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  • From: "Catherine S" <farmerwantabe AT hotmail.com>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] starting farmers market
  • Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2003 20:43:19 -0600

Thank you so much for the link, I've copied it. I wish I had this information this past season. It is definately helpful for anyone starting out or want to make changes in existing markets.

Last year was our first year to Market Farm and sell, our friends have been involved for several years market farming and helped us get started with the basic information needed to sell; table, baskets, scale etc. After our first day of selling, we/I were hooked. Ben was still a little scepticle, felt it was an awful lot of work for an average of $1.00 a pound. Started with 1/2 acre of assorted vegetables. He was raised working on hugh single crop farms, ie rice, and not familiar with 'vegetable gardening'. Much to his surprise when I came back from a few markets and reported on sales he started taking a stronger interest. The town we live in did not have a Farmers Market so we decided to see what could be done, contacted the Extension Agent, he was too busy to do the preparation of establishing a market and told me if I could find some farmers, he'd get us a location. I found 5 local farmers, made up a list of rules from another market and we started our market mid July. The extension agent ran an ad announcing the market, the day the market opened we all sold out within 2 hours! During the season we grew to 8 full time marketers and about 4 specialty vendors. The goal of all of us is to have as many local farmers distributing their vegetables through the market and avoid reselling type vendors (peddlers). We are excited about the potential our community and area has toward the Market and this information will be assisting me to help our Extension Agent to make sure we have the quality market we are all hoping for.

I've lurked on this board mostly but I'd like to tell all of you how much I've appreciated each of you sharing your knowledge and experiences. I look forward to when I can to the same.

Oh by the way, after Ben has seen how our first year as gone, he has tilled an acre of ground just for sweet corn. His goal is to be the first on the market with corn and sold out by July 4th.

Catherine

Middle Tennessee

www.conklin.com/site/thesimmonscompany



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  • Re: [Market-farming] starting farmers market, Catherine S, 12/19/2003

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