Tent Talk

Enjoy this week's Vendor Story episode. Hot sauce is a fast growing category at our farmers markets nowadays, and Chef Saeed is on fire with his fermented sauces featuring unique flavor combinations. It's not just the taste that makes a food business successful though. In our Vendor-101 program we talk about the 4 Ps: Product, Packaging, People and Professionalism. Folks go to a grocery store to grab a familiar product off the shelf. They come to the farmers market to discover new things and get to know the people that feed them. Listen in to hear about Saeed Samad's story and tips for building a successful market business.

With lots of new farmers markets ramping up for their first or second season, let's take it back to the basics. Experienced manager? Stay with us, sometimes a little refresher can be a great thing. Farmer or vendor? Let's see if you think this is sound advice.

There's a lot to know and a lot to do to launch a farmers market and get through those early months. Thinking things through and taking the time to do it right in the first place is a lot easier than fixing mistakes. Locations, budgets, vendor mix and mapping are all key to making a good first impression on vendors and shoppers alike. We're here to help you think through:

• What's the start up budget and where is the funding coming from?
• Location, location, location! What makes a good site?
• When do you start marketing a new event? (Yesterday)
• How do you recruit farmers and vendors?
• What to consider when you make your market map

Today's episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by InTents, the farmers market conference and all of the speakers and attendees that make it happen. Register now and we'll see you March 4th, 5th and 6th, in San Diego or online.

It's a new year, a blank slate. January always feels like a good time to think about what's working, what's not, and create your list of things to change and things to do at your market, and personally. We're all about setting InTENTions (see what we did there?). Market managers and market vendors coast to coast, from Florida to British Columbia, join us today to share about what they'd like to concentrate on in 2024. Listen in to hear what we're reflecting on and looking forward to, and what kind of goals some of the folks in our online community have in mind. We'd love to hear about your 2024 intentions: drop a note in the comments.

Whether and however you're celebrating Christmas today, we hope you're getting a day off from at least most of your duties and chores. Farmers are still feeding animals and food makers may yet be delivering holiday orders. 2023 has been a lot: happy, sad, busy, full, and all of that has been better because we've done it together. Community is the greatest gift. Merry Christmas to those who are celebrating and our warmest wishes for peace to one and all from all of us at Farmers Market Pros.

How do you go from zero to 60, or maybe 90, in a bit less than three short years? For Christy Campli, some keys were starting with experience in local food systems, and building on an established brand. Now she manages multiple year-round weekly farmers markets, regularly scheduled artisan markets and several annual events with a small but mighty team. Listen in as we talk with Christy about the finer points of managing multiple types of markets and events.

• How some systems overlap and how some differ for different types of events
• Scheduling vendors intentionally to avoid cookie cutter events
• Collaborating with other types of food outlets to benefit farmers
• Finding camp buddies for life along with new ideas at the InTents Conference

Today's episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Food-4-All, pioneering online order systems to connect local farmers, makers and markets with their communities.

Farmers markets are always a good time! The question is when is the best time for your market? Setting market hours is a foundational decision. There are a lot of factors at play. Whether your market lasts for two hours or six can be influenced by everything from farmer commutes to parking disputes. Fortunately, the beauty of markets is that there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution. Success means finding what works best for you and your market community. We're here to help you find the right fit by considering things like...

• Giving staff, farmers, and vendors enough time to set up and breakdown
• Adjusting your market hours to meet your shoppers' needs
• Looking at other nearby markets' hours and filling a gap
• How to effectively manage a change to your days or hours

Today's episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by InTents, the farmers market conference. Register today while pro-order rates are still in effect, and join us online or in-person March 4th to March 6th, 2024.