As concerns surrounding COVID-19 increase, the roles farmers markets play in local food systems become more and more important. This week on Tent Talk, Catt, Brijet and Justine discuss the importance of keeping markets open, while also implementing heightened safety measures. Listen along for logistical tips for managing markets, while also keeping staff, vendors and the public safe.
On this week's episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet discuss the current challenges faced by farmers, food producers, and market managers in midst of growing public health concerns. Listen along to hear how markets around the country are coping with COVID-19. Follow us! @FarmersMarketPros Sign up for our email newsletter at: www.FarmersMarketPros.com
This week on Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet will teach you the four A's that will help you manage your time and avoid burnout. Avoid! There's another A! Keep up on all things Farmers' Market related with our weekly email newsletter! Sign up on our website: www.FarmersMarketPros.com
On this week's episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet answer a listener question about the challenges of using social media for your markets when your event is owned by the city. Tune in for tips for navigating this tricky subject.
This week Catt is at the Washington State Farmers Market Association Conference in Tacoma, so she caught up with fellow conference speaker, Katie Green of Wild Hare Organic Farm. Katie shares what makes a great farmers market from a farmer's point of view and how she juggles markets, farming, a successful CSA program, and family life.
This week we bring you another episode of Tent Talk, live from the 2020 edition of InTents: The Farmers Market Conference. Listen along to hear an informative presentation from Nathan Macaulay, sales director for Apricot Lane Farms, which was featured in the hit film The Biggest Little Farm. In an ever changing employment environment, Nathan shares his methods for recruiting, training and retaining staff to keep all their markets running smoothly.
On this special episode of Tent Talk, we're sharing a highlight from the 2020 edition of InTents: The Farmers Market Conference. Speaker Sarah Marshall, co-owner of Marshall’s Haute Sauce, author of Preservation Pantry and host of The Meaningful Marketplace podcast, shares how she builds community inside Portland, Oregon farmers markets and out in the greater food system that surrounds them.
Just a quick "hello!" from the 2020 InTents: The Farmers Market Conference! We are knee-deep in conference happenings right now, and will be back next week with all new content- keep an ear out for 'live! from the conference' episodes of Tent Talk!
On this episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet are talking about making decisions today that will benefit your market or business for the long term. It's not always easy, but it's important!
On this week's episode of Tent Talk, we chat with Sena Wheeler of Sena Sea, a successful fresh fish operation in the Seattle area and Eastern Washington farmers markets. We chat with Sena about how her plan to sell fish direct to consumers took a big turn when she discovered direct sales at farmers markets, and how markets made her family business a success.
On this episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet discuss market turnover. Are you a manger seeing a lot of changes to your vendor mix right now? Are experienced farmers leaving the market? If you're a vendor, do the food makers leaving your market know something you don't? Listen to today's episode for those answers!
On this episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet discuss a simple strategy to make your farmers' market business more successful- tell people where to find you! You may think everyone knows where your market business is every week, but believe us - many people are bombarded by so much information and so many events happening, they may forget where you are, especially after the busy holiday season. Just tell them! Post your list of markets on social media, on your website, in your email newsletters....
On today's episode, Catt and Brijet discuss some great New Year's resolutions for Farmers Market folks. Thinking of becoming a farmers' market vendor in 2020? Make sure you plan ahead before you make that leap. Want to expand your business in the new year? We'll discuss some education courses to check out and why finding your market community is so important for long-term success. Looking to manage more markets? Make sure you remember that Market Feasilbilty strategy. It's also important to reme...
Catt and Brijet are just popping in to say "Happy Holidays" to all our wonderful Tent Talk listeners! We hope you enjoy this busy season and find time to relax.
On this episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet have big news: our InTents: The Farmers Market Conference speaker list is shaping up and you're going to love these guests! Tune in to find out who will be at the 2020 conference and why we think you need to hear them speak. The countdown to the conference is on... will you be there? Farmers’ market work is the best work ever, and nobody really understands its special challenges except the other managers, farmers and food makers out there on the stre...
On this episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet speak with Leigh Sloss-Corra, Executive Director of The Market at Pepper Place in Birmingham, Alabama. Under the direction of Leigh and her team The Market at Pepper Place has helped to revitalize Birmingham’s downtown and has become an economic force in that city. A large market with some unusual expenses, the market helps defray overhead by working with a slate of almost four dozen sponsors ranging from banks to local restaurants. We ask Leigh how ...
Today's episode is short and sweet and full of gratitude. Catt and Brijet take a minute to give thanks to all the wonderful listeners of Tent Talk and our incredible Farmers Market Pros community. We give a few quick hints for things Market Managers, Farmers & Food Vendors can do to show their farmers' market community gratitude this week and all year long. Thank you for listening!
On this episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet talk with Master Herbalist Meghan Dolly, owner and founder of The Loose Leaf and The Loose Leaf Tea Bar in Oceanside, California. Meghan is a hands-on business operator, whether she’s standing in the tent at one of six local farmers markets, coordinating employee schedules or packing boxes of her signature tea blends for wholesale. How does one business juggle market, retail, and online sales? Let’s ask Meghan.
On this episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet discuss how to celebrate various winter holidays at your market! This is a great season to remind your community where to shop for gifts and ingredients for holiday meals. Have you considered operating a holiday market in conjunction with bigger holiday festivities in your neighborhood? We'll give you tips for how to make that work and the many benefits it provides your market for the whole year. Have you registered for the 2020 InTents: The Farmers'...
On this episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet speak with farmer Annie Newman, co-owner of Sylvanaqua Farm in Montross, Virginia, about permaculture, farming while married, and pink egg cartons.
On this episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet answer questions from our listeners! What's up with Square's new fees and should you switch to cash? (no way!) How can you keep your seasonal relevant in the off season? What do you do if your business is slowing down at the market? Hear answers from the Farmers Market Pros to these questions and more.
On this episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet address a Tent Talk listener question about whether or not to start a new farmers' market. They discuss the issues to consider; from location, to the day of the week, to what it means to invest time, money, and energy into starting and sustaining a brand new farmers' market. Farmers and food makers who are trying to decide whether to add a new market to their schedule will find this discussion helpful!
On this episode of Tent Talk, Brijet & Catt discuss guests who show up at your farmers market uninvited. From buskers to petitioners to those cute little Girl Scouts who end up negatively impacting your regular baker's sales... How can you manage people at the market who show up unannounced? We'll talk about some professional ways to deal with market interferences and how to keep your market on track no matter who is there.
On this episode of Tent Talk, Brijet & Catt discuss ways to connect to your happy market neighbors and those who may not be... yet! Running a farmers market for a few hours a week in a neighborhood that has businesses open every day means you may have to put a little extra effort into showing the community that you want the market to fit into, and be a contributing piece of, that neighborhood. Whether it's becoming a regular at the coffee shop, or attending other events in the 'hood, we give...
On this episode of Tent Talk, Brijet & Catt discuss looking at your budget for next year and doing some strategic planning! We talk about reviewing your actual vs. projected budget for this last year and how to that information can help you set yourself up for success for the coming season or year ahead.
On this episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet speak with Emily Lawrence, Marketing & Communications Coordinator for Farmers Markets of Nova Scotia, a non-profit cooperative of over 30 farmers markets. Emily gives us great tips for making the most of your social media presence, things to avoid and new ways to leverage the power of social media to build your farmers market business.
On this episode, Catt and Brijet discuss ongoing education opportunities for market managers, and farmers and vendors who sell at farmers markets. There are some great conferences coming up! How will you expand your knowledge for the coming season and year ahead? Of course, we think InTents: The Farmers Market Conference is a must for everyone listening, but there are some other great conferences to help you network, learn, and continue to help you turn your passion into bigger profit!
On today’s episode of Tent Talk, Brijet and Catt welcome Megan Goehring of The Certified Farmers Markets of the Coachella Valley. They chat with Megan about the challenges in running markets that need to be indoors to escape intense heat part of the year, the extra cost involved in doing that (and how she attracts and retains sponsors to help) and criteria for making an average-sized market stand out.
It’s back to school time so we thought we’d review the 4 P’s! This is just a little of what we teach in our Farmers Market Vendor-101 course each month and we’re sharing them today with all our Tent Talk listeners. Because whether you’re just getting started with your farmers market farm or food vendor business, or you’ve recently started managing a market, or you’ve been doing this farmers’ market job for a while, it’s always a good time to brush up!
On this week's episode, Brijet & Catt discuss how you can celebrate National Farmers Market Week (Aug 4 - 10) at YOUR market! They also have fun market-ing tips and tricks for you, and discuss ways to leverage special events at farmers markets!
