I got a ez-up for $69.00 a couple years ago at Kmart. The price on them have really come down. I recomend an ezup type. No putting poles together and It can be put up by yourself. I do it once a week for my Wed market. We set up in a parking lot some vendors weigh theres down with sand bags But I tie mine to the camper of the truck and have had no trouble.
The Garlic Lady

Definitely go with the EZ up!
DD

I have a Caravan (with four sides) that I purchased at Costco for $195. It seems to be comparable to the EZUPs that other vendors have. Its also easier to set up than the older models. It came with a well-made bag with wheels and great handles, I use it and its kept the canopy clean between markets.

Since our market is windy, I use PVC pipe filled with concrete, attached with bungee cords to the legs to keep it from blowing over. We had one vendor last summer who's canopy went sailing even with two cinderblocks still attached to the legs! There were minor injuries to people and a car and destroyed her canopy.

I recommend it.
Wendy

I had an ez-up come over to my space last year. It was packing up time and had been no nasty wind. One leg went under my pickup and it was laying on side and I thought it would take my light tables out and I grabbed it as was standing right there. It did break a spoke or two in it and had hit him when he tried to hold in the back of the head. I did not have canopy and bought mine last Nov on sale at the sporting goods store. Not ez-up but goes up the same. Blue top. One guy has used one for 3 years and he got his sporting goods same brand. He was setting his up like 5 times week. Been okay. At the price I waited till on sale and had been $120 and marked down to $70. 8 x 8 as the bigger are too heavy. I have not used yet, I think it says sun canopy on the box but I can't remember the brand. No sides. I had a $60 gift certificate and time paid tax I got for $l5. It was hot last sume let me tell you out there with out. Stuff got hot too. They say you look better with one. We set up on lawn twice a week. Mine has some kind of little stakes. Pipe full of cement sound good idea. Here they can rent an ez-up it seems. One lady had a $20 canopy with the pipes you put together. Took her awhile to get it up. Had to have help really for it. I will have table across the front and down each side. It will not give me much space in middle. Here people can get between the vendors. So have front and side display.

be forwarned about the less expensive e-z ups - they are 10'
x 10' at the base but the canopy is smaller. the legs are at
an angle and you dont really get 10'x10' of stand space.

I know the legs on mine will be a bit out and not straight up and down. The other guy had a l0 by 10 this brand and did not go out much I could see. I thought could make it a bit more stable then straight up and down. I have not had out of box but one on display at the sporting store looked to me to be 8 x 8 okay. That I did not ask. Did ask if could get repair parts and they said yes. I had to go look at box. Box says 8 x 8 top and that is what I bought. Base will be 10 x 10. So this brand a 10 x 10 top should have a base of 12 x 12 I guess. I could not lift that metal stuff in a 10 x 10. Fun sun shade. I could lift box and that frame and top out of the car and put in the pickup. I sure did not want a $20 one and put it all together and this one guaranteed two years. I had to go check the box and see, So brands will measure it differently. Stan, I had to run out and look as if that top was smaller I would not get my tables in as planned. I can. That is a good thought to be sure and check buying.

We did some shopping yesterday, and neither K-Mart, Walmart, nor Target have any canopies at our local stores. Sam's had one--the EZ Up 10 X 10 Encore II, White only. The cost is $194.68, and included Nylon bag with wheels, 3 Way Awning w/sign holder and side walls. On line, I am seeing prices typically at $295 for the same set up. So...we will probably purchase one. Thanks so much for the feedback, and especially the warnings and suggestions for keeping the thing from taking flight.

One more question...we really wanted a different color of top. Has anyone ever tried "dying" it? The one on display at Sam's was marked up pretty bad, and I am sure ours will be before the season is over too.

Thanks,
Patty

Hi to fellow Marietta FM vendors from Victoria! Patty, I thought I may try stencils & fabric paints to "customize" my green market umbrella this year...maybe the same would work for your new canopy? Could stencil name/logo, pictures of veggies/flowers, or I may try ladybugs on mine...something catchy. Just an idea. Looking forward to another season at the Market...regards to you and Ron! Victoria

Hi Victoria! I am planning to call you today...no kidding! Thanks for the suggestions...those are great ideas. We are looking into having a banner made, but not sure if that is going to fit the budget. The main thing I do not like about the white canopy is how much they will show dirt. We had someone sugget that we buy "Sunbrella" materail and have a different top made. And I would love to do that, but again, the cost may postpone that option. I am really looking forward to the market this year. Talk to you soon...maybe in a few hours! ;-)

Patty

Banner Idea
I saw a banner at a festival I really liked and ask them where they bought it and to my surprise they made it. So I went home and made one for my farm.
Here is how
Rubbermade makes a thick shelf liner that is rubbery but looks like canvas but thicker. The only color I have seen is white or tan (I used Tan for mine) The lenght is perfect for a banner. I folded over the two ends about an inch and placed a gromet on the top and bottom of the fold and one in the middle. You can either buy stick on letters or paint with outdoor enamel paint. I painted my letters with green. The whole thing cost less than ten dollars and you can get all the suppies at Lowes.
I have had vendors ask where I "Bought" my banner, so it doesn't look homemade
They thing is once you have bought the paint and gromets you have extra and could make extra banners. I think I am going to make a couple new ones this year,one for "blackberries" and one for "tomatoes". So when we first get them in we will catch the eye of passer bys at our mid week market that is in a parking lot.
Garlic Lady

Great Garlic lady. I have paint around here and gromets too, so just need the shelf liner. We do have a Lowes down the road.

Wow...I cannot tell you how much we appeciate the response from everyone. Especially, you GarlicLady. Over the past year or so, every time we need help, you have offered us great advice.

Thanks so much,
Patty and Ron

Though this advice has nothing to do with a canopy it does apply to displays. I have sold at the local market and this year intend to offer live plants (garden crafts in the past, this year both). I am making wooden tote boxes to carry in my plants and I am painting the sides with the chalkboard paint you can find at any home improvement store. That way I can use chalk to write information directly on the sides of the boxes holding the merchandise.

Wow John, that is ingenious. What is in the water in NC that makes all of you guys so smart? Between you, the GarlicLady and NCTomatoman (from the tomato forum), y'all have all the answers!

Thanks for sharing that great idea.

Patty

I only recently moved to NC (originally from Oklahoma) so it can't be the water.

This is what happens on rainy days when you wander the aisles of Home Depot killing time.

We made a banner per Garlic Lady's instructions above for our display of heirloom tomato plants. Within 2 hours a man was asking where we got the banner!

We really wanted to use the same font that we use on our other literature, so Ron printed a paper banner with that font, and laid the Rubbermaid material on top of the banner. In order to see the outline, he had a light shining through them, by laying them on a raised screen. He said a piece of glass would have been much better; we just didn't have that laying around. Anyhow, it turned out great, and we really appreciate the suggestion.

Also, it was a very rainy day yesterday (and today) so we stopped by LoweÂs for more of the shelf-liner, and picked up some of the chalkboard paint. Can't wait to try that out, so thanks again to TriangleJohn as well!

Patty

That's great! I an glad it worked for you as well.
I need to make a new one because we changed the name from " __"Farm to "__ "Garlic Farm so it would be easier to find on the Web. Now we need a new sign, maybe I will try to paint our logo-a garlic on it this time.
The Garlic Lady

is setting up an e-z up a one person job?
i bought a different brand at lowes yesterday and when i set it up at home a plastic joint broke. are e-z ups less flimsy?

I found one of the 12x12 ft models for $99.00. See link.

Here is a link that might be useful: 12x12 ezup

Randy, one person can, and Ron has done it, but it is a breeze if someone can lend a helping hand for a minute or two. We have an Encore II model from Sam's and it is stronger than the models other vendors have at our market. The cost was almost $200, but when we see the frustration other vendors have putting their canopy up, we feel the money was well spent. Patty

My thought: spend the$$ & get the best ez up you can..the ez up 'express' is a piece of junk.

I often set up alone & can get the tent up in less thsn 5 minutes. New tents take a bit longer & reqire a little more muscle until they're broken in. We always say a new tent is good for adding another bra size!

i bought an ez up yesterday at sams and i can see that its made very well and it was pretty easy to set up and take down. it was $200. the only help i can use is spreading it out to set up and theres other vendors who wouldn't mind helping me for a couple of minutes.
i got "demoted" at the market i sell at to an unsheltered space because i didnt show up enough last year...even though i have been selling there longer than anyone.

Be sure and make provision to prepare for high winds with these tents.

Earlier this month a gust moved one enough to topple a table at our market. Gallons of blackberries, broken quarts of honey, cucumbers and all manner of veg mingled in a mass on the ground. If you have a permanent spot, I might suggest drilling and sinking a single anchoring eyebolt into the ground directly under the tent center and using a cable with turnbuckle to secure it. There are anchors which would allow the exyebolt to be removed after use. Probably the simplest method with no need for concrete lifting.

This season I was able to attach curved pipes which insert into the holes at the rear corners of my pickup truck bed, which is backed up to the sidewalk along which I set up my table. The pipes extend rearwards to creta a shelter behind the truck. I use this framework to suspend a tarp overhead. The rig was built with galvanized pipe found already bent at the junkyard, some spring clamps I use for woodworking, and a tarp which cost $5.00. It extends 5 ft behind the truck and is seven feet off the ground. Some customers have stopped by for the shade.

Tomorrow is expected to reach 100 degrees, and I'm adding an extra large tarp to increse the "comfort zone".

To Triangle John,

How do you make the wooden tote boxes?

To Triangle John,

How do you make the wooden tote boxes?

I bought the cheapest lumber I could buy and built them myself. They have held up well and people seem to like the entire-display-made-out-of-wood look... BUT, I am now thinking of changing to plastic bulb crates. My wooden boxes are about the same size and only a little heavier but they will need to be repainted every so often and eventually the wood will rot. So plastic bulb crates will give me the same carrying size but last longer, and I can stack them much higher in the truck so I can carry more plants to the market. They also cost the same.

One problem I've found is that the chalk board paint idea works fine but it is hard to keep up with when I am constantly shifting plants around to make my display look full or to cluster certain plants together to make them more appealing. What people really seem to read is the small sandwich boards I made as simple stand up signs painted black. I list off all the plants and prices and prop it up on the end of the display or on top at the corner. When I shift over to plastic bulb crates I will probably figure out a way to include a wooden plank painted black to keep up the chalkboard idea.

If you want to build them my suggestion would be to first measure your display tables or your transport vehicle so that you can plan out a way to fit the most boxes. I'm such a math nerd that I calculated everything including how many plants I can fit into each AND how many cuts I would have to make in an 8 foot board.

so i've used my ez up about 4 times now and its very easy even for one person to handle. highly recommended.