Ramblings of a frustrated woman

[KeeperAtTheHomestead]

I thought about selling seeds that I saved from my garden for a small profit next year but after research I've discovered that it's not worth it. In order to do so I would have to buy a license that would cost me $350 annually .No way would I make that back, let alone make a profit double that. So, that went out the window...ugh! My other idea was to sell cut flowers and seedlings (including canes/vines from strawberry and blackberry bushes) but that would require a license for $110 annually. That expense only covers selling from my home. If I decided to try my hand at a flea market, craft fair, or farmers market I would have to purchase an event permit for $50 per day of being there. So, a 3 day weekend would cost $150!!! I'm so mad right now! Seriously, our founding fathers founded this country on freedom and liberty, not regulations! Regulations kill the little guys. Regulations kill healthy competition. Regulations hurt the economy in that it creates breeding grounds for only one or a few big dudes that can afford to keep up with the government expenses. Ugh But, we're free, right? Bunch of tyrants! And, honestly, the argument that regulations exist to protect us just adds salt to a wound. It's an insult to our intelligence. As if we aren't capable of making a decision as to what is or isn't good for us.

 

[sumi]

Holy cow, that is insane!

 

[Britesea]

It keeps getting worse all the time. Our country was built by small business and cottage industry, but as those earlier businesses got bigger, they wanted to close the door on any up-and-coming new businesses that might hurt their profits. So they either buy them out (either friendly or hostile takeovers) or they lobby like heck to get regulations put in place that make it virtually impossible to start up a new business.

See's candies started in her kitchen. Do you think she had a "clean environment" and three sinks in her kitchen? That's what it takes now.

Everyone talks about how Apple Computers started in Steve Jobs' garage... but guess what? That was a brand new venture-- there was no such thing as a small computer suitable for home use. At the time, IBM was making strictly big expensive computers for businesses. They found out what Jobs was doing, and started working on a small home model also (we know one of the guys that worked on the PC, and he said he had to practically pledge his soul to the devil that he would not leak the information).

I used to design and make jewelry, and I remember wanting to give a donation of some of my jewelry for a raffle our all-volunteer symphony orchestra was running. I discovered that I was only allowed to write off the cost of the materials-- not my labor. Since the bulk of the cost of my jewelry was in my labor, that meant that I could give a donation, but could only write off pennies on the dollar. I find that ridiculous. IBM can donate their computers and write them off at full retail value including the labor to build them to a school, but I'm only allowed to write off the materials on my jewelry???

 

[tortoise]

Wow, your fees are high. I can't break even on egg sales here. The state amount for the permit is reasonable, about $30, but the county tacks on a few hundred. :facepalm: But I can butcher and sell up to 1,000 chickens per year without a permit. Thankfully the nearest farmer's market to me has very low fees, I think it's $10/day. But still not worth it for me. I do better on FB marketplace and dropping off in town when I run errands. I forget the limit for nursery business without a license - I think it's only $500 of sales permitted without a state license. But I can sell high-acid home canned goods.... but not home-baked goods. I can sell produce from my garden, but I can't cut, dry, freeze it.

Some of it makes sense. The food safety stuff. Illness from eggs from small producers is on the rise. The fees cover the cost of inspection. The nursery license I can understand - the purpose is to protect from the spread of invasive plant and insect species and plant diseases that would be an economic nightmare.


I'm also amazed by how many people don't follow the rules and don't get caught. I don't buy food from cottage industry, I just don't trust people that much. If they're willing to skirt the licensing or tax law, how can I expect they followed basic food safety rules too?

 

[Hinotori]

Selling butchered birds here is prohibitive on fees and regulations. I can sell eggs at my house without any need of a license, though. Still can't make that worth it for sales. Cost of feed is just too high for what so many want to pay. They think home raised eggs should cost a buck a dozen like the cheap white store eggs.

 

[sumi]

I haven't looked into the regulations for selling butchered birds here, but selling eggs is pretty easy. You need to have someone inspect your coops, etc, if you're selling to restaurants, etc, but I think if you sell directly to consumers, for example neighbours or fiends, you don't need to do much at all. It's been awhile since I looked it up though, so speaking from memory now and it's been awhile!

When you want to sell homemade foods you need to have your kitchen inspected and approved and they are hardcore about food allergies information and health and safety here. Which is not a bad thing!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Wow. I love my state. A nursery license is $25. I can sell eggs with no license (for a farm with fewer than 3,000 birds), raw milk, kefir and yogurt if it doesn't exceed 20 gallons day with no license, up to1,000 whole butchered meat birds, and any premade goods they deem safe. Seems that means jams, jellies, most baked goods... until you make $20,000/year, then you need a homestead license. I'll never make that much!

 

[canesisters]

Wow..
Around here you can show up and any local swap meet and sell anything from live animals to soaps & lotions to plants to home raised meat (butchered at a USDA facility) for no more than whatever fee (if any) that the swap organizers wants to charge. $10 for a 'booth' - which is the space of your vehicle/trailer/tables - is common at the bigger meets.. most don't charge anything and are just happy to have more vendors.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

that's cool!

 

[Beekissed]

I thought about selling seeds that I saved from my garden for a small profit next year but after research I've discovered that it's not worth it. In order to do so I would have to buy a license that would cost me $350 annually .No way would I make that back, let alone make a profit double that. So, that went out the window...ugh! My other idea was to sell cut flowers and seedlings (including canes/vines from strawberry and blackberry bushes) but that would require a license for $110 annually. That expense only covers selling from my home. If I decided to try my hand at a flea market, craft fair, or farmers market I would have to purchase an event permit for $50 per day of being there. So, a 3 day weekend would cost $150!!! I'm so mad right now! Seriously, our founding fathers founded this country on freedom and liberty, not regulations! Regulations kill the little guys. Regulations kill healthy competition. Regulations hurt the economy in that it creates breeding grounds for only one or a few big dudes that can afford to keep up with the government expenses. Ugh But, we're free, right? Bunch of tyrants! And, honestly, the argument that regulations exist to protect us just adds salt to a wound. It's an insult to our intelligence. As if we aren't capable of making a decision as to what is or isn't good for us.

Where in the world do you live???? Never heard of needing a permit to sell cut flowers!!! Time to homestead somewhere else, as you'll never be able to get out from high costs like that if you plan to sell anything of any kind at your place. That's the pits.