So you want to join a farmers' market..

So you want to join a farmers’ market. Not sure where to start/what to expect? Read on!

Alright so first things first.. majority of vendors at a farmers’ market are self-employed. It’s a great place to market and sell your goods without high overhead costs that come with a brick-and-mortar location.

I have also seen charities and companies set up booths for promotion, so you don't necessarily have to be self-employed to be set up at a farmers' market.

Second, choose your market schedule based on what you’re selling. If you are selling vegetables, flowers, or any perishable foods/baked goods, it is in your best interest to be a full-time vendor at one market. People who are coming to buy their weekly groceries want to know you will be there every week. It takes time to built trust with your customers and establish a reliable reputation at a market.

What you put in will be given back to you: if you are reliable, you will develop loyal customers. We moved farms at the beginning of this season and were blown away with how many of our customers were waiting for us at market when we returned (much later than usual). Loyalty is mutual.

If you are selling art, body products, candles, jewelry (basically any hand-crafted creation), switching up markets can be in your best interest because you will grow your brand. By doing pop-ups at different markets, you are expanding your clientele, and, if you do online sales, can then direct said clientele to your passive-income website. It’s not as necessary to be a full-time weekly vendor when selling these types of good because most people aren’t buying these items on a weekly basis. Soap/body products may be an exception.

And lemme just say, this is all just my personal observation. It may be in your best interest to be a full-time/part-time vendor at the same market because of location, accessibility, availability etc. So don’t let my little blog post here deter you if you are feeling differently. It totally depends on your situation!

Third point I’d like to make is longevity. Set yourself up for longevity. Don’t jump into markets prematurely & end up driving yourself into the ground. Yes, farmers’ markets are a great place to start your business, but you need to have some momentum behind you before making the commitment. Markets can be a lot, (especially in the beginning), and if your supply isn’t steady or you aren’t mentally committed to the time it takes, you will struggle. Again, this could be more for the weekly vendor game.

Slow and steady! It took us a full season of learning how to grow volume, and then another full season of wholesaling before we felt ready to go to the farmers’ market. And although we could have gone earlier (& probably been totally fine), I am glad we took it slow, because the entire process has felt very natural and expansive. We have been growing at a rhythmical pace with the market.

There are many factors that can lead one to become a farmers’ market vendor. It is a beautiful way to integrate yourself & build resilience amongst your community. It is the highest quality/freshest stuff you can buy, because it is all (for the most part) grown or crafted by the hands that sell it to you. Pretty cool.

I feel much gratitude to be a part of the Amherstburg Farmers’ Market and I appreciate the time we have put into it. We are nearing the end of our third season with this market, and I am glad we took the leap.

If you are considering joining a farmers’ market, know this: you will work very hard & it will sometimes feel like a grind, but you will also be rewarded financially, emotionally & spiritually by the experiences and lessons you learn. Ya ya cheesy, I know. But that’s really all there is to it. Work hard, eat well, love & be loved by your community.

Get your feet wet, try a market, do a pop-up, see how it all feels.

Please drop a comment below if you have questions about joining a market, being a vendor, or anything related to the farmers’ market game.

Keep grinding, keep growing. Thanks for reading, you are awesome!

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