permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>]

I am copying this to the marketfarming list - LL

LINDARAY@att.net wrote:

> This will be great. May I suggest a topic for new posting on the
MarketFarm List?-
> Here it is: "How To Set Up And Start A Local Farmer's Market for
> urban areas which
don't already have one."

I will do this.
=====================
> I am thinking of a parking-lot weekend market, where several local
farmers (*possibly* maybe even backyard microfarmers) can set up stalls
with their produce and goods, in the same urban location.
======================

This is a good idea and definitely include backyard microfarmers having 
full vendor status; otherwise don't do the new market. Thiis includes 
growers who may be talented retirees needing the extra income to 
survive. In the true spirit of the 50's 60's 70's when there was a 
groundswell of interest in this kind of thing, do it.

=============
> e.g., insurance requirements (are there usually any?), permitting (by
================

You better believe it. Site insurance at the least. Otherwise you need 
to be incorporated and have insurance including possibly board of 
directors insurance; otherwise each vendor is liable to be sued 
individually.. One of the markets I am a member of is finally becoming 
incorporated, partly to avoid individual vendor liability.

Lawsuits from passersby or customers is a real possibility and you need 
to be fully insured. Of course you could locate in the parking lot of an 
existing business who might agree to provide you with all the necessary 
coverage. This is the case at another market near me.

Fools can win lawsuits when they caused their own problem, whatever it 
was, through their own stupidity.

I started my own market, briefly, bought the corporation and produced 
good extensive market operational guidelines and a list of vendors to 
sell there. We thought we had a location but it all fell through. I
had no intention of following through with board members and insurance 
so I dropped the project.

I have all the documentation I wrote for the new market plus printouts 
of the articles of incorporation for the other market I am member of.

========================
what entity?), difference in legal requirements (if any), between having
or not having prepared foods at the farmer's market, etc.
==========================

Vegetables and fruit, farm fresh, unprocessed are not subject to 
regulation, just common sense sanitation practices. Anything processed 
is subject to regulation by your state department of agriculture. Your 
facilities will have to be inspected by them. Meat is another issue, 
subject to its own set of regulations.

========================
> And- Are there good reasons NOT to do this? Looking for feedback from
any experienced folk...
========================

Only the liability and insurance issues, kitchen certification, need to 
be incorporated, and a few other issues. If you are a success and are 
not incorporated your market name can be stolen and incorporated by 
someone else. There are predatory unmentionable insignificant nonhumans 
all over the place who will do this and try to run you out of business 
too. I know this has happened here in my area, opposition to my starting 
a new market in my area from others not wanting the competition, still 
others who did try to steal one of my markets, mount a takeover coup 
from within, try to run us off our leased location with a fraudulent 
phony lease of their own and did steal our corporation name but we got 
it back after much time trouble and expense; we were ganged up on. So, 
be aware..

> Why? Because IMO we need more of them..

I hear you loud and clear.
You/we need to find a way to do this sort of thing. I mean, are we not 
in a depression (caused by the same unmentionable insignificant 
nonhumans)? and are people not in need of income stabilization? Easy 
questions to answer, easy solution:
grow the produce, take it to a location, advertise the market, sell to
appreciative customers who return each week, put money in the bank.

Need more info? just ask.
Better yet subscribe to the marketfarming list and ask there;
you'll get great feedback, most likely.

LL