ROADSIDE MARKETING 

 IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 



By M. Gale Eastman 



The selling of farm products from the field or dooryard is not a new 

 undertaking. At least one roadside market selling mostly farm pro- 

 ducts has been operated in New Hampshire since 1850; and even since 

 the present owner began selling gas and oil, the greatest change in 

 business has resulted from the opportunity to sell increasing amounts 

 of farm products to a larger group more widely scattered. The bulk 

 of the State's roadside stand develoi)mcnt, however, has been rather 

 recent as indicated in Figure 1. Some 78 percent of the 103 places 

 for which such data were obtained had been started in the previous 

 six 5'ears. 



Many New Hampshire farms have handicaps such as hilly topo- 

 graphy, rocky and shallow soils, a short growing season, and the re- 

 sulting curtailment in variety of farm products. Any enterprise that 

 adds another, or a better, source of income is welcome, and may for 

 some families be the determining factor in balancing the advantages 

 between countrv and city life. It was largely with the idea of gaining 



In fiome cases at least, children become of economic value in tending a road- 

 side market. It is good training, too, if properly initiated and not overdone. 

 The ones surveyed showed no signs of being abused. 



