And just like that, 2021 is coming to a close! This week on Tent Talk we look back on all we accomplished this year and chat about our favorite episodes from the last 12 months. We also reflect on how well we did with our New Years Resolutions we made last December and set new goals for 2022. This week's episode is made possible by support from Vendor-101 and our incredible Tent Talk listeners (like you!). Happy Holidays!
Our guest this week is Charlie Blonkenfeld, founder and owner of Bagelfeld's Bagels in Phoenix, Arizona. Charlie launched his bagel business in 2020 and he’s found a devoted following at farmers markets across the Phoenix area. His bagel operation quickly outgrew his rented commercial kitchen, so he launched a Kickstarter to cover the costs of expanding production and a brick and mortar location. Listen in to hear us talk about the trials and tribulations of launching a new business venture, the...
We're so glad to welcome back our farmers market friend and unofficial 4th host of Tent Talk, Maya Madsen, owner & founder of Maya's Cookies! Maya just celebrated the 6th anniversary of launching Maya's Cookies and 1 full year since she opened her first brick and mortar location. In this episode we check in with Maya to see how she's holding up during her busiest time of year and we talk about the benefits of non-farmers market foodie events like vegan festivals and holiday pop-ups. As alway...
Creating an end of year report for your farmers market is a great way to reflect on all that you've accomplished in the last year and can also be a helpful tool to communicate the impact your market makes in your community. This week on Tent Talk we discuss how to develop an annual report, what an annual report looks like, and who to share it with. We also chat about how to collect farmers market data and what to include in your end of year report if you don't have any hard numbers. This week's ...
This week our guest is Stefanie Stauffer, farmers market manager at the year-round Ann Arbor, Michigan Farmers Market, where farmers and vendors have been bringing fresh produce, farm products, prepared foods and artisan items to their community for 102 years! In our conversation, Stefanie tells us about the history behind this long-lived local institution and what it's like operating a market that's run by the Parks Department. We also chat food access and longterm DEI initiatives in farmers ma...
This week on Tent Talk we're joined by Beth Satterwhite, farmer at Even Pull Farm a small, first-generation farm offering responsibly-grown produce and cut flowers in Yamhill Valley, Oregon. Beth and her partner Erik have been farming since 2014 and are a mainstay at the McMinnville Farmers Market. A few seasons ago they transitioned away from a traditional CSA and now offer a unique market share program. Their pre-pay system makes it easy for their regulars and helps cover the farm's operation ...
There's no better time than the end of the calendar year to update your farmers market budget! This week on Tent Talk, we chat about the need for a realistic and accurate budget and how it can help you grow your business. We'll also give you some tips for staying within that budget and how to make those tough decisions if you find yourself overspending. Making a budget for your business doesn't have to be scary! This week's episode is made possible by support from Gusto.
It's November 1st and the end of year holiday countdown has begun! This week on Tent Talk we discuss how to make the most of the holidays at your farmers markets. We cover how to address tricky scheduling challenges, promotion and marketing opportunities for your market, and some vital holiday event logistics. Make those lists and check them twice! This week's episode is made possible by support from Food Business Success.
For farmers market vendors operating on tight budgets, purchasing the tools or inventory necessary to get their business running at a higher capacity can be an on-going challenge. If only they had a couple thousand dollars, they could really push things to the next level! This week our guest is Jenny Heck, market manager at Mill City Farmers Market in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jenny oversees the Next Stage Grant Program, which was launched in 2013 to provide funding to local farmers market vendors...
It’s that time of year again! Kids are going back to school, tourists are starting to head home, and there’s a slight chill in the air. Since many farmers markets across the country are wrapping up their 2021 seasons soon, this week we're sharing tips for closing out your market season on a high note and what to do during the “off season” to make next year even more successful. This week's episode is made possible by support from Vendor-101.
Our guest this week is Vendor-101 grad, Libby Lefanowicz, the owner, founder and Chief Maker of plant-based desserts at Kula Ice Cream. In 2019, Libby founded San Diego’s first and only completely gluten-free and vegan ice cream company with a catch… her dairy-free frozen dessert actually tastes like real ice cream! In this episode Libby explains how she juggles increasing production and developing new flavors while also selling at multiple farmers markets a week, the importance of a well-traine...
This week on Tent Talk our guest is Ashley Drakeford of The Capital Market in Capitol Heights, Maryland. As a 6th generation resident of Prince Georges County, she is deeply committed to seeing her community thrive and spearheading equitable change through access to fresh and healthy food. In this episode Ashley shares the story behind The Capital Market and the role it plays in bringing food justice and equity to her community. We also chat about the importance of vendor training and The Capita...
It's been 18 months since the first round of COVID-19 shutdowns and some farmers markets that closed in response to the pandemic are just now starting to reactivate, or are planning to do so in 2022. But reopening a farmers market isn't as simple as flipping a switch! There's a lot that goes into jumpstarting a market that has been dormant. This week Catt, Brijet and Justine talk about what it takes to reopen an inactive market, from recruiting vendors to community outreach. This week's episode ...
Our guests this week are Jonathan Przybyl and Amanda Abou-Eid, owners and bakers at Proof Bread in the Phoenix, Arizona metro area. Jon and Amanda took over an existing farmers market and wholesale bakery business in 2017 when their favorite bread vendor decided to retire. After four years of baking in their garage, Proof Bread has expanded into a commercial bakery space and is now sold at 5 weekly markets across Arizona. Tune in this week to hear Jon and Amanda's incredible story of how they've...
This week on Tent Talk our guest is Punita Patel, owner and chief buffalo milker at Backyard Buffalo. Punita raises water buffalo and sells gorgeous Indian specialty foods at farmers markets in Jacksonville Florida, while advocating for sensible regulation of small, local dairies. In this episode we chat about balancing farmers market dreams with reality, how to adjust your product line to fill the needs of consumers, and what market managers and market vendors can do to ensure everyone succeeds...
Happy Labor Day weekend! The Farmers Market Pro Team is taking the holiday weekend off and we're revisiting an episode from early 2020, when Catt and Katie Green of Wild Hare Organic Farm met up at the Washington State Farmers Market Association Conference in Tacoma. They chatted about what makes a great farmers market from a farmer's point of view and how Katie juggles markets, farming, a successful CSA program, and family life. This week's episode is made possible by support from American Farm...
Tune into Tent Talk this week for another round of questions and answer from our Farmers Market Pros online community! Catt, Brijet and Justine dive deep into updating farmers market sampling protocols, managing EBT/SNAP and market match programs, making sure your farmers market is ADA compliant, how to keep people from driving through your market during operating hours, and much more! This week's episode is made possible by support from MarketWurks.
Our guest this week is Andrew Plotsky, Creative Director at Farmrun, a creative studio in Vermont that works with all types of clients (from food and agriculture to politics and culture) to develop brand strategy, logos, and web design. Farmrun is located at Stitchdown Farm, which Andrew co-owns and co-operates with his wife, where they grow specialty cut flowers and offer floral design for all occasions. In this episode we chat about what a brand is, common branding mistakes new business owners...
If you build it they will come. But if you tell them where you built it, chances are more people will show up! This week on Tent Talk we're going back to the basics on farmers market marketing. A combination of social media, email newsletters, print advertising, and community engagement can drive excitement about and attendance at your weekly farmers market. This week's episode is made possible by support from InTents: the Farmers Market Conference. Join us March 7-9, 2022, in San Diego, Califor...
This week on Tent Talk we're joined by sustainability expert, educator and social entrepreneur Dianna Rose. In addition to running her own zero-waste catering company, Jars of Delight, Dianna founded the only farmers market in Queens, New York! Sovereign Markets, brings food equity to New York City’s Queens communities, while amplifying local businesses and culture. Tune in to hear how Dianna is growing her urban farmers market, fostering social enterprise and creating food sovereignty in her ho...
This week we discuss how to re-establish farmers market systems and protocols that were modified or may have fallen by the wayside as market managers were focused on enforcing COVID regulations. Now that many markets have moved away from density limits, social distancing, and mask enforcement, it’s time to reinstate some standard farmers market systems and ways of doing things that we abandoned during the insanity of the last year and a half! This week's episode is made possible by support from ...
Across the country we're seeing record-breaking heatwaves, summer downpours and an early start to fire season. As extreme weather becomes more and more common, farmers market operators have to get creative and develop contingency plans to keep their farmers market up and running while also keeping their farmers, vendors and shoppers safe. In this episode we discuss how to handle inclement weather and other environmental issues that impact your outdoor farmers market. This week's episode is made ...
It's almost that time again! National Farmers Market Week 2021 is coming up in just a couple weeks. Since last year most market managers were barred from doing anything fun at farmers markets, this year we are going to make National Farmers Market Week extra extra special! Tune in to hear Catt, Brijet and Justine share various ways you can get your whole community involved in the festivities. This week's episode is made possible by support from the Farmers Market Coalition.
There’s a lot of talk among farmers market operators about how to bring diversity, equity and inclusion into the farmers market space, and a lot of confusion about how to do that. This week on Tent Talk we dive deep into this topic with our guest Shiny Flanary, a Black, queer farmer at Scrapberry Farm, the Director of Markets at Black Food Sovereignty Coalition and the founder and manager of Come Thru Market, a Black and Indigenous market in Portland, Oregon. In this episode Shiny shares how and...
Our guest this week is Kendall Ballantine, farmer and owner of Central Park Farms in British Columbia, Canada. Kendall is a first-generation farmer who has built a devoted customer base through a combination of farmers market hustling and effective digital marketing. In addition to raising livestock full-time, Kendall shares her digital marketing expertise via Instagram, group coaching and online workshops. In this episode we chat about the cross promotional opportunities the farmers market prov...
Farmers markets are like big families and occasionally you have to say goodbye to a loved one. It's not only a difficult situation for your market staff and vendors, but it can be confusing and sad for shoppers as well. This week on Tent Talk we discuss what happens when a farmers market vendor moves on or passes away and how to support your farmers market community through sad goodbyes. This week's episode is make possible by support from the Farmers Market Coalition.
It isn't often that we get to chat with reality television stars, so we were very excited when we found out that Top Chef Season 18 contestant Sasha Grumman had launched her new business at farmers markets in Houston! This week on Tent Talk, we learn all about Sasha’s Focaccia (what a perfect name!) and what it's like to transition from back of house to front of tent. She also shares her 2 year, 5 year and 10 year plan and the logic behind using the farmers market as a launching pad for her new ...
This week on Tent Talk we check in with Christine Farren, Executive Director of CUESA (operators of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market since 1999). We spoke with Christine back in April of 2020 as farmers markets around the country were scrambling to stay open under the threat of a public health emergency. After a year of running a curated market box and pick-up service, CUESA is evolving and adapting their market box program to better serve their shoppers, vendors and farmers market community. List...
Farmers markets come in all different shapes and sizes, depending on the communities they serve. Some are big, some are small, some urban, some rural, some seasonal and some year round! This week our guest is Megan Harris, market manager for the Downtown South Boston Farmers Market in Virginia. Megan started her farmers market journey as a farmer and vendor, but now she is a full-time market manager and feels like she's found her true calling in life! In this episode we learn about what it's lik...
Our guest this week is Darlene Wolnik, Farmers Market Support Program Director at the national Farmers Market Coalition and official farmers market Data Wizard! Darlene has worked with FMC since its inception and currently oversees market support projects including network facilitation, development of the farm-direct portion of the GusNIP Hub, Farmers Market Metrics data collection and evaluation resources, and risk management tools including the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit. In this episode Dar...
