As the weather begins to cool, many farmers markets across the country are transitioning into their winter season. However, COVID-19 is still a present danger and poses numerous challenges to planning indoor markets and events. This week on Tent Talk we speak with Shawn Menard of Seacoast Eat Local in New Hampshire about overcoming some of these challenges. Shawn provides helpful advice on how to keep indoor markets open and safe for vendors and shoppers this winter....
Oct 26, 2020•47 min•Ep. 110
This week our guest is Tent Talk co-host Justine's business and life partner Dave Mead! We talk with Dave about how his life as a musician led him to launch his farmers market business Baby Clydesdale Small Batch Hot Sauce. Dave also shares helpful insight into successful branding, attractive packaging, and honing his sales skills.
Oct 19, 2020•47 min•Ep. 109
On this episode of Tent Talk we reveal some preliminary details of the fifth annual InTents: The Farmers Market Conference! Save the date for our live, online event February 15-18, 2021! We also answer some questions from our Farmers Market Pros Community about touchless shopping, vendors who've tested positive for COVID, and holding on to applications and market documents. Join us for an info-packed episode!
Oct 12, 2020•30 min•Ep. 108
This week on Tent Talk we're joined by Lihlani Nelson, Associate Director and Research Fellow at the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at Vermont Law School. In cooperation with the Farmers Market Coalition, the Vermont Law School developed the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit, which provides free legal resources, best practice recommendations and case studies. In this episode we discuss free speech issues at the farmers market and what market managers can do to reduce common legal risks. To a...
Oct 05, 2020•49 min•Ep. 107
This week on Tent Talk, co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine discuss what happens when the management of an established farmers market changes. In this year full of changes that may be happening even more than in the past, for a variety of reasons. Whether you're a longtime market manager considering your exit strategy, a new manager who's inheriting a market, or a farmers market vendor curious about all that goes into a changing of the guard, you'll find this episode helpful! Listen along for tips...
Sep 28, 2020•36 min•Ep. 106
Way back in February we had the privilege of meeting Tamara Cameron, market manager for the Boise Farmers Market, at InTents: The Farmers Market Conference. Much has changed since we last spoke, so this week, Tamara joined us on Tent Talk to share how she's forging ahead with her market season, despite the trials of COVID-19. By implementing new software programs, harnessing an impressive volunteer force and producing a creative socially-distanced fundraising event, Tamara has turned her seasona...
Sep 21, 2020•42 min•Ep. 105
This week on Tent Talk our guest is Darian Washington, creator and operator of Oatmeal & Company, based in Austin, Texas. After her corporate job took an unexpected turn, Darian and her young son turned their side hustle into a thriving business at local farmers markets. Listen along to hear the inspiring story behind Darian's leap into farmers market success!
Sep 14, 2020•41 min•Ep. 104
This week Brijet, Catt and Justine answer some tough questions from Tent Talk listeners and members of the Farmers Market Pros Community. Listen along for tips on how to handle CPR certification and first aid at the market, managing gift certificates, and longtime vendors returning to markets after a COVID hiatus. Do you have a question you'd like us to answer on Tent Talk? Drop us a line at connect@farmersmarketpros.com or dm us on Instagram @farmersmarketpros.
Sep 07, 2020•41 min•Ep. 103
Since farmers market managers across the country are dealing with fires, floods and pandemics, we decided to revisit our conversation with Sara Matlin of Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market from last summer. On this Best of Tent Talk episode, we discuss how to manage a market in an region with extreme temperature variances and enlisting the help of volunteers and interns to keep your market functioning. Want more Tent Talk content and access to extended interviews? Become a Farmers Market Pro member...
Aug 30, 2020•36 min•Ep. 102
This week we welcome back Chris Quinlan, our trusty farmers market conference friend and creator of market management software MarketWurks . In Episode 4 of Tent Talk, Chris shared his experience during his 8-year tenure managing the Whistler Farmers Market in British Columbia. These days, Chris devotes himself full time to running Marketwurks, and consulting with farmers market managers to make their operations more efficient. On this episode, we catch up with Chris about how he's assisting mar...
Aug 24, 2020•25 min•Ep. 101
The Farmers Market Pros are thrilled to release the 100th episode of Tent Talk, the farmers market podcast. Over the last 2+ years co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine have had some incredibly enlightening conversations with farmers, food makers, market managers, policy experts and each other. In this episode we celebrate by sharing our favorite episodes and also make a few exciting announcements about new Farmers Market Pros projects that we've got brewing. We hope you'll join us this week, and th...
Aug 16, 2020•49 min•Ep. 100
This week on Tent Talk, our guest is Greg Plotkin, Digital Communication Manager for American Farmland Trust, an organization focusing protecting agricultural land, promoting environmentally sound farming practices, and keeping farmers on the land. Greg shares how farmers markets can participate in AFT’s 2020 Farmers Market Celebration, now underway. We also chat about the connection between farmers markets and agricultural conservation and how American Farmland Trust is supporting farmers throu...
Aug 10, 2020•38 min•Ep. 99
The USDA recognizes more than 3,500 farmers markets and direct farm marketing organizations as eligible to accept SNAP-EBT, though many markets don't. With record numbers of people out of work or underemployed during COVID-19, these programs are even more important than ever. On this episode of Tent Talk, co-hosts Catt, Brijet and Justine talk about how accepting SNAP-EBT at farmers markets not only increases food security, but can also bolster vendor sales. Also, happy National Farmers Market W...
Aug 03, 2020•35 min•Ep. 98
This week on Tent Talk, we’re checking in with Maya Madsen of Maya’s Cookies to hear all about surviving and thriving after an unexpected large boost in her Black owned farmers market business! Maya updates us on all that her business has been through these past few months. Listen along to hear about Maya's hurdles, wins, losses, celebrity shout outs, missed calls from Netflix execs, supply chain issues, awesome customers, coming back to the farmers markets and on and on!...
Jul 27, 2020•57 min•Ep. 97
In preparation for National Farmers Market Week, which is coming up August 2-8, our guest this week is Stephanie Fenty, Manager of Operations and Strategic Engagement at the Farmers Market Coalition. We talk about all the different ways markets can participate (while still adhering to COVID-19 safety regulations) and the amazing promotional resources the Farmers Market Coalition provides. You can download the free National Farmers Market Week Resources and Templates toolkit at farmersmarketcoali...
Jul 20, 2020•30 min•Ep. 96
In various parts of the country, farmers markets are still open, just opening, operating differently with drive throughs or curbside pickups or not opening at all. This week on Tent Talk, we’re talking with Ashlie Pesic, the farmers’ daughter at Da Le Ranch, about staffing to sell at multiple farmers markets and pivoting during COVID-19. Da Le Ranch is a Southern California meat and poultry farming operation that operates in several counties and cities, so they continue to deal with a variety of...
Jul 13, 2020•47 min•Ep. 95
This week on Tent Talk, co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine talk about the importance of vendor education. When new vendors take courses such as Vendor-101, or have a general knowledge of what it takes to sell at the farmers' market, it lays a strong foundation for a successful farmers market business future! Listen along for tips on where to start if you have no experience as a vendor, or if you're a market manager, how to launch a vendor education course of your own.
Jul 06, 2020•30 min•Ep. 94
Farmers’ market managers and vendors are dealing with even more than the usual regulations, physical labor and day to day jobs right now. In these trying times, when we can't gather in person, online communities provide some much needed support. For this week's episode of Tent Talk, we chat with some of the members of our Farmers’ Market Pros Facebook community about how your tribe of market industry people can provide support online and off.
Jun 29, 2020•46 min•Ep. 93
This week on Tent Talk, co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine catch up on what's been going on in farmers' market communities across the country. From face masks and contingency plans to the nuances of social media messaging for your farmers' market, this episode covers a lot of ground! Listen along for tips and tricks from your farmers' market pros.
Jun 22, 2020•48 min•Ep. 92
Listen along to this week's episode of Tent Talk for an in-depth conversation between co-host Catt and Erin Tormey, farmer and director of Coastside Farmers Markets, recorded at the California Small Farms Conference back in February. They chat about creative ways to pull in farmers' market sponsorships and the reciprocal benefits of community-supported markets.
Jun 15, 2020•37 min•Ep. 91
On this week's episode, Tent Talk co-hosts have an important conversation about the civil unrest taking place in many parts of the country and what that means for farmers markets. "Farmers market people are people who do things. Let’s band together. Let’s work for change." - Catt Fields White, founder of Farmers Market Pros Black Lives Matter.
Jun 07, 2020•46 min•Ep. 90
This week on Tent Talk, we’re replaying our inspirational 2019 interview with Eric Dobbs of Seven Seas Roasting Company. Eric’s passion for coffee led him from the military and law school to Vendor-101 and the farmers market where he launched his coffee roasting business. A few years later, Seven Seas is still in farmers markets even now that they have 2 successful brick and mortar coffee shops.
Jun 01, 2020•48 min•Ep. 89
As areas begin to reopen and loosen restrictions surrounding COVID-19, many farmers' markets are reopening for the summer season. This week on Tent Talk, co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine discuss how reopening cities, businesses and public spaces may impact farmers' market operations.
May 25, 2020•27 min•Ep. 88
This week on Tent Talk, co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine look on the bright side and discuss the silver linings they've discovered in spite of the many changes farmers markets have faced in the last few months. Listen along for a sliver of optimism!
May 17, 2020•36 min•Ep. 87
On this week's episode of Tent Talk, we hear from Daniel and Kasi Haire of the Nolensville Farmers’ Market in Nolensville, Tennessee about how they implemented a drive-through format to adjust to new farmers market health and safety guidelines.
May 10, 2020•38 min•Ep. 86
On this week's episode of Tent Talk, co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine catch up with with Maya Madsen of Maya’s Cookies . They discuss how farmers market food makers are coping with stay-at-home orders, farmers market restrictions, and pivoting to online sales. Listen along for tips from Maya on how her business is surviving and thriving amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
May 03, 2020•48 min•Ep. 85
We’re still talking about the current public health emergency since, like everyone else, farmers, food makers, and farmers market managers are still operating under conditions that change daily. On this week's episode, we chat with Christine Farren, Executive Director of CUESA , about how to cover operations costs when your farmers market has been modified to operate under current public safety guidelines. Listen along for creative ideas on new revenue streams, fundraising, and utilizing volunte...
Apr 26, 2020•31 min•Ep. 84
Stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders are still impacting the lives of farmers market managers, small farmers, food makers, and…everybody in the whole world. On this week's episode Catt, Brijet and Justine discuss some of the nuts and bolts of dealing with reformatted farmers markets as we enter the frayed nerves stage of COVID-19.
Apr 20, 2020•34 min•Ep. 83
While many states, cities and counties have different rules about keeping farmers markets open during COVID-19, on this week's episode of Tent Talk, we chat about the important role farmers markets play and why they should be considered one of the "essential" businesses allowed to remain open.
Apr 13, 2020•25 min•Ep. 82
In this week's episode, Catt, Brijet and Justine discuss the impact of COVID-19 on farmers markets and how market managers, farmers and food producers are pivoting their businesses to adapt.
Mar 30, 2020•40 min•Ep. 81
