Targeted Market Follow-Up

This is a follow up post in response to Mary's comment below; 


"Hi Carla - my main comment would be that you have identified a number of target markets here that may have quite different characteristics and, thus, needs. For example, your local market may want certain types of seeds and varieties that are quite different from the needs of SoD Canada or research projects. Also, the types of co-ops that you mention are really a conduit to a target market rather than a target market themselves. Your target market here is home gardeners and perhaps small farmers and the co-op is the means to reach them. Depending on the reach of the co-op, your target market here may be across all of BC or even other parts of Canada. This market would probably have quite different trends than your local community. My advice would be to prioritize your top markets so you can allocate your growing space appropriately.It may be nice to grow 3 different varieties for SoD's seed bank but how much of your growing space does that take up and how does it mesh with growing seed crops for your local market or the co-op? This is a good opportunity to develop enterprise budgets for each project to determine relative importance of each market."

Thanks for comments here Mary. I see that having chose many different places to market my seed will be difficult and may not be the most efficient to spread my time and land over many projects. Conducting an enterprise budget for each crop in each market would be a good way to go. My first instinct upon reflection is to first focus on selling to a regional co-op until comfortable and turning a profit then choosing to take on other projects and markets as I grow.

Identifying Market Trends

Identifying seed market trends requires ongoing research to determine what seed crops I will grow and sell. The market trends will change over time but I will always put a good amount of energy into growing GMO free, ecologically grown, bee/environment friendly crops that are non proprietary. My research methods will include; 

1. Visiting farmers markets to see what farmers are growing/selling 

2. Visiting local grocery stores to see what is available (organic or not) and see where the gaps are between the store and market 

3. Talk to producers to see what they are looking for in seed 

4. Research common diseases in certain crops to see if I can improve a variety for resistance 

5. Discover native plants that are lacking in my region and see if there is interest amongst my customers to plant these seeds in their ornamental gardens 

6. Talk to the co-op organizers and farmers with the co-op to what types of seed are lacking. No point in growing tomato seeds for the co-op if 30 other farmers already are and the customer need is already met. 

7. Ask seed libraries what kinds of seeds they would like to see in their collections  

8. Research labelling and what is attractive to my customers 

9. Determine if my customer base frequent the internet. May be a place for social media or a website for more details on my seeds of that year. This may be a good platform to get a following, disseminate knowledge and gain customer loyalty through being transparent. 

10. Build good relationships with Ag universities and colleges to get my foot in the door for seed research projects that receive a stipend, advertisement or access to resources. 

Image Source: http://www.froutonea.com/images/datafiles/1117.jpg

Targeted Markets for Seed Sale and Building Capital

Farmer Cooperatives

• Sell seed to cooperatives led by farmers in my region such as the BC Eco Seed Co-op. 

This market is great to sell seeds locally and in bulk. The small regional cooperatives promote regionally adapted seed, diversity, agroecology, community building, knowledge sharing and support from colleagues. Selling to a co-op is beneficial to take the demand off how many varieties I have to provide for the category below. Selling to seed companies requires yield beyond what I intend to grow in the beginning.  

Small Farmers, Market Growers & Home Gardeners

• Sell seed packets at my vegetable market stand and sell to local farmers if interest 

This market is a good way to get started when my yields are low and I am just dipping my feet. The packaging and displays can be very basic but quaint. Once I have enough seed to start selling to the co-op I think this outlet would be a matter of surplus seed leftover from selling to the cooperative. I also like the community connection and sharing/selling of seed and food diversity within a smaller community. 

Research, Seed Libraries & Barter

• Participate in grow outs to contribute to the Canadian Seed Library with Seeds of Diversity. Farm is paid $300/year for small portion of my seed of 3 varieties.   

• Participate in variety trials to contribute to research with projects similar to the BC Seed Trials. Receive a small stipend for my time, free seeds for the trial plus keeping the harvest. 

• Barter and trade with local farmers; seed swap, trade seed for produce, honey and meat etc. 

These additional streams aid building social capital, seed security, receiving extra income and promote economic, environmental and social sustainability.  

Necessary Storage Requirements and Provisions

I plan on storing my seeds for 1-3 years. The initial purpose is to save enough seeds to grow food in the subsequent year from my own seed and to replenish my seed stock. As the years go by I can rotate the types of seed crops I grow. Firstly to increase the diversity of seeds I have on hand and also to give myself time to grow out and sell the seed I have on hand not allowing them to become too old. 

As the years progress I can increase the size of my production to ensure I have steady income and supply of seed and vegetables to live on and feed my family (in conjunction with my husbands income). 

The environment in which to store ensuring good quality of my seeds is should be dry, cool and dark. The main goal during storage is provide conditions to which to seed remains in dormancy and will be viable at germination time. My lettuce seeds will be stored in labelled brown paper envelopes then in further labelled brown paper bags in a fridge. The beans and peas will be stored in a labelled paper or plastic baggy within a labelled mason jar that have small hole poked in the top for air circulation. 

Refer to table 1 & 2 below for germination standards set by the Government of Canada. These minimum germination rates must be met to sell my seed. The minimum germination rate for lettuce is 70% and 65-80% for peas and 65-85% for beans. The beans and peas have ranges as there are different levels of quality the seeds can achieve. Of course I will strive for the highest possible germination rates and test my seeds for germination each year. 

Romaine Lettuce

Image Source: http://www.gettystewart.com/seedy-saturday-saturday-march-9/

Table 1: Accepted Germination Rates by the Gov't of Canada, Seed Regulations

 See Romaine Lettuce Seed in Row S 

 Table Source: http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/c.r.c.,_c._1400/FullText.html

Garden Pea

Image Source: http://www.gardenfresco.co.uk/growing-vegetables/peas

Fava Bean 

Image Source: https://www.ufseeds.com/product/broad-windsor-fava-bean-seeds/

Table 2: Accepted Germination Rates and Percentage of Acceptable Weeds and Other Seed for Non-Field Production Crops by the Gov't of Canada, Seed Regulations (See Peas in Column 4 and Beans in Column 5)

 Table Source: http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/c.r.c.,_c._1400/FullText.html

Ensuring Isolation from GE crops

To the best of my knowledge there is no GE seed crops being grown in South Burnaby. The farm land plots are very small and are mostly in vegetable production by small growers. The more than sufficient isolation distances I have provided for my self-pollinating crops is more than sufficient to isolate from GE crops.

Image: https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjEmNvmuOfWAhVIrlQKHc-rBKwQjxwIAw&url=http%3A%2F%2Frenegadehealth.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2F19%2Fseeds-of-deception-book-review&psig=AOvVaw1NpyfeW-p1rSHm4LqNJ7t6&ust=1507772511369558

Ensuring Traceability of My Seed Crops

A seed crop journal will be kept. This journal will serve as an in field notebook to write down observations, successes, challenges and to keep track of my seed. The notes can be backed up into a digital format capturing the important details in a more succinct format.

Initially, when I am planting someone else's seed, as much information as possible from that seed lot and packet would be recorded. Then when the seed from that harvest is stored it will be placed in a paper bag or envelope with one label inside and one outside. The label would contain; farm name and location, lot number, year, species, cultivar and common name.

When my seed is repackaged for the consumer I would transfer the same information from my label to the seed packet of the consumer. It would just be arranged in a more appealing way, such as the image below for the front of the packet with simply the cultivar name (although I would include species as well) and the farm name. The back of the packet would include year grown, lot number and farm location.

Photo Source: https://tr.pinterest.com/pin/187180928236127416/

Equipment for Harvesting and Cleaning My Seed Crop

Romaine Lettuce 

The seed pod heads of the lettuce will be progressively shaken off into a brown paper bag directly from the plant. Cleaning could also happen in small batches, put perhaps once a week as opposed to every couple of days. The seed does not need to be released from a shell but rather separated from the fluffy pappus' and any other debris from the seed head that made its way into the bag. The compressor would likely be too powerful for this light seed and chaff. So a small hand fan or even blowing across the seed would be effective. Another approach would be to screen the seeds through a series of stacking screens and lightly blow away fluff and chaff as the seeds and heavier debris fall through the screen set. 

To start out, I would like to purchase a set of versatile screens that slot together. As I become more handy I can select different grades of wire and work on constructing similar screens modelling the design of the set I purchased. Once I get into producing seed I would be selecting other small seed to work with that would benefit from the screens such as brassicas and ornamental flower seed. 

Image 1: Set of Seed Screens 

Source: www.strictlymedicinalseeds.com

Fava Beans 

Once the upper pods are formed and begins to dry the plants can be cut at the stem then raked down to the ground and collected into stocks to finish drying. The seed head stems can then be cut off and placed on a tarp in the field to be threshed. Some of the chaff can be removed by hand and the seed transferred into a bucket. In an sheltered area the seeds can be transferred a bit at a time into a new bucket in a single layer. Then cleaned by passing the air from an air compressor over the bucket to blow away the chaff. Since fava beans seeds are very large using a winnower or screens wouldn't make sense.

Investing in a moderately air compressor would be a good idea. It would not only help in cleaning seed but in removing dust from sheds and farm storage areas as well as pumping up bike, car and wheel barrow tires on site as well. I believe an air compressor can be used to clean fresh farm eggs as well which is a part of my big farm plan! 

Image 2: Portable Air Compressor 

Source: www.lrseries.com

Garden Pea 

Once the seeds are maturing, drying and browning on the plant the seed head stems can be cut and tied together and hung from the trellis that the peas had been growing on. Then threshed similar to the favas or in a bucket with my feet. 

Cleaning would occur in the exact same way as favas making the investment of buying an air compressor worthwhile.