Production and Marketing of Pumpkin Seed Oil ' Related Products

Project Overview

FS14-286
Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2014: $9,180.00
Projected End Date: 03/14/2017
Grant Recipient: farmer
Region: Southern
State: Georgia
Principal Investigator:
Bradley Weaver
Email
Bradley's Farm

Grant closed and funds deobligated 2/2/2018 due to noncompliance in submitting a final report.

Annual Reports

Commodities

  • Vegetables: cucurbits

Practices

  • Farm Business Management: marketing management

    Proposal summary:

    Value added production is very important to small farmers. Developing new products from existing crops or from crop by products can help dramatically improve a farms bottom line. We would like to create some value added healthy pumpkin products by utilizing the seeds of our heritage pumpkins. We expect these products to find consumer acceptance and provide an additional revenue stream to farms In 2014, we developed a popular new product line using our specially grown heirloom pumpkins. We have had a very positive response from our customer base to our facial products: pumpkin scrub, pumpkin exfoliating mask, pumpkin moisturizer and pumpkin lotion. We have kept careful records of sales of our new products and plan to do the same with the seed oil once we put it on the market. Initially, we will grow approximately 1,000 extra pumpkins in addition to existing surplus pumpkins not sold during the pumpkin season for the purpose of producing pumpkin oil. These pumpkins are highly disease resistant, non GMO heirloom pumpkins and are noted for their high nutrient levels.   We will hold on farm demonstrations and present seminars demonstrating the harvesting of the seeds, washing and cleaning of the seeds, running the seeds through the pumpkin seed press, and producing the pumpkin oil for sale.   On the marketing side, success will be determined by sales of our pumpkin oil product(s) as we develop them. Marketing materials will be created promoting Bradley’s pumpkin oil as well as advertisements through e-mail blitz, Facebook and other media and our educational seminars.    

    Project objectives from proposal:

     

     

    The goal of our project will be to exponentially increase our pumpkin crop each year and use the seed to make pumpkin oil and to develop brand awareness of pumpkin seed oil products. We will make pumpkin seed oil from our own pumpkins processed in a high quality control environment utilizing our own pumpkin seed press.

     

     

     

     

      1. Successfully produce our own high quality pumpkin seed oil.

     

      1. Ensure the pumpkin seed oil meets strict purity standards in taste and appearance.

     

      1. Develop some products utilizing the pumpkin seed oil

     

      1. Develop an effective marketing campaign to raise consumer awareness and demand for pumpkin oil

     

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.