Table of Contents: The New Farmers’ Market, 2nd Edition

Introduction

PART I: Selling at the Market

1 Getting Ready for Market

Do Farmers’ Markets Fit Into Your Marketing Plan? 8
Advantages of Selling at a Farmers’ Market 9
Disadvantages of Selling at a Farmers’ Market 12
Checking Out the Markets 14
Choosing Crops & Products for Farmers’ Markets 20
Business Incubator 28
The Quality Harvest 31
Preparing for Market 37

2 Running Your Farmers’ Market Business

Keeping Records 40
Staffing the Booth 42
Setting Prices 44
Pricing Techniques 49

3 Your Farmers’ Market Retail Storefront

Building the Store 52
Sales Floor 54
Logistics 58

4 Display

Vertical Displays 64
Display Fixtures 66
Themes 70

5 Merchandising

Appealing to the Senses 73
Abundance 79
Packaging 82
Say It With Signs 85

6 Sales and Promotion

It’s a People Business 94
Improving Your Service 96
Promotion 108
Websites & Social Media 110

Part II: Managing a Market

7 Starting a Market

Why Start a Farmers’ Market? 115
Attracting Farmers 119
Location 123
Timing 130
Management Structure 135
Organizer & Market Manager 138
Budget 143

8 Managing the Market

Day-To-Day Concerns 148
Management Issues 158

9 Promoting the Market

Market Demographics 179
Advertising 181
Publicity 190
Newsletters 200
Websites 202
Social Media 207
Special Events 213
Tastings 214
Educational Events 222
Children’s Events 224
Special Promotions 224
Holidays 225
Promotion Evaluation 227
Fundraisers 228
Community Involvement 231

Part III: The New Farmers’ Market

10 Embracing the Community

Educating the Public About Local Agriculture
& Farmers’ Markets 238
Community Connections 247
Community Outreach 258
Surveys 261

11 Adding to the Product Mix

12 Expanding the Vision

Friends of the Market 291
Farmers’ Market Coalition (FMC) 292
The Farmers’ Market Forum: Issues for Internal Discussion 296
The Farmers’ Market Forum: Issues for Public Discussion 298
New Relationships With Hope 309