SELLING THE BY-PRODUCT l6g 



lect the premium prices they commanded. Maybe 

 the race still goes on. If it does there is no point 

 in the home-farmer's competing in it. Today fresh 

 fruit and vegetables are market commonplaces the 

 year around. Early maturity is usually attained 

 only at some sacrifice of quality. And regardless 

 of season there is always a premium market for 

 top quality. We found that out. In the beginning 

 we sold all our stuff at the prices advertised by 

 Philadelphia's chain stores. It took me some time 

 (in commercial matters I am frequently obtuse) 

 to realize this was the wrong tack. Why sell stuff, 

 admittedly superior to anything that can be bought 

 in stores, at store prices? Eggs again furnish an 

 illuminating illustration. The week these lines are 

 written, the best grade offered by the local chain 

 stores is at thirty-eight cents a dozen. Simultane- 

 ously at the nearest egg auction, three miles up 

 the pike, farmers got forty-one and one-half cents 

 a dozen for the same size eggs. Obviously no 

 near-by farmer is selling the chain stores eggs they 

 can retail at thirty-eight cents when he himself 

 can get three and one-half cents more, wholesale. 

 Today I mark my eggs up on a scale of which the 

 auction price is the base. In this instance my price 

 for the same weight is forty-seven cents. 



I have often been tempted to start a roadside 

 stand. Even though they are almost without ex- 

 ception hideously ugly there is no reason why one 



