Market Farming

[Harriet Allen <hattie_allen AT yahoo.com>]

Our market is a 501 (c)(3).  Yes it is hard to get that designation...at least it was for us.  We were really scrutinized.  If the board is composed of all farmers, you shouldn't even try I don't think...Because you are then looked upon as clearly for profit...everything benefitting yourselves.  I think you need a bit broader vision than just the market itself to justify going to the trouble of getting the 501 (c)(3) nonprofit status.

 

We have an eight member board...all of whom do a lot of work all the time and I'm the ONLY grower on the board. We have events at every market...chef demos, recycling, childrens hour, etc.  We have a shelf at the library with books we have donated, we do a workshop for our farmers.  We partner with other nonprofits too at times to do things like films, selling water barrels for rainwater runoff, etc.  We offer scholarships to PASA to six farmers across the Delmarva peninsula.  I'm sure there is more, and we are careful to document everything for tax purposes.

 

The hard part is you can't let up on that stuff.  You have to keep at it and keep growing and that takes real dedication. We all seem sometimes on the verge of burnout, but then the "thing" we have created is doing so well that we rally and keep going.  We are trying to figure out how to spread the load, how to recruit new board members, how not to burn out our volunteers, and so on.

But, there are other ways to do the market.  It doesn't have to be a non-profit at all.  You can run it with just farmers...I know the Wedieger's help to run one in Kentucky and I believe it is farmer run.  So, there are different models, but one thing is these different models can all be producer-only if you want them to...We have also found that once you make an exception for a vendor it is difficult to take it back.  You really have to stick to your guns and treat each vendor the same.  Maintain your integrity and blame the fact that you have to say NO on the regulations, etc.

Hattie's Garden
31341 Kendale Rd.
Lewes, DE 19958

302-945-0350