Recipient Organization
JIMFINA INTERNATIONAL INC
8142 OLD REIDSVILLE
REIDSVILLE,NC 27320
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Engaging in alternative enterprises is one of the options that small farms could use to enhance farm income. In addition to enhancing farm income, alternative enterprises help to diversify farm operations and reduce the risk associated with farm income. Another option to enhance farm income is to engage in value-added activities. This project proposes to grow red sorrel (sorrel) as an alternative enterprise and produce and market sorrel juice from its calyces as a value-added activity. The goal of this project is to explore the feasibility of producing and marketing sorrel juice as a value-added farm enterprise. The objectives of this project are to: i) assess the productivity of sorrel plant in order ascertain the yield in terms of calyces, and foliage per acre; ii) produce and test-market sorrel juice; iii) explore marketing outlets and undertake price discovery for sorrel juice; iv) explore markets for other products (other than the calyx) derived from the sorrel plant; and v) conduct field demonstrations for other area farmers who may be interested in producing sorrel plant and act as an information source for them.An acre of land will be used to grow sorrel plant. Half of the land will be devoted to the production of sorrel for its petals (calyces) and the other half will be devoted to the production of sorrel for its leaves and flowers. Some of the calyces will be harvested and used to produce sorrel juice at an FDA-approved food processing facility (Bobbees Bottling Company). Leftover calyces will be used to produce, and bag, sorrel tea. The sorrel juice and tea will be test-marketed at area retail grocery stores, especially those that sell ethnic food products. Sorrel leaves will also be marketed as a green leafy vegetable through the retail grocery stores. Local flower stores will be requested to include sorrel flower in floral arrangements. Demonstrations of the production of sorrel will be held for area farmers to showcase sorrel as a potential alternative farm enterprise.It is anticipated that sorrel juice will be accepted by consumers as a healthy and potential substitute for vegetable/fruit. Once the market for sorrel juice grows, farmers could produce sorrel as an alternative enterprise to enhance their income and diversify their operations. The production of sorrel juice from the plant and the bottling will increase rural economic activity and income.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
100%
Applied
0%
Developmental
0%
Goals / Objectives
The goal of this project is to explore the feasibility of producing and selling sorrel juice as a value-added farm enterprise. In order to accomplish this goal, Jimfina will engage in activities consistent with the following objectives:ascertain the yield of calyces and foliage per acre from the sorrel plant,produce and test-market sorrel juice,explore marketing outlets and undertake price discovery for sorrel juice,explore markets for other products (other than the calyx) derived from the sorrel plant,conduct field demonstrations for other area farmers who may be interested in producing sorrel plant and act as an information source for them.
Project Methods
Objective 1: ascertain the yield of calyces and foliage per acre from the sorrel plant. Pre-planting operations will commence in June 2016. Sorrel seeds will be planted on an acre of land starting in August 2016. Half of the plot will be used to produce calyces for the production of sorrel juice. The recommended practice (Green, 2014) of three plants per mound that is six inches tall and two feet in diameter will be followed. Mounds will be spaced about six feet apart in rows that are about eight feet apart.The remaining half acre of land will also be planted to sorrel plant for the purpose of harvesting the leaves and flowers. One plant will be planted per mound and spaced three feet apart. Post-planting operations (mulching and pest control) will be conducted as needed. Harvesting operations will involve harvesting the calyces, leaves and flowers from each half of the acre. Harvested calyces will be weighed to help determine the yield per acre. The leaves will also be weighed. The calyces will be deseeded. Cost information collected during the pre-planting, post-planting and harvesting operations will be used to develop an enterprise budget and ascertain the cost of producing a pound of deseeded calyx.Object 2: produce and test-market sorrel juice. The deseeded calyces will be used to produce 75 gallons of sorrel juice following Robertson (2003). The recommended practice is to use 8 cups of calyces to 12 cups of boiling water. The resulting sorrel juice will be sweetened and bottled in 12 ounce bottles. Juice production, bottling and labeling services will be provided by Bobbees Bottling Company. The company is approved to process food for sale to the public by the Food and Drug Administration. The bottled juices will be refrigerated to guard against spoilage. The cost of producing the juice will be added to the cost of producing sorrel plant to determine the average cost of each 12 ounce bottle of sorrel juice.Objective 3: explore marketing outlets and undertake price discovery activities for sorrel juice. Free samples of sorrel juice will be distributed to patrons at selected grocery stores. We will start with stores that sell ethnic foods such as the International Market and other Afro-Caribbean stores in Greensboro, North Carolina. Free taste samples will also be distributed at farmers markets in Guilford County and at public events such as state agricultural fairs. Interested consumers will be invited to buy each 12 ounce bottle at cost. Informal records will be collected on the general characteristics (gender and ethnicity) of the consumers who express an interest in the juice. Managers of grocery stores will be approached and requested to help sell the produced sorrel juice. The request will be supported with data collected from the taste tests. Some locally-owned independent restaurants will also be requested to add sorrel juice to their menu. Sorrel juice will be offered for sale to retail grocery stores and local restaurants at a price that will reflect the average cost of production plus a profit margin. The starting profit margin will be 20 percent of the cost of production. The profit margin will be adjusted up or down depending on the strength of demand. We expect that a 20 percent margin will still reflect aggressive pricing of the product. Our preliminary scan of local stores indicates that similar vegetable/fruit juices, such as the Naked and Bolthouse Farms brands, sell for $2 to $3 per 15.2 ounce bottle. The different prices at which retail grocery stores are willing to buy sorrel juice will be used to determine the breakeven quantity (number of 12-ounce bottles). The breakeven quantity will be estimated as the fixed cost divided by the contribution margin (price minus variable cost). This information will be used to assess cost reduction strategies that will lead to a more competitively priced and profitable sorrel juice operation.Objective 4: explore markets for other products (other than the calyx) derived from the sorrel plant. Flowers cut from the sorrel plants will be delivered to flower shops to assess the level of interest in including them in floral arrangements. Leaves will also be harvested for sale as green vegetables and will be offered for sale to local ethnic stores, with substantial immigrant patrons, to assess their level of interest in selling it as a green leafy vegetable. Some of the leftover calyx will be dried and bagged as tea and the level of interest in selling the tea by ethnic stores will also be assessed.Objective v: conduct field demonstrations for area farmers who may be interested in producing sorrel and act as an information source for them. During the project period, the plot with the sorrel plants will be used as a demonstration site for area farmers. Pictures of the different operations and stages of plant growth will be recorded and used to produce a PowerPoint document for sharing with other farmers. The demonstrations will be coordinated with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. A minimum of two presentations and one field demonstration is planned during the project period. This activity will provide an opportunity for farmers, especially small farmers to produce sorrel as an alternative crop and thereby enhance their income and diversify their operations.