Road side stall sales?

[Shiftman]

Hello All,

I am curious about other sugarmakers experiences with honor system roadside sales. Our house is on a busy regional road and I am thinking of setting one up. If you have done so, at what frequency did you sell product? Are you on a busy road? And theft issues? Looking for any advice on the matter.

Thanks!

[n8hutch]

I have a honor system roadside booth I guess you'd call it, it's not very big , holds a half gallons 2-3 quarts, 3 pints and 3 half pints, I have never lost a cent due to theft, I have been Over paid a few times. I did write a little hand written sign that says "smile your on camera "

I have no signs advertising in advance of the booth, just a sign at the booth. I feel like mostly locals use it, you can see it from the house, it's less than 100 feet away.

I have sold everything in the booth on busy weekends. Probably do about 2k a year with it. Sometimes I think it might do better if I had a sign up the street a couple hundred feet but I'm also afraid it might attract the less desirables.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

I know of one sugarmaker who does it but from his porch and has never lost one so he claims. I think being near a home and a sign like what Nate has with a camera mounted (even if not plugged in and working) would be the only way I would do it. No harm in trying, just don't put too much in at once and check frequently.

[maple flats]

While I sell my u-pick blueberries on the honor system, I have not dared to leave syrup out for the honor system. But, I would not be allowed to in my city (Yes, I pay the taxes but the city regulates far too many things). My other possible locations would not be near any residence.
On my honor system blueberries I have had theft issues but I don't think it is pickers who did it, I think it's no good thieves looking for free cash. In the early years I had an ammo can bolted down to a large wooden wire reel with a slot near the top to put cash in. Eventually that was broken into and emptied. Next I bolted a larger/heavier ammo can with a pad lock on each end of the lid, that was defeated in 2-3 seasons. Then I did similar but put the pad locks in a welded on ring so they could not cut the locks, that time they stole the whole reel with the ammo can cash box attached. Then I finally got serious, I drilled a hole, 8" in diameter and 4' deep, I then enlarged the diameter at the bottom. Then I set a sono tube in the hole, left it up about 28" above grade, put 2 5/8" threaded rod in each for rebar and left the rod out about a 1.5"-2.0" out the top and filled it with concrete. Then I got busy with a welder. I started with a 3/8" walled x 10 diameter pipe x 20" long. On the bottom I welded an old disc blade (18" diameter). I cut a cash slot near the other end, then using a torch I cut a 2.75" wide piece at one edge and using the torch I bent it to form a locking shape. Then I welded a short length of 3" channel near the top of the assemble so the bent section could be slid into it and then face out so that edge of the "top could not be opened. On the other edge I welded a heavy duty hasp and then I use the heaviest duty Master lock commonly seen in hardware stores. I made 2 of these, since my fields have 2 entrances. I figured I anyone tried to pull it out, I'd find their bumper next to the concrete post. In about 10-12 years now, no one has tried to steal it and I've seen no evidence of attempts to break in. Now I get all of the cash put in by honest customers. My feeling all along was that those going out to pick were paying, the lazy ones are the thieves.

[S.S.S]

We have a honor system stand and our house on a state hwy. We sell syrup products, eggs and in summer sell vegetables and never had a theft issue ever. It works great.

[johnpma]

I live on "heroin highway" which is where the drugs are smuggled up back roads from Mass to VT. We have three local honor stands all of which have been hit but they usually unbolt the cash box or smash the cash box with a small sledge. One of them is a grass fed beef farm honor system. They got hit the worst. Not sure I would put a ton of syrup out right away......maybe a few to try and see