2006 prices for Maple Cream and Candy??

[Sugarmaker]

Wondering about candy and cream prices for 2006? Any suggestions? I figured this is the place that should know! I know these $ vary and some folks may not want to share this info.
Candy 1/4 lb. $?
Candy 1/2 lb. $?
Cream 1/2 lb $?
Cream 1 lb $?

Thanks,
Chris

[mountainvan]

Chris, I sell my candy/ molded sugar( I call it that cause then it's supposedly nontaxable) for 50 cents a one ounce piece, which is $8/lb. I know this is low in my area, but I have lots of small kids who save $1 every week for some sugar at the farmers market and then mom/dad gets some syrup or cream. It's still about $80 for a gallon of syrup so it's worth my time. Cream I sell for $8 a 1/2 lb, that's high for area, but to me cream is a lot trickier to make well. I don't do 1 lb containers any more cause they did'nt move compared to the 1/2 lb. So I get about $150/ gallon turned into cream. You might want to ask some of your loyal customers what they think. Most of my customers are honest when I ask them about my prices, most say I should charge more. Plus how many corporations actually take the time to talk to the customer, I've never been ask in walmart about their prices, I think it helps your customer become part of your farm and from my experience they love it. hope this helps.

[brookledge]

Chris
I sell candy at $1.00 per oz. boxed and wrapped. I have a wrapping machine that seals the box. .50-.75 per oz. if it is just in celophane.
Cream I get 5.00 for 1/2 lb and 9.00 for a lb.
Keith

[Sugarmaker]

Van and Keith,
Thanks for the prices on the molded pcs and the cream.
Van,
I like the idea of getting input from the customers.
Chris

[mountainvan]

your welcome. van

[mountainvan]

By the way, I fill up a glass cookie jar with maple sugars and put them in ziplock bags for the customers, kids like picking out the "special" one or two. jar holds 100 and in a good day I'll refill it once. on a great day,4th of july etc refill three times. when I was inspected by ny ag+markets at the market they were most interested in my sugar and how I took it out of the jar. just when they ask a kid asked for four, so I put a sandwich bag over my hand and took the sugars out, the sugars never touching me just the bag. got a nice pass check next to my name.

[Sugarmaker]

Van,
Nice idea! Thanks, During the local fairs we use the cookie jar idea and a lot of kids buy the small leaves for .25 each. I like the bag idea. Do you then turn the bag inside out over the candy and give it to the customer?

Chris

[mountainvan]

chris, no I put the sugar in a small ziplock bag and seal it for them. I used sandwich bags for two weeks, cheaper, but a kid took the bag and the sugar fell out and of course I had to give him more cause I felt bad for the little guy. that does'nt happen with ziplck, or price chopper which is cheaper. I especially love it when the kid takes the one piece of sugar out of the bag, starts eating it, gets 20ft from my stand, then runs back full bore to give me back the bag. I always have some "broken" pieces to give in exchange.