Market Farming

["" <herbthyme AT simcon.net>]

> Here in Southern Ohio we are having the State inspector follow the local 
health department checking on market practices. The information is changing 
week to week. Many vendors are annoyed (including me). It seems that now if 
any whole product (i.e. green beans) that is placed into a bag at the farm 
and brought to the market, it must have a cottage industry "home produced 
at, ingredients, and name and phone number". 

Adriana 


At the market I am at in Northeast Ohio, we just had our first visit from the 
Helath Dept last weekend.  I have produce, elderberry jam, dog bicuits and 
cornbread along with some other things.  But the produce I bag up once the 
customer has purchased it.  I bring it to market in quarts and sell them by 
the quart as I do not have a certified scale to use there.  They are going 
like hot cakes!  But he did catch me on the cornbread.  I have the labels all 
right with the Company name, address, and This product is home produced all 
in the right font, but I did not have a weight on it.  Then he came back to 
me after looking around, and said that he was not sure you had to have a 
"weight" on the package, just an amount, like 6 muffins.  Then he came back a 
3rd time and said that he was not sure and that he would have to give me a 
call!  Well, he did and he told me that with the Cottage Industry Law, they 
require you to have the weight on the label, so I asked about a scale.  They 
recommend that you have a certified scale, but are they going to come and 
check it, and he said no!!!  And those were his own words!  So I am just 
going to keep using the scale I have, which is almost right on the money and 
see what happens!!  It is a great law, but now they have to "teak" it to work 
better and suit more people. He also agreed with me on that! I do not agree 
with some of it but I don't want them to take it away either!  He did warn me 
that the Dept of Ag will be there along with someone from the state but of 
course did not say when!!!  

Courtney
Herb Thyme
Middlefield, Oh