Fine-tune your farmers market business plan and pick up tips from an experienced manager for starting a farmers market business.
I’m an organic farmer in Florida who managed a farmers market until recently. Here are some things I learned as a market manager that will be valuable to anyone who’s thinking about starting a farmers market.
As a market manager, you’ll create a community centered around local food, so your favorite folks should be the growers themselves — first-rate local growers whose fruits and vegetables vastly exceed the quality of store-bought produce. These growers shouldn’t have to pay to sell their wares at your market. From the midsized farmer to the neighborhood amateur grower, they should be allowed to vend for free, because the market won’t survive without them. In return for their free vending, convince the growers to donate some of their produce to the musicians, yoga teachers, and others who organize the free activities that attract traffic to the market.
The second tier of vendors is made up of the food truck vendors and bakers who make good food but don’t grow it. Require them to pay a modest rental fee, as well as spare a few free tacos or croissants for the activities people you’ve scheduled that week.
The third tier pays a still-higher price. It’s composed of the plentiful handicrafts and art vendors whose fees help subsidize the first two tiers.
The fourth and final tier is made up of the almost-infinite supply of souls who sell items they neither grow, cook, nor make. They should be made to pay an outrageous fee, in advance, without exception. This will provide the bulk of the money needed to operate the farmers market. Only accept a few of the best who approach you.
Managing Money
With a portion of the funds generated by vendor fees, enroll the market in general liability insurance to cover anyone who trips and falls. For a weekly eight-hour farmers market, this will cost between For a weekly eight-hour farmers market, this will cost between $1,000 and $5,000 a month, depending on size and traffic,000 and $5,000 a month, depending on size and traffic.
Next, factor in paying yourself and any hired labor; for example, someone to maintain a website and send out press releases. Don’t spend much money to create a big web presence. Just set up a page with a “what’s fresh at the market” section, a list of new vendors, and upcoming activities. Publish new photos on the website every week that show a fun moment with a crowd of people enjoying themselves. Satisfied customers will help by sharing their market photos on social media. Every time a TV or magazine journalist visits the market for a story, give them some produce, treat them to a free lunch or latte, and thank them. Invite them to tour the growers’ farms, or to cover your gardening workshop or other events.
Ideally, you’ll connect with a nonprofit or chamber of commerce that can offer ample grounds, a mailing list, and an organizational structure under which the market can fall. You can contract to run the market for them.
Organize free gardening and urban-farming workshops, taught by yourself or the other growers. An outdoor stage is great for these, as are picnic tables, green areas, and benches. Although vendors usually bring their own setup, I like to have a few spare tents and tables on hand for emergencies. Free parking and toilets are critical. The best location for a market is along a busy road that’s accessible by public transport. Create a market that’s bike- and pet-friendly.
You’ll need to serve as the market’s safety and security person, unless you hire someone to fill that role. Vendors who cook on-site will need to meet safe-food-handling certifications and fire department regulations. Although growers and crafts vendors generally don’t need specific permits, seafood and prepared-food vendors must meet strict requirements. Only a few growers will be Certified Organic, because certification requires paperwork and fees they can’t afford. That said, many will grow their produce organically. Don’t let vendors make untrue claims at your market; insist they tell customers their produce is organically grown, but not Certified Organic. A good market manager should be able to explain and defend the difference.
