Murray State University
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Freshmen
Major
Agronomy
2nd Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Sophomore
2nd Student Major
Agricultural Education
KY House District #
23
KY Senate District #
2nd
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Alyx Shultz
Department
Agriculture Science
Abstract
As consumers become more health conscious and concerned with food production practices, increased market demand had developed for edible plants with ornamental properties. This action research examined the economic feasibility, production realities, and consumer acceptance of offering garden and alpine strawberries at fall mum sales. Each year $173 million in mums are sold in the United States. By offering potted strawberries for sale alongside mums, Kentucky producers may be able to mitigate their risk as well as generate additional on-farm revenue from a proven consumer base and market. Researchers grew 100 garden strawberries and 100 alpine strawberries and offered the potted plants for sale alongside mums in the annual fall mum sale. The potted strawberries proved to be more recession-proof than mums, and were generally well accepted by consumers. Future work is planned to collect detailed consumer feedback on ornamental and edible ornamental plant preferences purchases.
Included in
Economic Feasibility and Consumer Acceptance of Strawberry Plants as an Additional Offering in Fall Mum Sales
As consumers become more health conscious and concerned with food production practices, increased market demand had developed for edible plants with ornamental properties. This action research examined the economic feasibility, production realities, and consumer acceptance of offering garden and alpine strawberries at fall mum sales. Each year $173 million in mums are sold in the United States. By offering potted strawberries for sale alongside mums, Kentucky producers may be able to mitigate their risk as well as generate additional on-farm revenue from a proven consumer base and market. Researchers grew 100 garden strawberries and 100 alpine strawberries and offered the potted plants for sale alongside mums in the annual fall mum sale. The potted strawberries proved to be more recession-proof than mums, and were generally well accepted by consumers. Future work is planned to collect detailed consumer feedback on ornamental and edible ornamental plant preferences purchases.