We're talking this month about Building a Bigger Tent at our farmers markets. Let's remember that the more people and communities we welcome to markets, the deeper our variety of produce, products and personalities. Exclusion, whether purposeful or just thoughtless, means we miss out on all the richness that comes with diversity. Sagdrina Brown Jalal is back with us for this episode, just in time for Juneteenth. While that day of historic remembrance is coming up next week on June 19th, observan...
Jun 09, 2025•42 min
This month we’re going to be talking about Building a Bigger Tent and keeping our commitment to making farmers markets a welcoming and opportunity filled place for everyone. We're also getting ready to launch some new ways to share information to make your farmers market more profitable and less stressful for farmers, producers and managers. Don't miss those upcoming announcements. Meanwhile, expect some shorter episodes this summer leading up to our next full season, and the occasional longer o...
Jun 02, 2025•4 min
Wrapping up our series on defining farmers markets, we're chatting in this episode about what a farmers market is, and what it isn't. Whether inadvertently or intentionally, a lot of places and platforms and events are identified as farmers markets that don't meet the definition. Tents alone do not a farmers market make and the same goes for fresh produce. Are there farmers present? Does it happen regularly? We're intent on keeping our word. Speaking up for farmers markets means reminding people...
May 26, 2025•50 min
In this episode of our series on defining farmers markets we consider online ordering and delivery services by looking back to a June, 2021 conversation with Christine Farren, Executive Director of San Francisco's Foodwise. Back then, the organization formerly known as Cuesa was redesigning the curated boxes developed on the fly during peak Covid into a delivery service managed with a logistics partner. Tune in as we discuss how online ordering and home delivery fits into the definition of farme...
May 19, 2025•45 min
Continuing our series on defining farmers markets we like to wonder: what if everyone in a region or in the country agreed on one set of best practices and one set of rules for farmers markets? In this episode we're talking with Dr. Kim Hutchison and Meredith Ledlie Johnson about how the Virginia Farmers Market Association has done just that. Bringing in multiple stakeholders helped create consistent standards. Education and certification of managers and farmers markets provides validation and a...
May 12, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Defining farmers markets starts with one common thread: the presence of farmers, selling to shoppers. From there all bets are off and protocols and structure can vary widely. This week we're looking back to a conversation with farmer Jake Johannes from the Sacred Sun Cooperative. He shares how the Brookside Farmers Market in Kansas City, Missouri is organized as an almost all-volunteer market. Farmers and vendors serve on the board, actively assisting a paid manager to maintain standards centere...
May 05, 2025•36 min
We’re wrapping up this month’s Marketing Methods series with a reminder that social media is just one way to create loyal shoppers for your farmers market operation, and not necessarily the best one. Nowadays rules and algorithms and reach seem to change daily, at the whim of the platforms. Email newsletters let you control your list and your timing, and personalize your outreach to build connections. How do you maximize those results? In this episode, Erika Tebbens, the Director of Impact at wo...
Apr 28, 2025•39 min
Is anyone else going all in on the Spring cleaning vibes? It’s a great time to do a refresh, or even just a review of your market business website. We’ve been saying this a lot lately, but we’ll say it again: have you made it easy for your customers to find you? Is your location front and center? Your website is an opportunity for you to tell potential shoppers not only where you are, but who you are and why your business is unique. Whether you’ve got thousands of social media followers, or you’...
Apr 21, 2025•30 min
Marketing is just one of a market manager's or vendor's full time jobs. So a cooperative effort that benefits multiple markets is invaluable. Add in centralized sales of gift certificates redeemable region-wide and everyone will be harvesting a bumper crop of additional income. Maine Federation of Farmers Markets director Jimmy DeBiasi joined us last year to explain selling employers on using market dollars as part of their workplace wellness programs. He dug even deeper into the how-to at last ...
Apr 14, 2025•59 min
Once folks experience your farmers market or market business you know they'll be hooked. How you get them there the first time, and how you remind them to come back until they form a habit, that's the marketing magic. We're kicking off this month's Marketing Methods series with a look at which social media platforms will most effectively get the word out about your market. Where you’re posting, what you’re posting, and what kind of content performs best is important. Which platforms you trust an...
Apr 07, 2025•50 min
In the last of this month's series sharing farmers market stories, we catch up with Sina War about all the latest ways she's supporting our community. A multipotentialite, she's worn a lot of hats in our industry. She's been a hands-on farmers market manager and developed a food product made from peppers she grew herself. At the Minnesota Farmers Market Association she's shared recipes on local TV and advocated for local food systems at the state legislature. Sina has the heart of an educator, a...
Mar 31, 2025•47 min
For our annual Live from InTents episode, Tent Talk producer Leandra Hays sat down earlier this month with almost 30 attendees of the hundreds at the national Farmers Market Conference in San Diego. They shared what keeps them going and what rewards them in the face of farmers market challenges. Tune in to hear all about it.
Mar 24, 2025•29 min
Lisa Herlinger is a trained chef turned entrepreneur who launched her gourmet ice cream sandwich company at the Portland Farmers Market back in 2004. More than two decades later, it's a thriving business with wholesale grocery and convenience store distribution, spreading joy and dominating frozen novelty aisles nationwide. Tune in to hear about Ruby Jewel's growth as we share: Lisa's commitment to locally sourced ingredients Finding the balance between quality and price The value of sampling at...
Mar 17, 2025•41 min
Michael Clark is a third generation family farmer who grew up working at farmers markets and on the farm. Over the years JR (for Joe Rodriguez) Organics, his family's business, has expanded to include more than a dozen weekly farmers markets, a robust CSA program and wholesale customers. Mike manages sales and production and still works at several markets a week himself. Listen in as he explains: Why the farm has a CSA program How a CSA can work hand-in-hand with farmers markets Benefits of and ...
Mar 03, 2025•43 min
Wrapping up our Recruit and Retain series, we come back to what makes it all come together: shoppers. Remember, we heard from Corinna Smith earlier this month that increasing market attendance is great, but what’s critical is how many of those attendees are buying something at the market. Are they filling those shopping bags and baskets? Then retaining farmers and vendors is a slam dunk. That income will allow you to retain staff. It's a whole ecosystem right there. In the final installment of t...
Feb 24, 2025•28 min
Every farmers market manager knows that curating a well-balanced market is both an art and a science. Whether you’re running a seasoned market or developing a brand new event, recruiting and vetting vendors that fit the needs of your individual community is key. Keeping things balanced so that everyone profits is essential. Maintaining long-term, mutually respectful relationships with each of your vendors creates that consistent set of offerings that will build a loyal customer base. Listen in a...
Feb 17, 2025•45 min
By any reasonable definition, it's not a farmers market without farmers. Uniquely positioned to foster relationships between consumers and the people that grow their food, farmers markets help farmers thrive financially and feel encouraged and supported by their communities. Let farmers know about the advantages of selling direct, make them feel valued and help them develop sales skills and they'll stay with your market for years to come. Listen in as the Farmers Market Pros catch up with Corinn...
Feb 10, 2025•35 min
The team that helps you sell vegetables or granola at your farmers market booth makes all the difference in your income. The staff that sets up and manages the market makes the job productive and satisfying or just a whole lot of work. Learning to recruit the right people will make your market business more successful and just more fun. Creating systems to keep the band together are just as important. Employees with more knowledge and experience are more comfortable on the job and that trickles ...
Feb 03, 2025•45 min
Where do you start to develop and maintain relationships with your farmers maket's neighboring residents and businesses? Start with outreach, then add big portions of listening and cooperation. Working together will make your community happier and your market more successful. Listen in for how-to tips including: Taking your team on a local field trip Resolving complaints to gain loyal supporters Using surveys to prove rising tides float all boats Sharing stories and building friendships Use the ...
Jan 27, 2025•38 min
There's no one right way to manage vendor applications for your farmers market. Some managers prefer simple inquiry emails before a detailed form. Some market management platforms integrate applications with online maps and vendor profiles. We all need to know business names and exactly what will be sold. An origin story makes an application more interesting, permit and insurance information generally gets it processed more quickly. On this episode the Farmers Market Pros discuss our experiences...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 1 min
How many eggs did Apricot Lane Farms collect in 2024? Eighty three thousand five hundred ninety seven. How do we know that? Because they posted a clever graphic that said so. What does that make us think about their farm? They must be hardworking farmers and have some happy chickens. Use numbers to share your farm, business or farmers market accomplishments and impress your shoppers. Make it eye-catching and fun to be sure it's memorable. Listen in for how-to tips including: Exact numbers are mo...
Jan 13, 2025•30 min
Farmers Market Day logbooks can store valuable information, customer requests and market history. Whether you use them to track attendance or sales, complaints or comedy, they can be helpful and interesting if you both maintain and read them. Listen in for tips to decide what to include and how to format your market log, based on the Farmers Market Pros' experience and other market managers' and market business owners' input. These are some of our takeaways: A standard set of information can hel...
Jan 06, 2025•35 min
And just like that another year of farmers markets is coming to a close. We’re ringing in this new year quietly. 2024 has been full of meaningful connections, community-building and so many conferences. In the coming weeks we’ll be sharing our inTENTions for 2025, tips and how-tos, and new ways to connect. We're cooking up some exciting new things, so stay tuned. Don't forget to register for InTents, the National Farmers Market Conference; we can't wait to see you there. Thanks for listening all...
Dec 30, 2024•2 min
Whether you’re observing a holiday this week or not, remember that you are a gift to your communities every week of the year. We hope you find time to rest and enjoy the fruits of your labors. Wishing happy holidays to all who celebrate and peace to one and all.
Dec 23, 2024•4 min
The season for holiday gifting is here! Whether you're a market manager, farmer or vendor, we have great tips for remembering all the people who have supported you this year. It really is the thought that counts so if gifts aren't in the budget we suggest other ways to acknowledge the people you appreciate. Grab your list, check it twice and listen in to this spotlight episode from 2023 as we discuss: • Who's on our holiday list • Useful gifts for your team • Shopping local, of course! • Big imp...
Dec 16, 2024•32 min
For some folks making year-end donations is a tax strategy. Others just feel generous this time of year. It's a perfect time to bolster your farmers market's fundraising efforts and finish the year with a balanced budget. Even though your core market business is hopefully self sustaining, many market organizations also provide educational programs and supplement nutrition incentive programs. Those are efforts your community can help support. Listen in as we talk about how to make that ask effect...
Dec 09, 2024•21 min
We've been talking about the 4 Ps for market success since we started our Vendor-101 class almost 15 years ago. Product, packaging or presentation, personality and today's focus: Professionalism. Farmers markets are a shopping environment where one vendor's actions and attitudes can affect a lot of people's businesses. Be a most valuable farmer or vendor by remembering some of the things we're chatting about today: Being timely during the application process Ways to build trust with shoppers Com...
Dec 02, 2024•40 min
This week we caught up with James Grevious of Rebel Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado. Since he last joined us on Tent Talk, he’s been addressing challenges around establishing a consistent location and a sustainable business model. Staying rebellious, he continues to create neighborhood food security with a hyper local farmers market. Along with today's update, it's a pleasure to share our talk with James that was originally broadcast in August 2023. Listen in For James' views and tips on: Intent...
Nov 25, 2024•44 min
Inviting young people to vend at your farmers market can foster a new generation of market entrepreneurs and delight your community. Sure, there are challenges. It can be a trick to be sure that kids meet permit requirements. Their grown up is probably going to have to sign for insurance. Figure it all out and watch as family and friends come out to support the youngsters and maybe get hooked on farmers market shopping for the long term. Listen in as we consider: Exploring local regulations for ...
Nov 18, 2024•29 min
Whether you're a farmer, maker or market manager, if you have a team, providing them with feedback will make their work life and yours better. It doesn't have to be awkward or uncomfortable to discuss workplace performance. (OK, sometimes it can be.) If you've provided employees with expectations and the tools to meet them, this is just a checkup. We're talking today about how we make these chats productive for everyone involved, including: Giving people a chance for self evaluation Hire in a hu...
Nov 11, 2024•30 min
