Need your help - small town farm stand/bake shop

[TwoMisfits]

Oh these ideas are great - thank you everyone!

She is staying away from pies and canned goods only because there are a few spots in town that sell those items.

She has a bunch of apple/pear/peach trees so things really pick up once they are ready

It sounds like she has refrigeration?

If so, a mini cheesecake or cheesecake bar could be outstanding. And if when the fruit comes in, she paired it with that topping, it would probably be great.

As for me, I probably wouldn't buy since I need dairy and nut free unless I was confident she was being careful with allergies...this is probably the same for the gluten free folks. But, if she wanted to get careful and on that side, stocking one item that is gluten, dairy, and nut free might be a really good idea, but just one. You want to test the market. And you want it to taste as good as the regular stuff.

My friend has a cookie and cupcake that does all 3, so recipes are out there...I'd probably go for a dark chocolate salted cookie if I tried that...

 

[TippyThomas]

Various muffins were always a big seller in my area.
Fruits and vegetables from the gardens were as well.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Made me think of Clarkson Farm, super adorable.

I love these little shops & always love little lavender bundles and sachets, I was at a place on Cape Cod where I was able to fill my own little sachet with lavender grown on premises. Small samples of local Honey from a local Beekeeper always get me in these spots, same goes for local jams, jellies & maple syrup. I find self serve lemonade, iced tea or coffee impossible to refuse.

For treats I like things that are grab and go so small quiche type pies or squares like spinach pie. Summer salads are a great idea! I discovered my favorite from a little shop like your daughters, it is black bean and corn with red onion and cilantro (although not everyone likes cilantro.)

Maybe a little picnic blanket to borrow and picnic baskets inviting people to linger if you have the space, a few benches as well might encourage seconds.

Best of luck

 

[Travel60]

Breads made with seasonal fruits/vegys. Hand pies with the same. Unique cookies.
Check health codes on canning or fruit butters - may need kitchen inspections, etc.

 

[MsChristy12]

Congrats to your daughter!

Another vote for breads! Please sell them in slices because loaves are just too much for some people (like me ).

Bars with shortbread & fresh fruit jam?
Fruit butter? Apple, peach, pear, those all sound great to make into butter!
Fresh fruit danishes
Coffee cake
Fruit shortbread cookies
Biscotti

 

[evilmommie]

All the pickled stuff! One of our local farms does every kind of veggie and they are sooo good!
Sourdough stands are all of the rage.
All of the sweet breads! Zucchini, pumpkin, apple, on and on.
Cookies!!!
LOVE the summer salad idea!!!
Small to-go summer picnics
And all of her fresh fruit. Bags of apples, peaches and pears!!
Mini pumpkin patch!!

 

[happybaker]

One thing thing I've been seeing at a local bakery and at the farmer's market is handpies. Great way to incorporate local produce. And I'm more likely to buy one of those than a whole pie.

 

[prairie_girl]

Unless I missed it, I’m surprised no one has suggested adding Rice Krispie treats. They’re always a best seller.

 

[princesscinderella]

I would recommend sweet rolls (just like cinnamon rolls) but in a variety of fruit flavors. I love a good orange sweet roll that uses marmalade in the layers with a hint of orange and zest in the glazing. For the kids dirt cups - they have chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos and a few gummy worms hanging out.

 

[Snowflakey]

Unless I missed it, I’m surprised no one has suggested adding Rice Krispie treats. They’re always a best seller.

Me as the OP even forgot to mention this! Oh my she makes amazing rice krispie treats. Doubles the recipe to they are extra thick, dips them in melted chocolate, sprinkles, some are in the shape of a Mickey head, and several other recipes using rice krispies! They are a big hit!

 

[Snowflakey]

I would recommend sweet rolls (just like cinnamon rolls) but in a variety of fruit flavors. I love a good orange sweet roll that uses marmalade in the layers with a hint of orange and zest in the glazing. For the kids dirt cups - they have chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos and a few gummy worms hanging out.

Yes! I forgot, she does the kids cups but instead does crushed graham crackers and a few teddy bear grahams and a cocktail umbrella so it looks like they are at the beach. Super cute!

 

[Snowflakey]

All the pickled stuff! One of our local farms does every kind of veggie and they are sooo good!
Sourdough stands are all of the rage.
All of the sweet breads! Zucchini, pumpkin, apple, on and on.
Cookies!!!
LOVE the summer salad idea!!!
Small to-go summer picnics
And all of her fresh fruit. Bags of apples, peaches and pears!!
Mini pumpkin patch!!

So glad you love the summer salad ideas! She is excited about this because I will be darned if I can find a good salad for sale anywhere. It's all that cheap store bought mac and potato salad - yuck!

She does a ham and cheese chunk macaroni salad that is soooo good plus a chicken/pea pod/pasta that has a asian taste to it and you serve chinese noodles on top for crunch, it's amazing.

Yup - later this summer there will be tons of bags of her fruit. People LOVE that!

She does grow and sell pumpkins. My oldest daughter who lives in another town has a BIG BIG BIG pick your own pumpkin patch. Hundreds of pumpkins. Super fun!

 

[leebee]

I'd consider including something that is "less sweet" like scones or muffins with seasonal fresh fruit in them. Also, smaller bread items like rolls and half-baguettes seem to do really well around here. I like stands that offer smaller items, so I can justify buying several different things!

I'd be careful of offering home-canned things. All she needs is one person to get sick- and NOT from her products- to say "Well I had food poisoning for days and I bought a jarred product from..." to hurt her business. I've learned that people don't always understand what food poisoning really is, the symptoms and timelines, and don't get tested for it, but the minute anything makes them 'digestively/intestinally' unwell, the cry "food poisoning."

 

[Snowflakey]

I'd consider including something that is "less sweet" like scones or muffins with seasonal fresh fruit in them. Also, smaller bread items like rolls and half-baguettes seem to do really well around here. I like stands that offer smaller items, so I can justify buying several different things!

I'd be careful of offering home-canned things. All she needs is one person to get sick- and NOT from her products- to say "Well I had food poisoning for days and I bought a jarred product from..." to hurt her business. I've learned that people don't always understand what food poisoning really is, the symptoms and timelines, and don't get tested for it, but the minute anything makes them 'digestively/intestinally' unwell, the cry "food poisoning."

No canned items are being sold at her stand.

Most of her items are small portioned. Individual wrapped cookies, single but BIG slices of cakes with beautiful flowers done with icing, etc.

She also puts a lot into packaging. Next weekend being Memorial Day will have tons of red white and blue packaging. American flags as cupcake toppers, cute red/white/blue star bags that will hold the extra large rice krispie bars. Things like that

 

[_19disnA]

I agree with others to sell products that are shelf stable and don't require refrigeration. Knowing what your local health regulations are relating to items produced at home is also a good idea. Some states/areas are more restrictive in that regard. Changing what you sell seasonally is also a good way to have some variety in what you offer.

I would avoid home-canning as you don't have the equipment to consistently/safely seal/pressure cook things like they do in a pro kitchen.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'd consider including something that is "less sweet" like scones or muffins with seasonal fresh fruit in them. Also, smaller bread items like rolls and half-baguettes seem to do really well around here. I like stands that offer smaller items, so I can justify buying several different things!

I'd be careful of offering home-canned things. All she needs is one person to get sick- and NOT from her products- to say "Well I had food poisoning for days and I bought a jarred product from..." to hurt her business. I've learned that people don't always understand what food poisoning really is, the symptoms and timelines, and don't get tested for it, but the minute anything makes them 'digestively/intestinally' unwell, the cry "food poisoning."

FWIW though under food poisonings are multiple different kinds. There are ones, like staph, where you can get ill within 30 mins. Salmonella can be within 6 hours. Your point is well made as many tend to think of the last meal they had and go with it but it's equally important to mention that you can't dismiss it with the going thought that it takes time because depending on the pathogen it really doesn't take time (relatively speaking) and it really can be the last meal they had.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I agree with others to sell products that are shelf stable and don't require refrigeration. Knowing what your local health regulations are relating to items produced at home is also a good idea. Some states/areas are more restrictive in that regard. Changing what you sell seasonally is also a good way to have some variety in what you offer.

I would avoid home-canning as you don't have the equipment to consistently/safely seal/pressure cook things like they do in a pro kitchen.

She's got to have refrigeration with those summer salads. And the cake icing. You can't sell iced cake in this weather if you can't keep it cold-ish.

 

[Snowflakey]

She's got to have refrigeration with those summer salads. And the cake icing. You can't sell iced cake in this weather if you can't keep it cold-ish.

Yes! Those items are kept in a fridge!

 

[Robber Baron]

I'd be a regular customer for banana bread, maybe a few types of muffins, and DEFINITELY for a rustic Italian bread.

 

[pezgirlroy]

Did her cinnamon rolls have raisins in them? I would offer cinnamon rolls with and without raisins. My wife prefers cinnamon rolls without raisins, I prefer them with. Been a debate in our household for 43 years, but she WAS horrified to see how many cinnamon roll recipes call for raisins.

I have never had cinnamon rolls with raisins in them. Interesting.