Grow and sell fresh, local vegetables directly to consumers. Even a backyard garden can produce significant income when focused on high-value crops with strong local demand.
Consider these related business ideas and specializations:
Grow and sell fresh, local vegetables directly to consumers. Even a backyard garden can produce significant income when focused on high-value crops with strong local demand.
Consider these related business ideas and specializations:
San Juan Islands-specific considerations for this business:
Test this idea before investing heavily:
Plant a 500 sq ft garden bed with three high-value crops (salad mix, cherry tomatoes, basil). Sell at one farmers market for a full season.
What sells fastest? What are customers asking for that you didn't grow? How much time does harvest and market day take? What price points work?
You sell out consistently and customers are asking if you can grow more or different things.
Expected startup and operating expenses:
Areas where quality investment pays off:
Cheap seed has lower germination and produces inferior plants—professional seed costs more but performs
Good enough: Order from reputable farm suppliers like Johnny's Selected Seeds; skip dollar store packets
Skimping on compost and amendments means lower yields and more problems—healthy soil is your production foundation
Good enough: Quality compost in quantity; don't need expensive specialty amendments to start
Hand watering doesn't scale and leads to inconsistent moisture—drip irrigation pays for itself quickly
Good enough: Basic drip tape systems; doesn't need automated timers initially
Areas where cost-cutting makes sense:
Financial timing and planning notes:
Strategies to reduce risk and increase odds of success:
Join shomby today and start selling to your local community. We provide the platform—you bring the passion.
We build shomby around your business—not the other way around. If there's a feature, integration, or tool that would help your organic produce & vegetables business succeed, we want to hear about it.
Grow beautiful blooms for bouquets, events, and subscriptions. Local flowers offer freshness, unique varieties, and sustainability that imported flowers can't match.
Propagate and sell plants, from vegetable starts to ornamentals. Spring seedling sales and year-round houseplant demand create multiple revenue streams.
Raise laying hens for fresh, pasture-raised eggs. Local eggs with orange yolks from happy hens command premium prices from health-conscious consumers.
San Juan Islands-specific considerations for this business:
Test this idea before investing heavily:
Plant a 500 sq ft garden bed with three high-value crops (salad mix, cherry tomatoes, basil). Sell at one farmers market for a full season.
What sells fastest? What are customers asking for that you didn't grow? How much time does harvest and market day take? What price points work?
You sell out consistently and customers are asking if you can grow more or different things.
Expected startup and operating expenses:
Areas where quality investment pays off:
Cheap seed has lower germination and produces inferior plants—professional seed costs more but performs
Good enough: Order from reputable farm suppliers like Johnny's Selected Seeds; skip dollar store packets
Skimping on compost and amendments means lower yields and more problems—healthy soil is your production foundation
Good enough: Quality compost in quantity; don't need expensive specialty amendments to start
Hand watering doesn't scale and leads to inconsistent moisture—drip irrigation pays for itself quickly
Good enough: Basic drip tape systems; doesn't need automated timers initially
Areas where cost-cutting makes sense:
Financial timing and planning notes:
Strategies to reduce risk and increase odds of success:
Join shomby today and start selling to your local community. We provide the platform—you bring the passion.
We build shomby around your business—not the other way around. If there's a feature, integration, or tool that would help your organic produce & vegetables business succeed, we want to hear about it.
Grow beautiful blooms for bouquets, events, and subscriptions. Local flowers offer freshness, unique varieties, and sustainability that imported flowers can't match.
Propagate and sell plants, from vegetable starts to ornamentals. Spring seedling sales and year-round houseplant demand create multiple revenue streams.
Raise laying hens for fresh, pasture-raised eggs. Local eggs with orange yolks from happy hens command premium prices from health-conscious consumers.