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« on: January 09, 2025, 06:59:20 AM »
BTW, what is the avg. annual rainfall at your farm? Elevation? Does planifolia yield well under those conditions? Just learned from an orchid grower today that pompona is more shade-tolerant than planifolia.
Average rainfall is variable from very low of 85” to a high of more than 200”. It probably averages at about 120”. We are just above sea level.
It took us about 8 years to become a profitable farm. I have a construction background and I did some contracting, electric, pump installations, stuff like that.
You really need to have a good idea of the market to be successful. Not everything will work. Between the challenges of production and the issues of selling a lot can go wrong. What has worked the best for me really are the fruit trees like mangosteen and durian. Many things have come together but I’ve been at this since 1987. The last twelve years or so we’ve been making chocolate bars and this has worked out for us.
But vanilla has potential for us since we have a farmers market. Juice and kombucha producers buy vanilla as well in small quantities. I’m able to get $4 a bean. I’m over diversified but that’s more fun. I’m 74 and this is all my passion. I’ll never retire! Also, huge plus, my son is really into all this stuff so the project is multigenerational.