Tent Talk

Bad days happen - even at the farmers market. Sometimes market managers and staff have to face disgruntled shoppers and tense situations. After almost a year of stay at home orders and COVID-19 restrictions, it seems like everyone's feeling a little on edge. On this week's episode of Tent Talk, we share some helpful tips and resources on how to de-escalate conflict at the farmers market. We also discuss the importance of relaxation and self-care in between market days. For more info on COVID-19 and ADA compliance, visit https://farmersmarketlegaltoolkit.org/resources/

This week we're joined by members of the Chicago Farmers Market Collective: Sheree Moratto of the Glenwood Sunday Market and Stephanie Jokich of the South Loop Farmers Market. Their organization brings more than 20 unrelated Chicago area markets together to share best practices and address challenges. In our interview, Sheree and Stephanie tell us how their collective was formed and the magic that happens when you get a bunch of farmers market managers in the same room!

For this week's episode of Tent Talk we bring you another presentation recored live at InTents: The Farmers Market Conference 2019. In this talk Brent Preston, organic farmer and author of The New Farm: Our Ten Years on the Front Lines of the Good Food Revolution, shines light on the complexity of our food system. Though he doesn't claim to have a quick-fix solution to these large issues, Brent offers an interesting paradigm shift for the way we approach food production. Register for the 2021 InTents, the Farmers Market Conference, MARCH 15-18th, 2021 and purchase the LEARN AND GROW ticket to receive access to a full year of exclusive content and extended Tent Talk interviews. Take advantage of super early bird pricing and register today at farmersmarketpros.com. Enter TALK21 at checkout for a discount on your registration.

2021 is almost here! It's still unclear how this year will pan out, but we're cautiously optimistic. This week on Tent Talk, we reflect on the past year and share our personal and farmers market resolutions for 2021. We also have a big update about the fifth annual InTents: The Farmers Market Conference. Tune in for our final episode of 2020!

This week on Tent Talk, our guest is Alison Einerson, executive director of Urban Food Connections, who oversees the Downtown Salt Lake City farmers markets. In addition to the trials and tribulations that all of us have faced in 2020, Alison and her organization have survived 2 natural disasters and had to relocate their indoor winter market just a few weeks before opening day! In our conversation, Alison shares how her markets have had to pivot in this unprecedented year and her clever approach to finding a new market location.

With the end-of-year holidays underway, market managers must decide how to adjust market schedules to accommodate their vendors and shoppers. Do you close your market if it lands on a major holiday? Or do you shift the hours or size of the market footprint? Or do you operate business as usual? It all depends on your vendors and shoppers! Today on Tent Talk we discuss what goes into making the call on whether to stay open, or take a day off.

It's rare for us to focus an episode of Tent Talk on anything other than farms or food, but 'tis the season to be crafty! This week we chat about the benefits of bringing non-food artisans into your farmers market mix, especially during the holiday season. Listen along for tips on how to curate your crafters, adjust market booth fees for non-food vendors, and how to integrate them into your farmers market marketing plans.

Now that it feels like midnight when it's actually only 4:30 pm, outdoor farmers markets have to adjust to the cold and dark that winter brings. This week on Tent Talk, co-hosts Catt, Brijet and Justine share some tips on how to keep your winter outdoor market bright and cozy for shoppers and vendors. We also discuss shifting holiday marketing strategies due to COVID and how to get shoppers out to your market despite inclement weather.

This week on Tent Talk we're sharing a presentation by Sarah Marshall of Marshall's Haute Sauce, recorded live at InTents, the Farmers Market Conference in 2019. Sarah shares helpful techniques to care for yourself, your team and fellow market participants while you nurture your business. In this unusual holiday season in an unusually stressful year, these thoughts are more important than ever. Register for the 2021 InTents, the Farmers Market Conference, February 15-18th, 2021 and purchase the LEARN AND GROW ticket to receive access to a full year of exclusive content and extended Tent Talk interviews. Take advantage of super early bird pricing and register today at farmersmarketpros.com. Enter TALK21 at checkout for a discount on your registration.

We love when our friend Maya Madsen, Vendor-101 grad and founder of Maya's Cookies, drops in to talk with us! Earlier this year, Maya had to pivot (like the rest of us) to stay afloat when COVID put a damper on farmers market operations. Then, in early June after her online store was included in a viral post highlighting Black-owned businesses, she had to hustle to fill thousands of unexpected orders. Now, not only is Maya the #1 Black-owned vegan cookie company in the US, she just opened a retail cookie shop! Despite what 2020 threw at her, Maya put on her big girl pants and made it work. Listen along to this week's episode to hear how Maya has juggled her farmers market operations, online sales and the opening of her new storefront.