]

Hi hypnophill,
if you are producing food to sell from the lottie and its OK with whomever owns the land then you need your Hygene stuff to the second leval if working out of your own kitchen, Its not basic, is it proficancy? cant remember but its the second leval.
Also you need to get env. health round to check your kitchen, just like if you opening a new restaurant, but they are not as strict, so dont worry you dont have to write on your cornflake box when it was opened etc. they understand its just a cottage industry and you need to live there too, but you do need temp checks for your fridges and freezer if you store it for any length of time as well as dates on the things your selling. And the usuall deep cleaning the fridge seals etc paperwork but they dont expect it to be every week.
Also the insurance thing is worthwhile, I'm sure if you work in catering you know how much the penalty is for causing food poisoning. You cant blame supliers if your paperwork is up to date if your growing your own. Basicly the buck stops with you.
Having said that if your doing it on a small scale its very worthwhile.
apart from the hygene stuff there is no cost to the env, heath stuff, go for it!