Marketing and Selling food products.

[Curtis]

Hello,
So, I work on this large organic orchard and it has never been ran to its full potential. Many things are grown here, the main crop being pomegranates, but we also have hundreds of mulberry trees, some apricots, figs, grapes, pecans, pistachios, peach, apple and various other trees in smaller quantities. We just recently planted about 400 new pomegranate trees, and still have another 200 or so to plant. So, in three years we'll have hundreds of thousands (probably) of harvestable pomegranates.

We also have a very large protected garden with basically everything that can grow in it, growing in it.

I am interested in producing specialty jams and jellies, to sell to gourmet consumers and to sell the fruits that we harvest this fall, "As is", and also processed in different ways. We could make juices, jams and jellies all in house, shipped direct to consumers and wholesale providers.

We also have many bee boxes on the property and produce home made honey, although it is not pasteurized. What would be needed to have it so we could sell this?

How does one get a whole food seller to buy our products/produce? What sort of "certification" does one need to sell?

I will look into what we need to do to be recognized as "Certified organic", but can we claim on the packaging that we are organic, or grow naturally, without being certified organic? My worry is cost of being certified. But everything here is grown organically, no additives or chemicals. Just good quality foods.

I'll be creating a website soon for the "company" that we here are starting ( A four man endeavor ), but I think we could do well. Pomegranates are becoming quite popular in the US, with many people recognizing the health benefits of them and the unique taste.

Any advice?

[MountainDon]

One can not make orgainic claims without being a certified organic grower. That's about all I know.

Try contacting the Nevada Agriculture Dept.

http://agri.state.nv.us/PLANT_OrganicPgm.htm

also...
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/management/org_farm_2.html#How%20do%20farmers%20and%20ranchers%20become%20certified%20as%20organic


Member Drew got his farm/ranch certified as organic, in CA.

[Curtis]

Thanks, i'll have to look into that more.

It seems like this place will meet the requirements above and beyond.

Just need to figure out prices of having someone take a look around.