Agri Business/ Greenhouse

[hunterridgefarm]

I am 46 years old and have been selling machined parts to the aerospace industry for the last 8 years. I am experiencing massive burn-out.
I have been wanting to start a Agri business for several years and have look at all types of live stock but the start-up $ and land needed to go full time is out of reach.
I have a son who will start college in 3 years and I will have to pay his way which believe it or not I don't mind. I am very proud of him and don't want him to have to borrow money like I did to get through college.

This brings me to the Greenhouse business which I have researched and continuing to research. I would like to start out with 1-2 Greenhouses 20'x40' and grow the business to full time within a year or two. I have a 2 acre track at my current home that could handle 2-3 greenhouses. I also have a 42 acre track we a going to build on and move the Greenhouses to and grow the business and possibly add a pick your on roadside market and nursery type plants.
I love this type of work and have always enjoyed farming and working with my hands.

Does anyone have any experience with Greenhouse business?
Any pointers, experiences..good or bad?

 

[meledward23]

I dont own a greenhouse. I dont run a greenhouse. I do have a Horticulture degree and did study greenhouses. I even have a good book around here on Greenhouse Production if I find it I will post the title and SKU.

But what I do, do is buy plants every day (buisness day) all year round. Somewhere between 1-2 million per year depending on how good business is. I have a lot of friends that that buy and sell plants year round doing closer to 3 million a year. So my main advice comes from this perspective.

1) Be sure to understand there is a difference between a Greenhouse and a Shade House, and A Cold Frame House. A Greenhouse attempts to alter climatic conditions and control the interior temperature and humidity to predetermined level. The Shade house is just that provides shade (typically used further south where the heat gets extreme). The cold frame allows you to grow without a cover all summer and use a lcover which allows light through, to keep the plants warmer in the winter, and avoiding cold damage. What you grow determines which setup. The Greenhouse is far more expensive than the other two.

2) If you are in Western NC you are near a few large nurserys. I am more more familar with the large tree growers up there. But I believe there are several larger operations. JUST A FYI point. May come in usefull for supplier issues.

3) What product will you grow. There are several approaches. The specializing is easy to grow high volume small stuff. The rare and special materials. The strong diverse mix, or the I always have it cause this is the only thing I grow group.

As a buyer I find it hard to buy just one thing. I typically shop for 30 different things. The more one person has the more likely I would be to buy it from them. Hence, the more product line you offer the more likely I am to buy it from you. Based on your description growers of similar size specialize in perennials, groundcovers, and ornamental grassess. In these parts the Grassess are so over priced the small grower near me is always out of his supply becuase he has a reasonable price.


If you are looking for more information send me a PM, I have a lot of thoughts on this as I love growing things and have been thinking about an operation of this size for years. It has always been the lack of land that prevents me (30 acres, but full of horses).

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Thanks for the reply. I will try and PM you tomorrow.

I am still researching what type of house I will need. I would like to be able to grow year round. I don't want to be limited to selling just in this area. I would like to grow the standard ground covers, flowers, herbs for this area but also plants that I can ship out of state. I am getting into this slow but would like to have a house up in a couple of months.

I have talked to a couple of house suppliers in NC and have a couple more to talk with. Most are more into the hobby type house and in some cases the 20'x40' falls into their line.

Trying to decide on plastic or poly carbonate panels. My current lot is not wide but very long so 40' will work, and be easy to move to the 40 acre trac.

I am currently talking to greenhouse owners in my area to get a little information, some helpful some not so helpful.

I did find out most have to buy there wholesale starter plants out of this area since the one big wholesale house close to me only sells to Lowes and Wal-Mart.

This has helped me decide to go with two houses one for starter which may allow me to sell to the local guys and supply my own house. Don't know?

I just want to be sure I start this right, so I may have the house in two months or less but not growing till late winter or early spring.

You are right, alot of tree farmers in my location(foothills) and Christmas tree farmers in mountains. Due to this I won't try to compete with them, just maybe grow a few container type trees and landscape type srubs.
However I do know I don't want this to be a hobby operation. I would like to make it a full time business asap.

However the more I research and fact find the more qusetions I have.

 

[Jim57]

Good Luck with your endeavor. I am starting a small business here myself to help finance my project here to help people. My project is listed here at TBN Click Here to see my project


I also wanted to give you this website. I think it might help you on some of the items you mentioned. A lot of good information here.

Jim

 

[meledward23]

This past year I didnt grab as many Wholesale plug catalogs as I have in years past, but I have a few, I can give you a few names from them.

I think the Perennial, Herb, mix is the best route into the buisness especially as a small grower.

The more diverse a product mix the better off you will be trying to sell to landscapers, that typically will want to have a one stop shop kind of atmosphere on their perennial line.

Charlotte is a good market in the Green Industry from what I have heard over the last few years. Not to far out. The size of you buisness you really shouldnt have to go to far out of state at first. If you do, North. Coming south doesnt pay as well. Atlanta is a hard market to sell in. I hear the prices that growers around here get when shipping into the NE from here and I faint.

Also, when of the best marketing moves I have seen is getting to know Landscape Architects, the high end firms that do Contract Administration, and discuss with them the more obscure plants they like and start growing them. When they spec them and you are the nearest local grower of that material you have a great shot on having it bough from you. Also boosts your other sales because if you have th 20 Echinacea 'Kim's Knee High' that I need then I will probably buy the 50 Stella D'oros from you as well to make it worthwhile.

Also, note there will be differences in the commercial and residential markets. There will be commercial and residential Landscape Contractors and Garden Centers. They sometimes cross lines, but in general the stronger outfits are on or the other becuase they are so different. The product lines, the product mix, etc.... By the sounds of your plan you are going to be more in the residential market as a supplier. Doesnt mean you wont be attractive to commercial guys, but the commercial guys use the same 10 perrenials time and time again, for the most part.


I am a 100% comercial firm so most of my experience is from that aspect.

Good Luck.....

 

[hunterridgefarm]

I sent you a PM but when I checked sent PM's nothing showed up.

Let me know if you don't receive it.