Pumpkins

[buckeyefarmer]

Buy from yourself? Lol

Curious to see how you do. We grew pumpkins in the corn fields with the corn. I was lucky to earn $10 total as a kid selling them, but that was many many yrs ago..

 

[CMV]

for the 3 year you need nothing really - just a 'plan' to generate farm income and willingness to submit future tax returns. If you make it, great, if not, it expires after 3 yrs and you can't get another. The permanent exemption I think is avg of $10k per year over 3 years, but I've also been told one tax return with $10k farm income is good enough so unsure. A "real farmer" here in NC would know better than I would.

The exemption lets you buy tractors and other things with no state sales tax. I think it is also needed if you wanted farm tags on a vehicle. For purposes of the exemption, an item is used in “farming operations” if it is used for the planting, cultivating, harvesting, or curing of farm crops or in the production of dairy products, eggs, or animals. So really I have no idea what I would/wouldn't pay sales tax on with it. I think if I went to TSC and bought some fencing or tractor attachments it would be tax free. If I bought a gun safe or bag of candy there, probably not.

 

[CADplans]

Buy from yourself? Lol

In Virginia, you must sell a certain percentage of food, to be able to sell mixed drinks.

One local bar had a $2,500 ham sandwich on the menu,,, If the bar owner saw the end of the month coming, and, had not sold enough food, he would start having the expensive ham sandwich for lunch each day,, until enough food was sold.

That could easily be done,, $2,000 eggs, from the one chicken,,,
that chicken could save the farm in less than a week,,, :thumbsup:

 

[CMV]

Buy from yourself? Lol

Curious to see how you do. We grew pumpkins in the corn fields with the corn. I was lucky to earn $10 total as a kid selling them, but that was many many yrs ago..

$10? probably a more realistic goal than $10k Will have ~$100 in seeds, a couple bags of fertilizer, and then just time. Not holding out hope that come this fall we're in for a windfall from growing pumpkins. But will be something to do and worst case I will probably have a nice spot cleared with conditioned soil when all said & done. Maybe put some grapes, berries, or whatever I'd rather have in some of that space next year. Have lots of blackberries growing wild that I call surprise berries - some taste great, some are the sourest thing known to man - always a surprise because they all look the same . I put some grapes in a few years ago and they produced really well last year, so wouldn't mind more of those. Sadly the seedless grapes I bought and got going are plain old concord full of seeds. But they taste good.

 

[CMV]

In Virginia, you must sell a certain percentage of food, to be able to sell mixed drinks.

One local bar had a $2,500 ham sandwich on the menu,,, If the bar owner saw the end of the month coming, and, had not sold enough food, he would start having the expensive ham sandwich for lunch each day,, until enough food was sold.

That could easily be done,, $2,000 eggs, from the one chicken,,,
that chicken could save the farm in less than a week,,, :thumbsup:

yes, but I'd be paying income tax on that too....so while I might be able to do some creative accounting ledger entries to generate however much income I wanted, I'd be on the hook for fed & state taxes on that income. Definitely not worth not paying state sales tax on some stuff here & there.

But that is a good point for someone doing subsistence farming....might be worth assigning value for the crops/critters to feed your family to get to the $10k number....

 

[UpstateSC_Papi]

for the 3 year you need nothing really - just a 'plan' to generate farm income and willingness to submit future tax returns. If you make it, great, if not, it expires after 3 yrs and you can't get another. The permanent exemption I think is avg of $10k per year over 3 years, but I've also been told one tax return with $10k farm income is good enough so unsure. A "real farmer" here in NC would know better than I would.

The exemption lets you buy tractors and other things with no state sales tax. I think it is also needed if you wanted farm tags on a vehicle. For purposes of the exemption, an item is used in “farming operations” if it is used for the planting, cultivating, harvesting, or curing of farm crops or in the production of dairy products, eggs, or animals. So really I have no idea what I would/wouldn't pay sales tax on with it. I think if I went to TSC and bought some fencing or tractor attachments it would be tax free. If I bought a gun safe or bag of candy there, probably not.

Gotcha. Well again, good luck. Looking at Google Maps, I'm about 3 hours away and we have family we visit in the Fort Mill, SC area from time to time. Keep us posted and when your crop comes in, I'll drive up and buy a few from you!

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I had a pumpkin patch a few years ago. Had a bunch of fun doing it. Had my Sunday School class over, hayride to the pumpkin field and everyone got a pumpkin or two, no charge. All for fun, not profit.

I am convinced I could do it for profit if I had more level land. Insects are a problem, and to do it commercially, that would have to be addressed. There is lots of information out there. Just start googling and reading. I think you will have fun.

By the way, be cognizant of maturity from time of planting. You want them to mature in time for Halloween but not too early.

 

[tomplum]

Part pumpkin patch, part corn maze. Easy 10 grand if you are close enough to a metro area.

 

[JFoy]

So what you're saying is I only need to grow half as many pumpkins but sell for twice as much? awesome! Maybe I can just grow 10 and get $1k a piece

In N. Davidson County NC - Welcome/Midway area.

Thanks for the Harris seed link. Will check that out today!

Small world CMV... I'm in Arcadia off Hwy 150. PM if you're interested in lunch sometime.

JFoy

 

[Oldoak]

Part pumpkin patch, part corn maze. Easy 10 grand if you are close enough to a metro area.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, don't forget the added cost of liability insurance and possible frivolous lawsuits when dealing with the general public. Particularly when you turn any activity into a commercial enterprise.