Money for Jam

PS: not all food banks can accept fresh produce, but our local one can, and people really appreciate boxes of fruit.

'Fundraising event' implies that you were raising money for charity.
I do feel for you, it can be very annoying, but can also change from year to year!
My suggestion, assuming that you are happy to donate ingredients and time, but want a fair return for your chosen charity:
1. choose a charity that a lot of local people support (you will, I'm afraid, get more for the local Hospice than for Amnesty!)
2. choose where your jam goes for sale - the opportunity to buy at the local pub, church, village hall or similar may raise more money. People often go to an 'event' with a budget.
3. Advertise on local FB page, community newsletter. Jam for sale £x, all proceeds /profits to xxxxx. That means you have to give a contact.
4. If none of this appeals, do as many around here do: put out boxes of produce, either help yourself for free, or an honesty pot for donations.

I do number 3 every year (not jam, another home made product) and by doing this, manage to raise a decent amount for a local charity. I have a 'suggested price' that reflects my effort (at minimum wage level!) and am satisfied at £100 this year for our First Responders.

Can't believe that they sold it for less than a pound a jar! I would be inclined to label it with a price if you do it again. I would keep what remains and give it to friends during the year.

Sounds to me like you make the jam to avoid waste rather than as a business to make money?

If you feel it a chore, don’t do it! Freeze your fruits for yourselves or make the jam and hand it out as you deem fit. Yes homes have strict policies now so don’t take offence.

Can well understand your frustration, OP. In the past I've had trouble even trying to give away (IMO very nice) apple chutney made from a stack of windfalls in a dd's garden. 'Very nice with cheese,' I said to a BiL, only to have him say, 'Oh, no, it spoils the taste!'
OK, suit yourself!

I'm not sure about pricing things to reflect time and cost at fairs, etc. though.

Last year I made a couple of dozen Christmas tree decorations for Gdd's pre-school fair. I was donating them, so didn't much care what they sold for, as long as they did. They did all go eventually, but I can't say like hot cakes, even at a low price.

Elsewhere at the fair - nowhere near my things - were some craft stalls where people were selling their own creations - mostly also Christmas decorations.

They were considerably more expensive than mine - no doubt reflecting time and cost - but an awful lot were left unsold by the end. If even a quarter of all that time and effort resulted in sales, that was about it.

It may be relevant that nearly all the people at the well-attended fair, were fairly young parents with young children - probably mostly not at all flush, given the cost of housing and childcare nowadays, esp. in that area.

I'd love some of your home made jam. We have a local French market and the price of the jam is £3.99 and four biscuits £10.00. It reflects the hard work that goes into making the products.

Next time (if there is a next time), put price labels on the jam before your donate them and make it clear that this year's price was ridiculous and didn't even cover the cost of ingredients and cooking fuel. If they do not want to charge what you price them at. Stop giving them anything as they clearly do not appreciate it.

I sew and donate things to a charity but I never look at their prices as I know the items would probably be much less than my time and materials. I enjoy the sewing and just look on it as an outlet for my hobby and a way of giving to charity. I wouldn't like to be trying to make a living from it.

My S frequents jumble sales and table top sales etc.
(He does things up and sells on e-bay) and a few weeks ago bought me a jar of black currant jam, it was delicious.
He bought it from a man who makes it himself and sells it regularly at such events.
It was £2:99, that is a sensible price for a quality product and well worth it.
“Giving “ stuff away does no-one any favours.

Elegran :'If you make it next year (IF) why not put a price on the labels, as well as the kind of jam and the date? It is better than commercial jam, why should it be a third of the price as well?

Too many organisers of fund-raising events have no idea how much it costs to make anything, or how long it takes. They have known nothing but skimpy products made by sweated labour abroad, or baked in conveyer-belt factories from inferior ingredients.'

Absolutely right.
As has been said upthread, it is a good idea to include a label describing the qualities and provenance of the jam, to show how it is a far superior product to factory produced. I think people will pay more to buy a quality product, but they wont know that it is a quality product if it is sold at such a low price and there is no description. Customers pay high prices at farmers markets and will do so at charity events, but they need to know what they are getting for their money.

Elegran :'If you make it next year (IF) why not put a price on the labels, as well as the kind of jam and the date? It is better than commercial jam, why should it be a third of the price as well?

Too many organisers of fund-raising events have no idea how much it costs to make anything, or how long it takes. They have known nothing but skimpy products made by sweated labour abroad, or baked in conveyer-belt factories from inferior ingredients.'

this 1000 times ... Ever since I went to my first 'bring and buy' coffee morning- I could never ever understand the logic of the silly low pricing. The first time, I brought a jar of Coffee granules. I can't remember the exact figures, but it was around £2.50 and the host put a sticker for £1.20. I told her I was surprised, surely people coming to 'bring and buy' would expect to pay a bit more, not less. She looked at me as if I had just arrived from Mars - and replied 'oh no, people like a bargain when they come'. She was doing it for Oxfam- so I said, well, I'll take the jar back home and give you £2.50 then, better for the charity'. She was aghast !?! She herself had knitted a beautiful, intricate baby jacket, and told me it had taken her about 10 hours to make and the wool had cost her £6.50. She had put £3.00 on the sale ticket.

Never ever made any sense whatsover.

Get in touch with local charities - and offer for them to come and pick the fruit, under your supervision. Also ask neighbours. I belong to a 'swap' group here, and an organic gardening group - both on Facebook. If people have too myna courgettes, fruit, whatever- they offer them to give or exchange. We also have fridges located in several areas so people can put food left over, be it fruit or veg, or anything - and volunteers inspect and sort out stuff everyday.

How very frustrating for you! Also, how silly of the care home to refuse it, surely not everyone is diabetic? What about donating it to the local hospice? In our village we have a stall on the allotments where people donate their surplus fruit and veg, and jam if made, and donations go to local charities. Very successful it is too

I bet its absolutely delicious Granny23. Keep it yourself and enjoy it with breakfast toast and afternoon scones? You deserve it.
Next year ask the Scouts or Guides to pick your crop and use it?

If you make it next year (IF) why not put a price on the labels, as well as the kind of jam and the date? It is better than commercial jam, why should it be a third of the price as well?

Too many organisers of fund-raising events have no idea how much it costs to make anything, or how long it takes. They have known nothing but skimpy products made by sweated labour abroad, or baked in conveyer-belt factories from inferior ingredients.

Point out to anyone who objects to your prices that it cost you that much to make, even before you gave your time to do it. Homegrown or hand-picked fruit may not cost £££s, but they do cost hours and effort (and scars)

donate some to the local hospitals tearoom ,saves them the cost of jam and if they keep some on the shelf people might ask to buy it once they've tasted it.Maybe a wee stall at a local market to shift it,market prices aren't cheap so even ask someone to share their stall as its going to charity,the bonus there is they charge a decent price in the farmers markets ,at least ours does .I hope you get it sold.We didn't make jam last year we made loads of bramble wine instead.Now,all ideas about how to shift it will be very welcome

My children put labels on their honey pots with their name, phone number and address- Eventually love for their honey spread and it's become a small, seasonal business with continued growth- People who appreciate it are willing pay what it's worth-

I'd be seething too, g23. I dont have a solution but can empathise completely.

As the song goes ?Let it go, let it go?
You have done amazingly, but sadly folks often have no idea or appreciation of the effort that has been made.
Sad to say today’s rules & regs have to be adhered to. Your friends & family obviously love it.
Just freeze the fruit next year.best wishes