We're in a farmers market (state association) state of mind.

You already know we like all things local and farmers market associations are no exception. This episode of Tent Talk is all about the value of state market associations. Featuring Maggie Funkhouser, Director of the North Carolina Farmers Market Network, we discuss how state specific associations create more resilient markets, better market managers, and stronger food systems.

This episode of Tent Talk: The Farmers Market Podcast is supported by Manage My Market.

The future of farmers markets starts with surveys That's right folks! The National Farmers Market Survey is right around the corner and we're discussing it in detail on this weeks episode of Tent Talk: The Farmers Market Podcast. Featuring local leader, data enthusiast, and food systems advocate, Amanda Edmonds, we're digging into everything about one of our industry's most important and influential surveys. What we're covering: What the survey is and why it matters Who it helps and the impact it has Important dates and deadlines Necessary info needed to submit Learn more and meet Amanda Edmonds at the InTents Conference in just one month: March 1st-4th, 2026. This episode of Tent Talk: The Farmers Market Podcast is supported by Square.

Farmers markets are based on human relationships and market manager communities are no exception In this weeks episode of Tent Talk: The Farmers Market Podcast, we're highlighting opportunities to strengthen your relationships with other farmers market professionals in your region and across the country. From national conferences to local meet ups, we're covering a range of ways you can engage in-person with the very people whose job is just as weird as yours. What we're covering: The importance of networking with your peers Local conferences coming up Ways we'll be helping to build connections at inTents 2026 This episode of Tent Talk: The Farmers Market Podcast is supported by Loco Canopies.

It's time to apply our knowledge towards market applications It's application season at farmers markets across the country! Each year offers a new batch of farmers and entrepreneurs anxious with excitement for the opportunities markets have to offer. But before that 10x10 is popped and in-place, they have to get past one thing: the almighty market application. A critical tool for establishing which markets are right for your business and which businesses are right for your market, applications, when done with intention, help pave a path to long-term market success. Tune in to this episode of Tent Talk: The Farmers Market Podcast as we discuss all things application related. What we cover: How to ensure your application process is an extension of your market's mission Why you should be reviewing your applications with intention How to engage in effective application marketing Ways to evaluate whether a market is a good fit for your market business Listen NOW at the in bio or wherever you stream your podcast. Want to dig deeper into this topic? Join us in March at the 10th annual inTents Conference in San Diego, CA. Tickets available for purchase at intentsconference.com

Welcome to a new season of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast. The theme for our next 7 episodes is Grow Where You're Planted, and it's all about using your own resources and the others available to you locally and in the wider farmers market community. Here in episode 360, let's start with taking stock. What's in store for your market in coming months, and how can you plan now to make it the most successful market season yet? Listen in as we talk about: Thinking about your core mission Ways to increase income and reduce expenses Creating win-win partnerships InTents National Farmers Market Conference sessions Stream the episode NOW on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube. Register NOW at intentsconference.com

Welcome back to Tent Talk, it's been a minute! Be sure to stay with us until the end for an important announcement. Listen in to hear what's been happening at Farmers Market Pros and the rest of our community, what's coming in the next season of Tent Talk, the farmers market podcast, and new offerings at our Farmers Market Forum platform. Hear about some of the amazing speakers coming to the InTents National Farmers Market Conference in March (the South has something to say!). Do not miss the exciting news revealed near the end of this episode. Don't forget to register now for InTents 2026: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/farmersmarketpros/1764636 Listen in as we talk about:

• The next season of Tent Talk
• Farmers Market Forum newsletters
• Monthly live online calls
• Preview of InTents 2026 sessions
• and a Very Important Announcement!

Our theme for this season of Tent Talk is Survive and Thrive and boy does it feel relevant now more than ever. Between nearly a million government workers currently on furlough and 40 million people going without access to SNAP benefits, our customers, our farmers, and our communities are staring down the neck of truly dark and difficult times.That's why we're reaching into our toolkit and pulling out a word that guided us through the pandemic: PIVOT. It's time to lean on each other, get creative and resourceful, and mobilize quickly and efficiently to ensure our neighbors remain fed and our vendors balance their bottom line. Join us TODAY as we do exactly that during SNAP to It! a FREE live Zoom call with market managers across the country.

• What: SNAP to It! Supporting Your Market Family Today
• When: Monday, November 3rd, 2025 at 9:30 AM PT / 12:30 PM ET
• Where: Zoom
• How: Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HALavysyRe6F09xnmrFtdQ#/registration

This episode of Tent Talk, the farmers market podcast, is supported by the National Farmers Market Coalition.

Every year the last quarter never fails to creep up on us and 2025 is no exception. As we reflect on the year and look ahead at what's to come, everywhere we turn we're haunted by budgets. How can we continue to ensure that our market business is turning a profit? How can we create a safety net so in times of stress we're still financially secure? The answer is simple: sponsors! This week on Tent Talk, we're calling back to an old, but ever so relevant episode and are revisiting creative ways to harvest support. Tune in as we discuss:

• The importance of budgeting for your market
• Why you should be connecting with potential sponsors now, rather than waiting for "charitable giving" season
• Helpful tips on the most effective ways to reach out to sponsors

Listen along and then get excited about making 2026 more profitable and less stressful.

Uncertainty often breeds innovation and periods of economic instability are no exception. Job insecurity can be the tipping point to that pushes makers to think outside the box and embrace the adventure of farmers market entrepreneurship. Suddenly there's space to turn that recipe into a money making reality. In this episode of our Survive & Thrive series, we're focusing on an unexpected benefit that markets sometimes see during times of turmoil: an influx of business start ups. As people part ways with corporate America and dip their toes into farmers market life, it's up to market managers to ensure those new vendors are informed, prepared, and properly supported. Listen in as we discuss:

• Why shifts in the economy and employment offer opportunities
• Resources that benefit new business owners
• Incubating new vendors to increase success
• How to determine if a farmers market business is right for you

This episode of Tent Talk: The Farmers Market Podcast is supported by Vendor-101.

Farmers Markets offer food founders the chance to capture high margin sales, but it only matters if you know how to make them profitable.

In this episode, Sarah Delevan sits down with Catt Fields-White, nationally recognized farmers market expert and founder of the InTents National Farmers Market Conference, to answer real questions from Good Food CFO listeners about maximizing farmers market revenue.

What You'll Learn:

• Why Catt told one cookie vendor to raise prices five times before adding production capacity

• The margin advantage of farmers markets vs. wholesale distribution (and why it matters for cash flow)

• Logistics for selling at 7+ markets weekly: staffing, delivery, and storage solutions

• Simple display changes that directly impact sales (including the pricing psychology most vendors miss)

• What to do before walking away from an unprofitable market, and more