Profitable Garden Crop for Northeast

[FinallyGreen]

I am curious what crops folks are growing that make a profit or you expect to make a profit with. Garlic? Grapes? Potatoes? Root crops? Strawberries? Blueberries? ....?

[bp fick]

A bit west of you, but the reality is that your marketing skills will determine your profitability to a large degree. Almost any crop you mentioned can be profitable, but only if you secure a selling place, at a good price. 50 years ago, I spent every Wednesday and Saturday at a local farmer's market. We made money. Today, in our area, the towns don't understand we don't have margins to pay stall rentals at the rate they charge. They fail to understand that farmer's markets add to the community and they should not charge much, if anything, to those who boost foot traffic in the towns. But I digress....

Our biggest profit margins come on cabbage, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, and the like. Fresh cut. We also sell sweet corn, but that is just to make them turn into our place. Potatoes are not hugely profitable, but we do sell them. We sell brown eggs year around. I won't begin to suggest to you what you should grow, as that would be silly. What I would say is this. Grow what you grow well. Grow what you enjoy growing. Grow what your soil prefers and climate supports. Best regards and wishes for success.

[joshuabardwell]

Today, in our area, the towns don't understand we don't have margins to pay stall rentals at the rate they charge.

Amen. Everyone I know who sells at markets like that says there are two types of customers. The first is little old ladies who buy ONE thing at the whole market. The second is other marketers who are basically just trading the same ten dollars around the table. We have considered selling at these markets, and the people we have talked to say the only way to turn a profit is to build up a customer base at the markets and then sell direct e.g. via CSA or meat shares.

[forgeblast]

Gensing is a good cash crop. Takes a few years to get roots, and you have to fence it to keep the 4 and 2 legged pests off it.

[randy41]

tomatoes, especially early tomatoes, are the most profitable per square ft of growing space. but the process starts by knowing your market, what other vendors have and when, and what price to charge. lettuce and salad mix in summer or winter is good but not so good in spring and fall when every other vendor is selling the same. early summer squash is a good one too. don't bet the farm on a broccoli crop though. potatoes are very good sellers and can be brought back to the market if you don't sell out on a market day.
if you can find the right place to set up and sell then christmas trees can be a good one, but it takes several years to get a harvest.
CSA's are very popular but be prepared to wait a couple of years to build up a member base.