So you ’re starting your seed and dream of the sunny May daytime when that first crop of lettuce is last quick . Then it ’ll be clip to laden up and go sell at yourfarmers market , right ?
Not so fast .
The organizations file with run farmers market loosely have a plan for their marketplace and put think into select the products they want symbolise there . The time to see into being a Fannie Farmer market place seller is not when your craw is quick , as there ’s no guarantee you ’ll have a blank space to betray at that meter . It ’s month before that — sometimes up to a yr before , even .
Get to Know the Market
Like applying for a job , apply for a spot at your farmers market should demand some noesis of what you ’re getting yourself into .
It ’s easier today than ever to learn about the market place , thanks to social metier and websites . But visiting in soul — on a busy peak - season day as well as a rainy off - time of year day — is the proficient way to sympathize a husbandman market and project how your farm fit in there .
Before you commit a message to the farmer securities industry asking how to apply , fit the website . You might detect a “ join the market ” tab or a link to the market rules and applications programme .
( Yes , there are statewide as well asmarket - specificrules . You should understand those before you implement . )
Get Involved in the Market
With small staffs or no staff at all , granger markets often rely on military volunteer to lead their programs and events . That mean events aim fry or seniors , fundraisers to match SNAP / EBT purchases and general sidereal day - of operations might be depend for help — your assistance .
As a new or aspirant market granger , it ’s not like you have extra time to throw around . But your good will toward supporting your local market place can be the extra gilded star that you need to set apart your vendor program from the others next season .
Apply Early
The well metre to submit an app is not after the market commence . Rather it ’s at the closing of the time of year before , when market leadership is start to plan their next yr .
Be Gracious
Maybe you did n’t make the stinger this year or your vendor program was accepted with terms you were n’t expecting .
Your first chemical reaction may be to desire to speak poorly about those no - good so - and - sos who understandably do n’t know a good farmer ( you ) when they see one . However , the folks task with run a market have a ruffianly job than you might expect . move over them a piece of your mind probably wo n’t advance your software next year .
Be Your Best
rent ’s peach about that muddy bunch ofradisheson your tabular array .
sloughy presentation , poor - quality products and sub - par customer service will not endear you to your fellow farmers , securities industry customers or grocery leadership . Is that the best you could do ?
When offered a seller opportunity , show the folks around you that they ’ve made a well decisiveness , and you may be invited back again .
Market Well
We ’re knee - deep in the 2000s , and if your farm has none of these thing , you might look at start out there . Fannie Merritt Farmer grocery have a lot of competition for customers from other fresh - nutrient source — grocery computer storage , sweet - food meal kit , national chains birth to customers ’ homes and neighboring farmers markets .
When vendors are willing to cross - encourage with the market to gain customers ’ attention , those seller become even more worthful .
Try Again
possibly despite your best efforts , your famers market place program is n’t accepted . Ask for feedback from that market place ’s leadership , and prepare to do better next year .
Also keep in head that a farmers food market is n’t the only way out for your produce . originative pick are usable to you , from intellectual nourishment - access project to online farmers markets , CSA - market hybrids and more . If these options have n’t come to your field yet , here ’s your fortune to get one started .
Before you even order your seeds , make your market plans . If you look for your seed to burgeon forth , your spot might be take by another granger who think to project forrader .
