From page 13
Taking spinach as an example, a minimum of 100kg of clean, green destalked leaves a week is required from any one grower, and van den Berg would be delighted if a group of growers in any particular smallholding area could come together as a small cooperative to produce, collectively, very much more than that, making one pick-up trip per week more costeffective. The operation is of reasonable size. In addition to the other vegetable lines, he is currently supplying between 700 and 800 units of pumpkin and butternut a week alone, with capacity for more. In return for the produce Freestyle Farmers Market will supply the requisite packaging material, and will undertake to collect weekly. Payment is cash on collection, currently
BUSINESS
( for spinach) at a rate of R5 / kg. In this way, a grower able to produce a ton of spinach a week can enjoy and income of R20 000 monthly for his efforts, for example. To participate in the scheme, you need to communicate to Freestyle Farmers Market what volume of produce you expect to have available, when it will be ready for harvesting, and for how long you estimate your harvest season will last. This in turn enables van den to coordinate the produce from other growers so that his customers can plan their menus, budgets etc. To become a supplier to the Freestyle Farmers ' Market system, call 078 432-0393.
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