Turning this hobby into a small business?

[LavendarSunset]

Yay for you!! Good luck with your sales!!

[Franco24]

Thank you, thank you. I have ten boxes (14 plants) to ship this coming Monday. I need to catch a day to sit outside and start dividing some of my larger catts but it is just so darn hot here in jersey now. 99 degrees today, and triple digits tomorrow.

[Wynn Dee13]

Hey what is your eBay user name? I would like to look at your listings. Congrats on becoming licensed!

[Franco24]

I'm 'francorchids' on eBay. I don't have anything really spectacular on there yet. Just a couple of catts, dends and bulbos . I was experimenting to learn how I list and such on eBay. I have some nice species and a couple of rarer things to list sometime next week. One of which is a blooming sized (possibly in spike) Polyrrhiza sallei and a couple of draculas.

I'm thinking about offering a small discount to any orchid board member that makes a purchase... Because without you guys, I wouldn't be where I am today.

[Leafmite]

I agree with being careful about having everything inspected. Too bad we don't have more inpectors. The citrus crop is now facing a new disease, Greening, that is proving expensive to control. Viruses are affecting our crops (a real problem here in Ohio, I guess). Our chestnut is fighting the chestnut blight, we lost a pear to fire blight. A clear winged moth lays eggs on our stone fruit trees and if the tree isn't sprayed every week during hatching, they bore into the tree and kill it. The ash borer is being introduced to new areas by people transporting firewood. Japanese beetles are a real pain if you grow grapes, plums and roses (we will be seeing them soon). The only way to stop the spread of disease and protect our lumber and food supply is by respecting laws and having all plant material inspected. If those imported Chestnut trees had been inspected before being planted in New York a few decades ago, we'd still be using long-lasting beautiful chestnut wood for everything, even orchid mounts.

[Leafmite]

Good luck, Franco, with your new business!

[Franco24]

Very insightful, leafmite. I agree with you. I was surprised at how detailed my inspection was, and now highly doubt that most hobbyist growers who sell online are inspected and licensed. Not only is it illegal it has the potential to harm our environment. The proof is right there in your post above.

I've decided that my major in college (go for my orientation and to schedule classes in a week) is going to be horticulture/botany with a double minor in marine biology, my other passion, and conservation.

This hobby has become an addiction and now a small business ... I think I'm ready to also make it a profession.

[Franco24]

Well ... I've got 23 plants (12 packages) to wrap up tonight to ship first thing tomorrow morning.

I didn't expect things to sell this easily. Everything I've listed has sold. -knock on wood-

But now that I've got some spare cash in paypal I think the first thing in order is to start supporting Orchid Board. I want to thank you guys once again, and if anyone here makes a purchase from me, please send me a message here on the OB with your eBay username. I'd like to know who's who and thataway I could include a few extra "goodies" whenever possible.

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by Ray

I think you had better check with the CA authorities.

Japanese beetles do not require soil, they just need a plant to munch on. Unless your guy can issue to a Japanese Beetle permit, you are not likely to get your plants into the state.

Here is a link to a proposed CA change in their law, with current wording struck out so you can still read it.

Hi Ray,

This link is of great interest to me since I live in CA and buy a lot of plants from out of state. I looked at the source for that PDF
CDFA - Plant Health Services
But haven't yet been able to find the path to the link you gave. I want to know, for one thing, when this reg is likely to take effect. Are there any trade associations that track this sort of thing?

Thanks

P.S.
I was happy to see that Florida is not listed but concerned to see that North and South Carolina and Texas are. There are vendors I like to buy plants from in all of these states.

[orchidsarefun]

Originally Posted by Franco24

Well ... I've got 23 plants (12 packages) to wrap up tonight to ship first thing tomorrow morning.

I didn't expect things to sell this easily. Everything I've listed has sold. -knock on wood-

But now that I've got some spare cash in paypal I think the first thing in order is to start supporting Orchid Board. I want to thank you guys once again, and if anyone here makes a purchase from me, please send me a message here on the OB with your eBay username. I'd like to know who's who and thataway I could include a few extra "goodies" whenever possible.

does your licence cover bare-root and in-pot out-of-state exports