hang fliers up in gas stations , laundry mats , second hand stores , even check to see if you can find a place to set up on a main road or near a mall

How gutsy are you? Are you going to try to get back into your market? How about putting up a sign, or several, outside of your old market area? How about walking around your old market handing out information.

You could make some people really upset or they won't care.

Just a crazy idea!

I forget if you have a farm name or not. If not, I would suggest putting a picture of yourself on your flyer. People remember faces.

Jay

I'm not sure how 'gutsy' I am. Kinda chicken. Yes my face is well known, either good or bad. One of the other vendor that has set next to me for years is willing to give out info if someone asks. Which I'm grateful, put don't want to get her kicked out too.

Farm name has just changed, how does Serenity Acres sound? Everyone says it's so peaceful on the farm, or at least people that don't live on it.

Marla

Marla,

How thick are the soles on your shoes!

I would send a Press Release to the local papers, that or a letter to the editor. The latter may be better, as you can explain, though not in great detail, what happened to put a real damper on you earning a livelihood and how consumers might want to consider patronizing a particular FM given how they treat long-term vendors, especially one who is trying to make the most given your circumstances. Editors really do have a soft spot for underdogs! Of course, you can end it with the good news you found a different place - just be subtle so it doesn't sound like a plug!

Visit each and every large employer and ask if you can hang a flier in a common area announcing where you will be at. Again, explain why you have to make a sudden change and that you already have thousands of plants growing. Again, appeal to the fact that you are trying to survive a bad change in circumstances. Always be honest - if you didn't follow the rules to a T, let them know, but also let them know the FM didn't have a word to say last year and even cashed your check this year.

Contact organizations - Senior Citizens, Kiwanis, Eagles, Veteran Groups, PTAs, churches. Advertising in their newsletters, bulletins, publications, etc., is usually very inexpensive but visible. Or offer to talk at a meeting about gardening, Farmers Markets, whatever.

Stick fliers in every place that you can. Again, let the business owner know what happened and why you need to get the word out. Shucks, if you need to, offer to bring them an early season, locally-grown, ripe tomato or two.

One other possible option - contact the local paper and see if they may be interested in a weekly article related to gardening, especially as it relates to produce. Each week, give advice about how to deal with the weather, what can be planted, when to harvest, how and what to fertilize with. You end each article with a short bio about you and your credentials, as well as where you sell at!

Mike

All above suggestions are very good. You could also go the electronic route. Most of my customers found me through Local Harvest. At first, you'll get a lot of curious folks, but once you get known, the customers go to work for you. MANY people suggest Facebook. I am technological idiot--I'd rather play in the dirt--still there are opportunities out there that should be taken advantage of.

Marla, are you going to allow folks to pick from your garden or are you going to pick it all yourself and sell it at your stand. If you are going to allow folks to pick from a few of your crops, then I would register your farm with "pickyourown.org" as well as with Local Harvest.

For us Facebook and email accounts are our best and cheapest (free) way to get the word out. Also, do you have a web site yet? That's definitely a must as people will feel much more comfortable about visiting your farm if they can see what you offer first before they take the drive to see you. Also, make sure to include plenty of farm pictures to set the stage. It's also a great way to collect email addresses. For examples of both, you can look at our Facebook page under "Barber Berry Farm" and you can find our web site by googling our farm name.

If you have any questions on how to do either, just let me know.

Hope this helps,

Ken Barber
Millbrook AL

Thanks Ken. I have set up a localharvest account, but am not planning a upick at this time. Basically due to insurance needs and the worry about stomping of plants by those who don't understand that plants really don't like to get stomped on.

I don't understand facebook or twitter, so haven't tried them yet. I'm still the typewriter age, with alittle computer thrown in.

We have decided to do a couple smaller farmers markets this year, the kind you just set up when you have produce, no restrictions.

Marla

hi marla, forget the farmers markets as I did several years ago. The sympathy will not be there to waste time telling your story about the past. Start fresh with your own farm stand and personal service, your own home grown produce supplemented with amish grown produce. You will be suprised how you can improve your sales over the farmers market by having people come to you 7 days a week to your on farm stand, all you need is a constant supply of fine produce. The rat race and the rats will soon be history and you will again enjoy the produce business and country life. All farm stands of any size in my area supplement their own produce with outside grown produce usually amish, People that look down at all vegetables except at what they grow need a closer look, in many cases these growers veggies would not even command a bid at a amish auction house. I sell mine or theirs, which ever is best and sometimes I have to eat my pride at supper. More later on the subject,,,,greenhouse is again below 50 degrees. bye tony tiller