With Halloween just around the corner during this wonderful month of October, we’ve been getting really excited about the changing trees, the cool, fall air, and all things pumpkin-related. This is the time of year where pumpkin sales peak as many people are set on carving the perfect Jack-O-Lantern, brewing a nice stout beer with pumpkin, or making a tried-and-true pumpkin pie. In fact, according to the USDA, overall production of pumpkins in the United States rose 31 percent from 2000 to 2014 – from 1.46 billion pounds to a whopping 1.91 billion pounds. Reflecting the rising demand for pumpkin use as an ornament and a delicious festive food, it’s clear that America really loves pumpkins.
Start And Grow Your Business With CFG
Well, at The Commercial Finance Group, we really like growing small businesses. We provide asset-based loans that leverage your cash flow and accounts receivable and help companies get the business capital they need to manage their day-to-day operations, finance expansions, and so forth. Why not combine the best of these worlds and start a pumpkin farm? It’s a dedicated endeavor, but there certainly seems to be a demand for these iconic orange balls.
We’re going to cover what it’s like to start your very own pumpkin farm in the context of starting out a small business. Farms can be small-scale, or at least, start that way. Some of the most successful businesses in history had very modest beginnings, to say the least. Take advantage of our account receivable factoring and invoices factoring services to start the company of your dreams by getting in touch with The Commercial Finance Group today!
Overview
Pumpkin farms, typically referred to as ‘pumpkin patches,’ is a place to grow and harvest pumpkins. Pumpkins are almost always priced by their weight. You’ll see that many pumpkin farms and patches also sell other seasonal products including things like corn, apples, candy, and even Halloween decorations. Some patches go as far being total tourist attractions, offering corn mazes, hayrides, fun games, and other forms of entertainment.
Making Sure You’re A Good Fit
If you have a farming or agriculture background, you were raised in a ‘green thumb’ type of family, or you simply have a passion for Halloween and the exciting fall festivities that accompany this holiday, you could definitely be a good fit to start your own pumpkin farm. Indeed, if you enjoy planting crops, growing them and eventually selling them, a pumpkin patch would be a very rewarding business for you to own.
The ideal pumpkin farm owner should be people-oriented and have some extent of bargaining skills. Naturally, a successful pumpkin patch owner also has a love for Jack-O-Lanterns and everything else that’s related to Halloween (knowing the history behind these things is always a plus, too). If you’re concerned that you don’t have any experience growing or maintaining pumpkins, don’t worry too much, as you can learn pretty quickly.
An Average Day At The Farm
As any passionate business owner, pumpkin farm owners have several day-to-day responsibilities, starting with planting many pumpkin seeds. This requires the ability to determine what the most sunny, fertile areas are to plant seeds. Farm owners also need to be able to take care of things like drainage and watering, as well as tending to soil and removing weeds as necessary on the plot of land.
To successfully grow healthy, lush pumpkins, the patch should be fertilized, and any potential for disease absolutely must be warded off at all cost. Invaders like beetles, aphids and other insects needed to be protected against. On a year-round basis, a pumpkin patch owner needs to focus on keeping their grounds safe. Autumn is, of course, the prized time of year where farm owners then sell their pumpkins to people. This requires hiring employees to help out with sales, as well as getting marketing efforts in order to reach out to the community and spread the word around.
Identify Your Target Market
As we said, a pumpkin farm’s best customers are seasonal. That means that you’ll want to focus on Halloween pumpkin shoppers and even locals who you know will make food with your recently harvested pumpkins. While the majority of your potential pumpkin buyers are just about the same, you’ll also want to make sure that your customers are careful around your farm’s pumpkins. Yes, pumpkins are actually pretty durable, but customers can accidentally ruin them – children and animals (pets) require extra attention.
Ensuring That You’re A Profitable Business
Not to completely state the obvious, but pumpkin farms primarily make their money by selling their pumpkins. Pumpkin sales are usually quantified by size or weight. Other ways for you pumpkin patch to make money include features like hayrides and corn mazes for fun and entertainment. Other vegetables like corn and squash also make great crops to sell along with your pumpkins, and the best part is that they can even be grown in the same plot as your pumpkins. Efficiency and diligence are key when it comes to farming.
It’s important to note that most pumpkin patches are pretty similar in nature, so offering unique products can really help your business stand out (and also ensure repeat business for the following season).
Stay Tuned For More Pumpkin-Related Small Business Insight
We’re going to wrap it up here, but we’ll be back shortly with more information on starting your own pumpkin patch business. All things considered, bear in mind that starting your own small business, even a farm, takes enormous amounts of time and energy. While we can help you with the financing part of your business, be prepared to take on the fun and exciting challenge that comes with being a respected small business owner.
Remember that The Commercial Finance Group is your go-to small business lending company with decades of experience helping companies grow and thrive (just like pumpkins!). Learn more about invoice factoring and asset-based loans, and check out what we consider to be our unique approach to lending by visiting here.
