Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: Questions for the group - farmers market association

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Jill Taylor Bussiere" <jdt AT itol.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Questions for the group - farmers market association
  • Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 08:18:48 -0600

ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=unicode" http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.2919.6307" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Our farmer's market was started by a volunteer group - the Kewaunee County Agricultural Tourism Association.&nbsp; We picked a bad location, however beautiful it was, and for three years were lacking one of the three elements Del mentions below - customers.&nbsp; We moved to the nearest downtown city 3 years ago, and were received with much enthusiasm by the city.&nbsp; The market has been doing well since.&nbsp; It is a very small city, and a very small market, but it works for us.</FONT></DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Also, Del's mention of vendors willing to work within the rules is important too.&nbsp; In our little market, several of the vendors were continually challenging the rules - wanting to come at different times, wanting to set up in different spots, upset when they were asked to follow state regulations, etc.&nbsp; It sure made me not want to be a market coordinator anymore, and yet I have worked with this market for 6 years, and although almost gave it up last fall due to burnout, am feeling reenergized, and not willing to give it up - we have a very unique market - it's requirements are local produce, grown by the vendors, as well as crafts that reflect ethnic, historic, or agricultural elements.&nbsp; The crafts must also be made by the vendor.&nbsp; We still have the support of the agricutural tourism board mentioned above, as well as the enthusiasm of the city.</FONT></DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jill</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>Leslie,</FONT></DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>There are two (maybe 3) groups you ought to approach for assistance and development of a farmers' market.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>Our market was developed and organized with the assistance of a USDA Farm Service Agency employee.&nbsp; Your USDA office may have someone whose responsibilities may include this type of assistance.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>The cooperative extension.&nbsp; In some states or localities, the extension service believes that it has a responsibility to help growers develop direct marketing outlets for farm products.&nbsp; The most help we get from our local extension is a room for our market association meetings.&nbsp; They don't always have the staff or the interest.</FONT></DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>There is an old (1987) cooperative extension service publication from the University of Illinois called "Establishing a Community Farmers' Market" (authors, J. W. Courter, C. M. Sabota, and Lee Rife).&nbsp; If I can find it on their website (doubt it) I'll pass along the address.&nbsp; Otherwise, I'd be happy to mail you a copy.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>This&nbsp;publication discusses organizing and securing&nbsp;local support as well as other issues like selecting a location, legal rules, sales tax collection etc.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>Finally, consider working with the town, city or village that has a location you already like or to select a location.&nbsp; We worked with the City of Kankakee Development Corporation to get our market started.&nbsp; They were really happy to have us downtown.&nbsp; Honestly, the other towns didn't want us enough to give us any help at all.&nbsp; I am very happy we ended up in Kankakee because of the city's support and enthusiasm.</FONT></DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>Well, one more thing.&nbsp; You need to think about the development of three groups to&nbsp;have a successful farmers' market:&nbsp; a local sponsor (like a town or city),&nbsp;growers/producers who will regularly sell their produce/eggs/meat etc. at the market and agree to work within the association's rules, and customers.&nbsp; Without any one of these, it will be difficult to develop and maintain a good market.</FONT></DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>Del Williams</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>Farmer in the Del</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>Clifton IL</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>


Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page