Organic Marketing

Abbreviations used below are: N=non-technical text or presentation, T=technical text or presentation, G=guide, explains "how-to" in the text or presentation, R=reference, charts, easy to look up information, O=describes organic practices, C=describes conventional/non-organic practices, +=a free publication that is highly recommended, *=our choice for the best publication to buy if you can only get one title in this section. While an item might refer to non-organic practices for fertility or pest management, the other information provided is applicable to organic production, and that is why the item is included.

*Eric L. Gibson. 1993. Sell what you sow, the growers guide to successful produce marketing. New World Pub., ISBN 0-9632814-0-2 (soft cover, 298 pp., US$22.50). In this book, the author describes various methods for marketing produce, including direct sales, sales to retail outlets, and wholesaling. There is also an appendix on handling and storage of produce, and methods of displaying produce. [N G]

Andrew W. Lee. 1993. Backyard market gardening, the entrepreneur's guide to selling what you grow. Good Earth Pubs., ISBN 0-9624648-0-5 (soft cover, 351 pp., US$19.95). Written by a market gardener, this book gives practical ideas on how/where to market, with examples of successful operations throughout the country. [N G]

Robert J. Matarazzo. 1998. Marketing for success, creative marketing tools for the agricultural industry. Doe Hollow Pub., ISBN 0965338509 (soft cover, 192 pp., US$16.95). A life-long fruit and vegetable grower describes tools, techniques, and resources for marketing.

Bob and Bonnie Gregson. 1996. Rebirth of the small family farm, a handbook for starting a successful organic farm based on the community supported agriculture concept. Island Meadow Farm, ISBN 0-9652233-0-2 (soft cover, 64 pp., US$9.95, order from IMF Associates, P.O. Box 2542, Vashon Island, WA 98070). This is a brief presentation of equipment, crop selection, cultural practices, and marketing needed in a CSA. [N G]

Vernon P. Grubinger. 1999. Sustainable vegetable production from startup to market. Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (formerly Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service), NRAES-104, ISBN 0-935817-45-X (soft cover, 265 pp., to order call 607-255-7654, or order on-line at http://www.nraes.org/nraesform.html). This book is written for the market grower, and presents information from the perspective of a grower's constraints. There is extensive information on marketing, and explains how to get started in business and how to market your produce. It also includes a series of grower profiles, which describe successful operations in the northeast. In addition, there is production systems information, such as soil fertility, cover crops, crop rotation, integrated pest management, and equipment. It does not provide crop-specific growing instructions. [N G O C]