having to stumble over baskets and other articles to find out what is
offered, and they expect prompt attention. As a general rule, the more
nearly the stand can supply the complete needs of the purchaser in that
field, the more likely are buyers to stop and become regular patrons. In
addition to the display of seasonable fruits and vegetables, it is
desirable to have eggs and dairy products, including butter, cottage
cheese, canned fruits or jellies that have the home-made farm atmosphere
about them.
In most cases, ice is available or electric refrigeration can be utilized
for keeping cold milk, buttermilk, cider and other products available for
immediate consumption for the hot and thirsty traveler in the summertime.
Hot coffee or hot chocolate can be made available for service in colder
weather. Very often the road-stand operator destroys the genuine sales
appeal that such stands have by specializing in manufactured concoctions
that have no relation whatever to the location where they are sold. Too
often the stands are covered with advertisements of such commodities, and
this immediately creates sales resistance so far as the promotion of fresh
farm products is concerned.
_Origin of Products Offered._--The ordinary purchaser at a roadside market
likes to think that he is buying products raised or processed on the place
where they are sold, and believes that he is thereby securing fresher and
better commodities in which the seller has had an interest from planting
time to harvest. Certainly some of the commodities sold should come
directly from the tract where the market is located, and visual evidence
should be given of that fact. On the other hand, there is no objection to
the addition of other commodities so long as they are in accord with what
a producer might be expected to have for sale at that season of the year.
Many operators have found that the sale of gasoline and lubricating oil
and tobacco in various forms can be offered for sale to good advantage
simply as a part of the service being offered by the market to the public.
_Quality the Keystone._--The fundamental basis for success in the
operation of any roadside market lies in the quality of the products that
are offered for sale. This is a rather difficult condition for the
operator to maintain consistently, but it is fundamental in securing
customers and in keeping them. Products that have become stale,
unattractive or unpalatable for any reason should never be offered for
sale and should be discarded, made into some by-product or sold through
some channel which will not identify the article with the stand itself. A
satisfied customer who develops confidence in the integrity and good faith
of the stand operator is a decided asset, and no effort spent in
cultivating such confidence is wasted.
Every successful roadside stand operator has built his business on honest
dealing and a personal interest in seeing that the buyer is satisfied.
This contact between the owner of a small business and a buyer is one that
can be capitalized to a very great extent. It is one of the handicaps
which a chain-store organization has to face and one that must be
developed by the person who wishes to establish a permanent and
satisfactory business in this merchandising field. Very often the sale of
farm products can be supplemented to the advantage of the stand by
offering small ornamental plants or by the display of pet animals,
particularly for the younger members of the traveling public.
_Success Factors._--A definite program of advertising can be developed
with many original features that apply directly to the type of business.
If the operator has pride in his products he will be glad to have his name
on every package of commodities that he sells. This is good sales
propaganda even if it only indicates the confidence of the seller in his
products and his willingness to stand behind them. Besides that, however,
it creates a knowledge of his name or the designation of his farm or stand
among purchasers who will then have a means of identifying it to their
friends. A small leaflet, describing the products that are offered for
sale and the intention of the operator to give the customer service, can
be put in each package at very small cost with good results. It is also
possible to prepare leaflets dealing with methods of cooking or of
preparation of the commodities sold that will build good will on the part
of customers.
The most successful operators, again, are those who do not depend upon
casual visitors for their trade but who make of the casual visitor a
regular customer and one who will speak a good word to others. In other
words, genuine effort must be made to identify the location as a place to
which buyers will wish to return as they do to any other place of business
that gives satisfactory service. In this way the operator distinguishes
himself from his fly-by-night competitors who exist during a week or two
when surpluses of commodities are available at low prices and who have no
thought beyond that of the immediate sale.
Wherever possible, the attention of the passing consumer should be
directed to the stand before he reaches it so that he will be prepared to
stop when he comes upon it. Signs of this type on either side of the
stand, but some distance each way from it, are more important than is
generally recognized. They constitute invitation cards and should be so
worded as to excite curiosity and create a feeling in the intending
purchaser's mind that he will make no mistake in stopping to fill his
wants at the stand. It goes without saying that both the advertising and
the stand itself must be so planned as to attract the purchaser, and every
effort should be concentrated on the psychology of such an appeal,
avoiding any appearance of slouchiness, which would be more repellent than
attractive. The purchaser forms a quick opinion of the stand from the way
in which it is conducted and from the appearance of the one who is there
to make sales. An attitude of cordial cooperation on the part of the
attendant, who is, of course, appropriately dressed and in the right
mental attitude, is a factor that must not be overlooked in the effort to
create a favorable impression.
_Meal Service Amid Farm Surroundings._--Many operators, located at
strategic points near main highways, have found that maximum profits are
obtained by serving meals prepared from the vegetables supplemented by
poultry or other products of the little farm. These meals may be served in
a booth or building adjoining the roadside stand or in a room of the house
turned into a seasonal dining room. Persons who are city residents quickly
learn to appreciate the virtues of fresh vegetables and freshly killed
poultry that may be thus served. A schedule of reasonable prices must be
maintained if trade is to be built up. Usually special dinners or lunches
can be prepared from available products in season, thereby giving the
customer more for his money at the least cost and trouble to the operator.
This small home restaurant business can be handled frequently by members
of the operator's household and countless examples can be given of real
financial success following such ventures. Expansion can take place as
consumer demand develops. Cleanliness, good home cooking, generous
portions and prompt and courteous service will work wonders in such a
project.
_Tourist Guest Houses._--A large number of country homes are now open to
the public as tourist guest houses, their owners finding that they can
obtain a modest but worth while supplement to other forms of income from
them. These tourist guest houses are largely a development of the past
several years. Their popularity with automobile travelers appears to be
increasing, and there is genuine opportunity for the housewife on a small
farm to operate one of these establishments.
It should be kept in mind by the housewife who thinks of opening her home
to tourists that the proposition has its drawbacks as well as its
advantages. Only a modest fee, often $1.00 for a room and 30 or 35 cents
for breakfast, is obtained from each tourist guest. However, a great
number of American women have found that the work and trouble occasioned
by taking in tourists are worth while and actually enjoy their contacts
with the traveling public.
The tourist guest house, obviously, should be located on a road that is
well traveled by tourists. A simple and attractive "Tourists
Accommodated" sign and a neat and pleasing front yard are needed to
interest passers-by in the place. The porch should be neat and attractive
and the interior of the house should give the appearance of restfulness,
simplicity and comfort.
Tourists usually inquire about prices and look over a place before
deciding to stop there; if there are women in the party, one of them
usually makes the inquiry. The family should be courteous in answering
questions and showing the prospective customers about. They should not be
indifferent, and yet must not seem to be too anxious for business. When
the travelers decide to stay, the family should endeavor at once to make
them feel at home. The guests will frequently ask questions about roads,
local resorts and near-by recreational facilities, and the family will
find it useful to be informed on these matters.
_Dog Breeding as a Source of Income._--Many persons who have located in
the country, and who have a liking for domestic animals, have found dog
breeding an interesting and frequently profitable enterprise. By placing a
wire cage along the highway the attention of the traveling public is
attracted to the puppies. Some of the more popular breeds of dogs include
the Airedale; the Boston, Fox and Irish Terriers; the Chow Chow; the
Collie, and the English and Irish Setters.
The breeding of dogs is a highly specialized activity, particularly where
it is carried on under intensive conditions and with little range. Dogs
are subject to external and internal parasites requiring preventive and
curative measures. As in the case of all other animals, sanitation is an
essential factor to success and feeding methods must be adjusted to the
age and the breed.
The beginner in dog raising should consult a recognized veterinarian who
specializes in small animal practice, and observe his recommendations.
Such professional men are located in most communities and their advice
will be found most helpful.
The prices obtainable for male and female young animals vary with the
locality. There is usually an established scale of prices which may easily
be obtained and which it will pay to observe. Dog shows are growing in
popularity and exhibitions at these expositions will serve to advertise
the breeder's stock. Advertising in local papers is effective in bringing
to the public the availability of stock of distinctive breeds. Fashions in
dog breeds change with the times and the public must be catered to along
the lines of current interest.
_Do's_
Use the roadside market or near-by outlets for disposing of excess farm
products.
Fully utilize the possibilities of roadside stands in building a permanent
business.
Road stands, as well as the products on display, must have sales appeal.
Produce at home all farm products offered for sale, if possible, and make
the growing area the background of the market.
Stress quality of products and the responsibility of the operator.
Advertising of the right type will multiply sales.
Offer meal service with farm surroundings wherever possible.
If considerable traffic passes the premises, try out possibilities of
accommodating tourists.
_Don'ts_
Don't try to dispose of miscellaneous surplus of farm commodities by
shipment to market if a roadside market can be set up.
Don't ruin standing of roadside market by selling inferior or stale
products.
Don't try to run a city fruit stand with a farm background.
Don't destroy country home life by over-commercialization.
SUGGESTED REFERENCE LIST
Timely and valuable publications of the United States Department of
Agriculture, state departments of agriculture and state agricultural
colleges and experiment stations are available to country residents.
Copies of them may be obtained by writing to the agencies mentioned. To
supplement them and also to supplement advice received from county
agricultural agents, a number of useful books are listed below. Those
interested in them may, in many cases, obtain them from local libraries,
or may find it useful to own certain of them themselves.
Author Title Year Publisher
Agee, Alva "First Steps in Farming" 1923 Harper
Arnold, Schuyler "Wayside Marketing" 1929 De La Mare
Auchter, E. C., "Orchard and Small 1929 Wiley
and Knapp, H. B. Fruit Culture"
Ayres, Q. C., and "Land Drainage and Reclamation" 1928 McGraw-Hill
Scoates, D.
Bailey, L. H. "Manual of Gardening," 1925 Macmillan
Rev. ed.
Bear, E. "Soil Management" 1927 Wiley
"Theory and Practice in 1929 Wiley
the Use of Fertilizers"
Bottomley, M. E. "Design of Small Properties; 1926 Macmillan
a Book for the Home-Owner in
City and Country."
Bush-Brown, Mrs. "Flowers for Every Garden" 1927 Little
Louise (Carter)
Chenoweth, W. W. "Food Preservation; a 1930 Wiley
Textbook for Student,
Teacher, Homemaker and
Home Factory Operator"
Chupp, C. "Manual of Vegetable 1925 Macmillan
Garden Diseases"
"Manual of Vegetable 1925 Macmillan
Garden Insects"
Cline, L. E. "Turkey Production" 1933 Orange Judd
Cox, J. F. "Crop Production and 1930 Wiley
Management"
Crosby, C. R., and "Manual of Vegetable 1918 Macmillan
Leonard, M. D. Garden Insects"
Davenport, Eugene "The Farm" 1927 Macmillan
Foster, W. H., and "Farm Buildings" 1928 Wiley
Carter, D. G.
Fraser, Samuel "American Fruits; Their 1927 Judd
Propagation, Cultivation,
Harvesting and Distribution"
Fraser, W. J. "Dairy Farming" 1930 Wiley
Galpin, C. J. "Rural Social Problems" 1924 Century
Gustafson, A. F. "Handbook of Fertilizers" 1932 Orange Judd
Hottes, A. C. "1001 Garden Questions 1930 De La Mare
Answered"
Hurd, L. M. "Practical Poultry Farming" 1931 Macmillan
Jull, M. A. "Poultry Husbandry" 1930 McGraw-Hill
Knott, J. E. "Vegetable Growing" 1930 Lea
Langstroth, L. L., "Honey Bee," Rev. by 1927 American Bee
and Dadant, C. P. Dadant, Ed. 23 Journal
Charles
Larson, C. W., and "Dairy Cattle Feeding 1928 Wiley
Putney, F. S. and Management"
Lewis, H. R. "Productive Poultry 1928 Lippincott
Husbandry"
Lippincott, W. A. "Poultry Production" 1927 Lea & Febiger
Millar, C. E. "Soils and Soil Management" 1929 Webb Pub. Co.
Murray, P. "Planning and Planting 1932 Orange Judd
the Home Garden"
Pellett, F. C. "Productive Bee-Keeping" 1923 Lippincott
Phillips, E. F. "Bee Keeping; a Discussion 1928 Macmillan
of the Honey Bee
and of the Production
of Honey," Rev. ed.
Powers, W. L., and "Land Drainage 1922 Wiley
Teeter, T. A. H. for Farmers"
Rice, J. E. "Practical Poultry Management" 1930 Wiley
Rice, J. E., and "Practical Poultry Management" 1925 Wiley
Botsford, H. E.
Root, A. I., and "ABC and XYZ of Bee 1923 Root
Root, E. R. Culture"
Rose, M. S. "Feeding the Family" 1928 Macmillan
Rowe, H. G. "Starting Right With Bees" 1922 A. I. Root Co.
Sanderson, E. D. "Insects Pests of Farm, 1921 Wiley
Garden and Orchard,"
Ed. 2, rev. and enl. by
L. M. Peairs
Sears, F. C. "Productive Orcharding; 1927 Lippincott
Modern Methods of Growing
and Marketing Fruit"
"Productive Small Fruit 1925 Lippincott
Culture"
Sharp, M. A. "Principles of Farm Mechanics" 1930 Wiley
Smith, R. H. "Agricultural Mechanics" 1925 Lippincott
Thompson, H. C. "Vegetable Crops" 1931 McGraw-Hill
Thorne, C. E. "Maintenance of Soil 1930 Orange Judd
Fertility"
Watts, R. L. "Vegetable Gardening" 1921 Orange Judd
Worthen, E. L. "Farm Soils, Their Management 1927 Wiley
and Fertilization"
SOME FARM AND GARDEN MAGAZINES
_General_
American Agriculturist New York, N. Y.
Country Gentleman Philadelphia, Pa.
Farm Journal Philadelphia, Pa.
New England Homestead Springfield, Mass.
New Jersey Farm and Garden Sea Isle City, N. J.
Pennsylvania Farmer Pittsburgh, Pa.
Rural New Yorker New York, N. Y.
_Beekeeping_
American Bee Journal Hamilton, Ill.
American Honey Producer Producers' League, Fargo, N. D.
Bee-Cause Watertown, Wis.
Gleanings in Bee Culture Medina, Ohio
_Dairying_
Ayrshire Digest Spencer, Mass.
Dairy Farmer Des Moines, Iowa
Guernsey Breeders' Journal Peterboro, N. H.
Hoard's Dairyman Fort Atkinson, Wis.
Holstein-Friesian World Laconia, N. Y.
Jersey Bulletin Indianapolis, Ind.
_Flower Gardening_
American Home Garden City, N. Y.
Better Homes and Gardens Des Moines, Iowa
Flower Grower Calcium, N. Y.
Gardener's Chronicle of America New York, N. Y.
Horticulture Boston, Mass.
_Fruit Growing_
American Fruit Grower Chicago, Ill.
Better Fruit Portland, Ore.
_Livestock_
Breeders' Gazette Chicago, Ill.
_Market Gardening_
Market Growers' Journal Louisville, Ky.
_Poultry_
American Poultry Journal Chicago, Ill.
Everybody's Poultry Magazine Hanover, Pa.
New England Poultryman Boston, Mass.
Poultry Garden and Home Dayton, Ohio
Poultry Item Sellersville, Pa.
Poultry Success Springfield, Ohio
Poultry Tribune Mt. Morris, Ill.
Footnotes:
[1] Prepared by New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.
[2] Prepared by Michigan State College of Agriculture.
[3] Prepared by New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.
[4] New York State College of Agriculture, Cornell University, Ithaca, New
York.
End of Project Gutenberg's A Living from the Land, by William B. Duryee