Market Farming

[Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>]

I also often set up an E-Z up by myself, and don't think I'm particularly strong (I'm 56 and female). I leave the canopy on the frame, I just pull back the corners so there's less tension on the frame until it's opened out. I usually ask one of the other vendors to hold one end while opening it enough to get the locking pins in place, then take it alone from there. Once when I was actually the first one at market I just bungee strapped one end to something so I could pull it out enough to get the locking pins; that's the only hard part about getting one up alone, because otherwise as you pull on one end the other tends to slide toward you, especially if you're on pavement rather than on grass.

You can put up one leg at a time as long as you start with adjacent legs; I have a rectangular version and usually do the legs on one long side first. As I'm also short, I pull the corners of the canopy back into place before putting the legs up. Mine has adjustable leg height, and I put all the legs up to the shortest height first, then come back around and put them up the rest of the way.

If the problem is that you have to carry it some distance and it's heavy for you, get a hand truck or something else with wheels. To make it easier to heave it in and out of the truck, it helps to have handles on the carry bag;  if your carry bag didn't come with any, you can sew some on, or put a strap around it, to make it easier to get a grip with good leverage.

I can put mine up alone in maybe 5 minutes. Years ago, before I gave up and paid the extra for an actual EZ Up, I bought a cheapie at a discount store. Luckily, I decided to practice putting it up before I took it to market. I did have someone to help that day, and two of us working together for an hour or more couldn't get that thing up. I took it back to the store (they did give me my money back).

I second the suggestion to keep the frame well lubricated; I use silicone spray on mine. 

I'll have to experiment with that shake-it-out-from-the-center technique. Probably I'll try it at home first.

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale

On Mar 17, 2008, at 8:36 PM, Kate Halstead wrote:

> <x-tad-smaller>I've used an E-Z up for years by myself at market. I'm barely 5-feet tall and cannot be described as strong. What has worked for me (don't get a lighter weight version, you'll regret it when it starts falling apart), is to set it up by getting underneath it in the middle (after attaching the canopy and getting it partially open) and push up the center and shake out the canopy until it stretches far enough to lock the corners in one by one. I've done it with the E-Z Up and with a cheaper lighter version and it was easier to do with the E-Z Up. You can actually pickup the whole weight of the E-Z Up by yourself if you do it from the center. The sides usually spread themselves out as soon as you get it off the ground a couple inches. However, if yours is really rusty from use, you may need to squirt some WD-40 on some of the hinged areas to get it to move smoothly. Do this at home without the cover on so you won't get it all greasy/stained.</x-tad-smaller>
>  
> <x-tad-smaller>Also, I've discovered that most other vendors are quite willing to give you the 1-minute of time needed to have 2 people set it up and be done with it. That's the most efficient/safest way.</x-tad-smaller>
>  
> <x-tad-smaller>Stay with the E-Z-Up. I still regret selling mine to someone else and replacing it with the Costco almost-the-same version. It's by far harder to set up with or without two people because of really cheap joints that don't want to do what they are supposed to do. Also the first time I used it, the center piece broke at the top and I've had to jury-rig it to stay together ever since.</x-tad-smaller>
>  
> <x-tad-smaller>Kate</x-tad-smaller>
> <x-tad-smaller>From:</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller> market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>On Behalf Of </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>Nancy Stumpf</x-tad-smaller>
> <x-tad-smaller>Sent:</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller> Monday, March 17, 2008 5:08 PM</x-tad-smaller>
> <x-tad-smaller>To:</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller> market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org</x-tad-smaller>
> <x-tad-smaller>Subject:</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller> [Market-farming] canopies</x-tad-smaller>
> <x-tad-smaller>I have a sturdy E-Z Up canopy that I used the last couple of years at market.  It requires some heft to put it up and I deferred the job to my stronger helper.  We purchased it because it would last and was less susceptible to wind gusts.  This year, I will be putting up my stand alone.  I would like to ask the list to share their experience with a lighter weight canopy.  Are there any that will give me the same sturdiness and useful life as the EZ Up?</x-tad-smaller>
> <x-tad-smaller> </x-tad-smaller>
> <x-tad-smaller>Thanks</x-tad-smaller>
> <x-tad-smaller> </x-tad-smaller>
> <x-tad-smaller>Nancy in SE WI</x-tad-smaller>_______________________________________________