Producing, Learning, Adjusting

Here we are in 2024! I have been out selling the Gardener’s Gold Wool Pellets for about 5 months as a registered Specialty Fertilizer with the state of California. Initially, I envisioned 3 variants to the alpaca/wool pellet line. When I started the process for registering with the state, I dropped 2 of the labels as I just needed to get one to produce some income.

I must say the concept and the potential of wool pellets is great; and it requires a lot of education. I have made a variety of signs to help with the education and in my reflections, I can see some of my novice errors in labeling the product. Any changes to the label require approval by the State and that takes months. When folks see “Regional Blend” they think it is coffee and it looks like that is the name of the product as gold print I used in the logo is hard to see.

I could go on about my imperfections, but it is the trademark issues that clenched it. On one document I didn’t spell Gardener’s Gold correctly and what I thought was an approved trademark was put up for question. So, I hired a trademark lawyer. Frustrated as all get out, I am now 6 months further down the road and do not know if the trademark will be granted or not, and I am not investing any more money on legal fees to get it.

Proposed Label

On December 17, 2022 I submitted another application to register the new labels as an approved specialty fertilizer in the state of California. 

And now we wait.

This gives me time to revisit the business plan and update the actual costs from the “I think it will cost” now that I have been on this path for nearly 2 years.