2023 - the good, the not so good but hopefully not ugly of growing your own!

YBR

Glittering_M said:

Has anyone got any experience of selling things from a stand by the gate/honesty box type thing?

This is something I'm considering for next year looking to sell:
Surplus honey
Possibly beeswax candles if I get enough beeswax and enjoy making them
Possibly excess plants I don't have room for that friends don't want
Any surplus produce
Possibly things I create from said produce, e.g. apple cider vinegar, sauces.

Possibly I could also include things like a book/seed swop.

As you can see lots of maybes I'm just curious. I know if I sell things like sauces I'd need food safety training and possibly for my premises to be inspected but I'm not sure about other legislation and requirements. Obviously HMRC would also need informing as I have other self employment which takes me over the 1k grace amount.

It's completely normal completely normal in Guernsey and referred to as "Hedge Veg" where surplus fruit and veg are placed in a cupboard or box on the gate/hedge. It's not uncommon in rural England, I think.

Food Hygiene training is available to do online so should be very easy to organise. You'll also need to be very sure about allegens.

Glittering_M

@YBR never heard of them referred to as Hedge Veg but had a G00gle and they look great! 

I've seen honesty boxes for honey, jam and eggs (not all together) in the UK and they seem to be little more than a table and a cash tin although I'm sure they do vary. I'm just curious as I can find limited information online.

MissRikkiC

I make sourdough loaves with varying levels of success but recently they’ve been perfect and I was considering possibly selling a few a week so would be interested in the information you glean. 

Glittering_M

I've still not had much luck with my sourdough. Should really give it a go. I've struggled to find much. Sourdough I'm sure you'd need (or should I say knead 😂) to be checked by your local authority to make sure the kitchen is all clean etc. 

Suffolk_lass

If you are intending selling anything you have cooked (so sourdough, for example) you should register as a food business with your local authority. They have a person who will come out and check the hygiene of the environment where you are cooking and give you a hygiene rating. There is also a licensing process if you want to sell any bee-related products (such as cosmetics made with beeswax, or furniture polish with beeswax and turpentine) - for straight raw veg and honey you don't normally need to register but you must ensure the labels on your honey comply with the honey labelling regulations 2015. Your local beekeepers association will be able to point you at this and BBKA News and Beecraft both have regular articles on these, for new beekeepers.

The other thing to consider is the security of your produce and the money you take. We have a very low crime rate here but nevertheless, my fellow beekeeper's stand was removed and smashed to get at a few pounds, the honey was stolen and the inconvenience considerable (smashed glass and sticky honey to be cleared up). My seedlings money jar was stolen, along with the bags, plants and the table they were on, and as I say, this is a low crime area but some people are desperate (my garden Christmas Tree in a pot went last year too). Screwing a tin to the table may deter some but calling at the door is a little safer, if you are there.

Suffolk_lass

ArbitraryRandom said:

carinjo said:

@KajiKita i'm going to share advice @Suffolk_lass gave on here previously: guide the bindweed up a bamboo cane or similar and then spot treat it with your preferred weedkiller. (I hope i got it right!) I've got a small paintbrush and knot killer and started using that on the bindweed and marestail. Slow, painstaking work, but life is too short to dig out weeds if one works full time. Good luck! 

Re this advice - do you just use the packet instructions for dilution or make it stronger/weaker?

I've got some roundup powder that I ended up not using on the brambles, and I don't want to go whole hog on the garden again but the bindweed is everywhere! Wondering if I can use it. 

It's this stuff if it makes a difference: https://www.homebase.co.uk/roundup-tree-stump-rootkill-weedkiller-250ml/12809392.html

@ArbitraryRandom that is the stronger one. We use it on brambles, nettles and tree stumps. I would not personally use this on bindweed. I use a regular roundup and spray it on an old T-shirt square, so it is well soaked but not dripping, wearing rubber or nitrile gloves, and smear it on the stalks and leaves

Glittering_M

Suffolk_lass said:

If you are intending selling anything you have cooked (so sourdough, for example) you should register as a food business with your local authority. They have a person who will come out and check the hygiene of the environment where you are cooking and give you a hygiene rating. There is also a licensing process if you want to sell any bee-related products (such as cosmetics made with beeswax, or furniture polish with beeswax and turpentine) - for straight raw veg and honey you don't normally need to register but you must ensure the labels on your honey comply with the honey labelling regulations 2015. Your local beekeepers association will be able to point you at this and BBKA News and Beecraft both have regular articles on these, for new beekeepers.

The other thing to consider is the security of your produce and the money you take. We have a very low crime rate here but nevertheless, my fellow beekeeper's stand was removed and smashed to get at a few pounds, the honey was stolen and the inconvenience considerable (smashed glass and sticky honey to be cleared up). My seedlings money jar was stolen, along with the bags, plants and the table they were on, and as I say, this is a low crime area but some people are desperate (my garden Christmas Tree in a pot went last year too). Screwing a tin to the table may deter some but calling at the door is a little safer, if you are there.

Thanks. Do you know if the licensing relates to beeswax candles too? I'm guessing yes. 

That's such a shame to hear of you and those you know experiences. We would definitely want to consider CCTV or at least a realistic dummy one but you do have to weigh up the cost/benefit. For me, the process wouldn't be about making lots of money as that's unobtainable for most but the satisfaction of selling something I'd had a hand in making/producing and ideally covering some of the costs e.g. seed packets, frames. 

Suffolk_lass

Glittering_M said:

Suffolk_lass said:

If you are intending selling anything you have cooked (so sourdough, for example) you should register as a food business with your local authority. They have a person who will come out and check the hygiene of the environment where you are cooking and give you a hygiene rating. There is also a licensing process if you want to sell any bee-related products (such as cosmetics made with beeswax, or furniture polish with beeswax and turpentine) - for straight raw veg and honey you don't normally need to register but you must ensure the labels on your honey comply with the honey labelling regulations 2015. Your local beekeepers association will be able to point you at this and BBKA News and Beecraft both have regular articles on these, for new beekeepers.

The other thing to consider is the security of your produce and the money you take. We have a very low crime rate here but nevertheless, my fellow beekeeper's stand was removed and smashed to get at a few pounds, the honey was stolen and the inconvenience considerable (smashed glass and sticky honey to be cleared up). My seedlings money jar was stolen, along with the bags, plants and the table they were on, and as I say, this is a low crime area but some people are desperate (my garden Christmas Tree in a pot went last year too). Screwing a tin to the table may deter some but calling at the door is a little safer, if you are there.

Thanks. Do you know if the licensing relates to beeswax candles too? I'm guessing yes. 

That's such a shame to hear of you and those you know experiences. We would definitely want to consider CCTV or at least a realistic dummy one but you do have to weigh up the cost/benefit. For me, the process wouldn't be about making lots of money as that's unobtainable for most but the satisfaction of selling something I'd had a hand in making/producing and ideally covering some of the costs e.g. seed packets, frames. 

It does not relate to candles or blocks of wax (or furniture polish if you make it with olive oil - it's the Turps that is the controlled substance). Sadly, if I want to make shortbread, fudge or cake to sell with honey in, this does need me to register as a food business. I have done it once, and I should do it again - the woman locally is really helpful and I am sure she would be clear what I need licenses for. I looked as far as the things I was making I made some lip balm, (but used a cosmetic grade, super-pure, clean beeswax, that I bought) and the furniture polish (hence the insight re turps). I cannot be sure about other products of the hive

Yes, I'm in the same camp re a little fundraising but I guess they were desperate, rather than mean

Glittering_M

Ah thanks @Suffolk_lass , for me it is something more in a year or so down the line but useful to be thinking about it now.

carinjo

ArbitraryRandom said:

carinjo said:

@KajiKita i'm going to share advice @Suffolk_lass gave on here previously: guide the bindweed up a bamboo cane or similar and then spot treat it with your preferred weedkiller. (I hope i got it right!) I've got a small paintbrush and knot killer and started using that on the bindweed and marestail. Slow, painstaking work, but life is too short to dig out weeds if one works full time. Good luck! 

Re this advice - do you just use the packet instructions for dilution or make it stronger/weaker?

I've got some roundup powder that I ended up not using on the brambles, and I don't want to go whole hog on the garden again but the bindweed is everywhere! Wondering if I can use it. 

It's this stuff if it makes a difference: https://www.homebase.co.uk/roundup-tree-stump-rootkill-weedkiller-250ml/12809392.html

Sorry, i missed this post earlier. I've used the suggested dilution on one pathway, it didn't kill the nettle. I've brushed undiluted onto marestail on 2 beds, waiting to see the results. I'll be spraying a large area tomorrow and leaving it till back from holiday (in 2weeks). The area has marestail, bindweed and comfrey. I'll be using slightly stronger than suggested. Will give feedback once back from holiday. 
Up to this point i have only done the odd spray of weedol , but it got to the point where i was so discouraged, wanted to give up. So decided to try a more aggressive route this year. We'll see if it makes a difference.