Tent Talk

If you build it they will come. But if you tell them where you built it, chances are more people will show up! This week on Tent Talk we're going back to the basics on farmers market marketing. A combination of social media, email newsletters, print advertising, and community engagement can drive excitement about and attendance at your weekly farmers market. This week's episode is made possible by support from InTents: the Farmers Market Conference. Join us March 7-9, 2022, in San Diego, California! Register today at FarmersMarketPros.com!

This week on Tent Talk we're joined by sustainability expert, educator and social entrepreneur Dianna Rose. In addition to running her own zero-waste catering company, Jars of Delight, Dianna founded the only farmers market in Queens, New York! Sovereign Markets, brings food equity to New York City's Queens communities, while amplifying local businesses and culture. Tune in to hear how Dianna is growing her urban farmers market, fostering social enterprise and creating food sovereignty in her hometown. This week's episode is made possible by support from MarketLink.

This week we discuss how to re-establish farmers market systems and protocols that were modified or may have fallen by the wayside as market managers were focused on enforcing COVID regulations. Now that many markets have moved away from density limits, social distancing, and mask enforcement, it's time to reinstate some standard farmers market systems and ways of doing things that we abandoned during the insanity of the last year and a half! This week's episode is made possible by support from Vendor-101.

Across the country we're seeing record-breaking heatwaves, summer downpours and an early start to fire season. As extreme weather becomes more and more common, farmers market operators have to get creative and develop contingency plans to keep their farmers market up and running while also keeping their farmers, vendors and shoppers safe. In this episode we discuss how to handle inclement weather and other environmental issues that impact your outdoor farmers market. This week's episode is made possible by support from Campbell Risk Management.

It's almost that time again! National Farmers Market Week 2021 is coming up in just a couple weeks. Since last year most market managers were barred from doing anything fun at farmers markets, this year we are going to make National Farmers Market Week extra extra special! Tune in to hear Catt, Brijet and Justine share various ways you can get your whole community involved in the festivities. This week's episode is made possible by support from the Farmers Market Coalition.

There's a lot of talk among farmers market operators about how to bring diversity, equity and inclusion into the farmers market space, and a lot of confusion about how to do that. This week on Tent Talk we dive deep into this topic with our guest Shiny Flanary, a Black, queer farmer at Scrapberry Farm, the Director of Markets at Black Food Sovereignty Coalition and the founder and manager of Come Thru Market, a Black and Indigenous market in Portland, Oregon. In this episode Shiny shares how and why she launched a BIPOC market and provides a treasure trove of practical ways to make farmers markets a space for everyone. This week's episode is made possible by support from EcoFarm.

Our guest this week is Kendall Ballantine, farmer and owner of Central Park Farms in British Columbia, Canada. Kendall is a first-generation farmer who has built a devoted customer base through a combination of farmers market hustling and effective digital marketing. In addition to raising livestock full-time, Kendall shares her digital marketing expertise via Instagram, group coaching and online workshops. In this episode we chat about the cross promotional opportunities the farmers market provides and how to connect with your target customers online. This week's episode is make possible by support from Vendor-101.

Farmers markets are like big families and occasionally you have to say goodbye to a loved one. It's not only a difficult situation for your market staff and vendors, but it can be confusing and sad for shoppers as well. This week on Tent Talk we discuss what happens when a farmers market vendor moves on or passes away and how to support your farmers market community through sad goodbyes. This week's episode is make possible by support from the Farmers Market Coalition.

It isn't often that we get to chat with reality television stars, so we were very excited when we found out that Top Chef Season 18 contestant Sasha Grumman had launched her new business at farmers markets in Houston! This week on Tent Talk, we learn all about Sasha's Focaccia (what a perfect name!) and what it's like to transition from back of house to front of tent. She also shares her 2 year, 5 year and 10 year plan and the logic behind using the farmers market as a launching pad for her new food brand. Tune in to hear Sasha's story––don't worry, no Top Chef spoilers! This week's episode is made possible by support from Food Business Success.

This week on Tent Talk we check in with Christine Farren, Executive Director of CUESA (operators of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market since 1999). We spoke with Christine back in April of 2020 as farmers markets around the country were scrambling to stay open under the threat of a public health emergency. After a year of running a curated market box and pick-up service, CUESA is evolving and adapting their market box program to better serve their shoppers, vendors and farmers market community. Listen in to hear how Christine and her team are boldly moving their market forward! This week's episode is made possible by support from Campbell Risk Management.