GardenBee

Hi everyone:
Excuse since this is not a banana question, but i hope I can get good feedback! (By the way should I be posting this in the general tread???)

I lost my job last January. Got laid off. Since I am almost in my senior years, I do not want to go to a regular office job. NO MORE BOSSES thank you! I was wondering about "Work at Home" jobs but am skeptical and afraid about them. Anyone has any experience or information on "Work at Home" jobs???

Thanks immensely for your input.

By the way my plants have grown well (all). I am getting a lot of lettuce and carrots at this point. The old Banana plants outdoors did not fare well nor have they sprouted pups. I have placed the few I had in pots into the ground. I had sent you all photographs last time. If you would like to see my garden, I have three photos and another of my squirrel called Suzy Q!. (Not sure where I am going to place them. Please search under my profile). You wouldn't believe it, Suzy Q gave me the "be strong" sign (the morning of my surgery) by placing her right paw against her chest. I AM NOT KIDDING!

Hammocked Banana

I am sorry about the layoff. I have been going through a similar situation, I worked for an analytical company and I analysed mining and soil samples. After new reports said the mining industry wasn't going to bounce back as they expected, they laid off around 50% of the 500 employees, starting with all the senior people and shift leaders. This happened right around Nov. 1 2013. My situation is a little different because I am only in my late 20's so I knew I had to find a new career, although it has not been easy. I've been working a lot of terrible temp jobs with ruthless hours that have been killing me, but things sometimes have a way of working themselves out. I just got my dream job just the other day and start on may 26th. I will be a hydroponic grower for a huge new company, so things are looking up for me, any job growing plants can only be the greatest job ever.

So basically don't get down about the layoff, things will work out for you too. While I was job searching I entertained the idea of starting my own aquaponics farm business. This gives me a great idea for you. Have you ever thought about your own little home farm? With just a small hoop house, you could grow enough food to sell at a farmers market and make some cash. Based on your posts, you love growing just like me, so this could work out to be a great job for you. It is also a job you could do well into you senior years, as something to keep you busy. What do you think?

GardenBee

Hey! THANKS IMMENSELY FOR THE COMFORTING WORDS and not to say the least, THE GREAT IDEA YOU HAVE GIVEN ME !!! Yes, that is me, I am crazy about gardening.

Before I go further let me say I am so happy for you! That you have your dream job. I wish you success since you deserve the Best for your kindness.

I had plans of doing my own website site, instead of doing the work at home type. And... I am a good cook (at least that was what I have been told) and I cook a lot. My mom expired recently and left me some of her recipe (Portuguese and Indian) cuisine books. I am too old to start a restaurant, so I am planning on writing a recipe book.

So these days I am full of plans, since I have a lot of time. Think I will go with the gardening and the fresh market idea (as suggested by you) and the recipe book!
Keep in touch and all the best again. I would like to know how you progress with your work and research.

Good luck.

Hammocked Banana

I'm sorry to hear about your mother. I like the idea of the recipe books, especially with your knowledge of ethnic recipes. I feel like this market is really growing as people try all these new types of foods and flavours available. I am one of these people, having grown up on basically meat and potatoes, now growing many weird, rare or generally unavailable fruits and veggies. A good potential plan for you is growing some ethnic fruits/veggies and maybe doing a CSA (community supported agriculture) and including a new recipe in the box each week. If you are not familiar with CSAs, you should look into them. From my research it seemed to make the most sense to do this business wise, because you have a steady income, you know before hand how much you are going to make, and they are usually prepaid so you have money to invest in the season.

Kat2

Where do you live? If in the US, check out if there are cottage industry opportunities in your state; almost all have finally jumped on the "homemade goodie" bandwagon. How much you can gross without a commercial kitchen will vary but you can basically bake breads and make jams and jellies where you live. If you have a great recipe that takes off, you can see about leasing a kitchen. (Here in FL if you go over $5K annually you are no longer a hobbyist.)

Since you love gardening can you sell plants where you live? You may need a license. Some states are picky but FL has fairly lax rules and cheap fees as long as you aren't propagating citrus. Selling spare veggies or fruit? They want to know but registering is free or was when I last checked.

You can fly under the radar or not--your choice.

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merce3

also, look to see if you have any local co-ops. the one in my area will come out, pick your fruit, sell it and send you the profits. a fellow co-op member had a starfruit tree that she didn't care for, but it produced hundreds of fruit. they sold them for $2 each and she reaped a nice little profit. that and she didn't have to clean up the litter. just an idea, but whatever you decide, i wish you the best of luck.

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GardenBee

Dear HB, Kay and Merce:

First let me apologize for not responding immediately. I spent yesterday afternoon making a hundred sandwich bites (mixed) for a church function. Thus the delay. I brought 1/3 home because it turned out there were too many volunteers.

You guys are so wonderful. I think my thread is more popular that the "What did you grown in your garden" thing! (Just kidding)

Thank you all for your ideas. I will do some research on all of them, this coming week. I like the one that Merce talks about, me growing and the local co-ops pick up the fruit giving me part of the profits. At this point, I have to work on my fruit trees a little more to get more fruit! But all these are great ideas and I am working on them. Plus the recipe book as well. I am a little tied up for the summer, some events and family projects coming up. But with all the encouragement I cannot but feel excited about starting something as soon as possible!

Will keep you stout-hearted knights posted...
Cheers.

GardenBee

By the way, I live in Yorktown, Va. We do plenty of farmer's markets here. I will check on the cottage industry opportunities as well.

Kat2

Here's a publication from 1999 regarding catering from your home. (Seems like they're telling you how to run a business!) http://www.bringinghomethebaking.com...s-Virginia.pdf This one includes a link to the actual updated law about what you can and cannot sell. Virginia - Cottage Food Law 4 minutes searching and I got those. I would hope you could find other more clear explanations--perhaps from the licensing authority.

Have fun and good luck!

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