Well, our first market was last Tuesday and pretty much all the vendors froze to death. I sold some stuff, not as much as usual and left early because I couldn't get my nose warm. Monday it was 93° and Tuesday it was 56°. Most customers came in shorts thinking it was warmer. They left without buying or seeing much of anything. This Tuesday it's bound to be better - they are predicting rain...

How did the farmers market go this week? We started out chilly last week, but it turned into a nice day. Hopefully this weekend will be too. Wish I could find a mid-week farmers market around here.

Our first market will be next Thursday, May 31. They are already predicting rain for most of next week. It seems like every year, no matter which week we open the market, it is cold and raining. Good luck to alll, I'll let you know how it goes next Thursday. Heidi

Our market opened last month and our first day was very cold and drippy (it even snowed one county over from us). It didn't affect sales.

Our current weather is pretty warm but so far we haven't had the wall to wall crowds that I was hoping for.

This is my first year at this market and I am happy with the move - sales have increased each Saturday. I still need to make more money but other vendors that have been with this market for years are doing ok so I think I will stick it out and see what happens.

Usually once the weather gets hot and buggy people give up on the yard - and plant sales drop off. So there is huge push to move plants before that magic moment. This Saturday will be in the 90's and I will be watching to see if it affects sales - or my level of perkiness as I stand on the asphalt pavement.

Between all the years I have sold plants I still cannot determine a pattern to customers. What sells well one week won't move at all the next week.

Our market opens the last Saturday in April. There are only about 8 vendors the opening day, and everyone is selling plants, of course. We bring heirloom tomato plants to sell along with a good variety of Spring produce - Triple-washed salad, Broccoli raab, Green onions, Green Garlic, asparagus, and radishes. Later we bring Eggplant and Pepper plants and herbs along with more produce. It's so much fun, and we do quite well because we are the only one's with such luscious produce so early in the season. We only attend for about 6-8 weeks, because we can't compete with the larger vendors on price. We then focus our attention soley on our CSA.

Have a great market season!

Lisa

Our first market was today. It started out perfect weather but then 3 hours into the market, the storm broke loose. The weather had been predicting rain for ALL Day, so I guess we got lucky with 3 hours of sun,than a storm.

All and all the sales were great, and we had a GOOD crowd of customers. My best sellers were tomatoe plants in 6" pots, Purple Wave Petunias in 6" pots and Zinnias (in bloom) in 4" pots. It is still too early in my season to start bring in produce or cut flowers. However, next week I should have some cut flowers and early spring vegetables, along with Dwarf Sunflowers (in bloom) in 6" pots.

Heidi

Ya know, nobody at our farmers market is selling tomato plants, or any veggie plants. We have herbs, houseplants, and landscaping plants,but nothing for the veggie garden. Wish I'd known that. Also wish I'd known that I would be allowed to sell plants, despite the 'have to be licensed' bit when I s igned up. Spoke to the woman who runs it, and she said they really jsut did that because they didn't want people showing up to dump a few plants. Wish I'd known, because I'd have all sorts of veggie plants to offer for sale, it's too late now.

Our markets have been open for a month now. Mostly plants and spring lettuce mixes were sold. Now strawberries and some squashes are starting to show up as well as hydroponic tomatoes.

I sell breads and muffins which have been doing fairly well. I'll have some other veggies as the season progresses.

The first year at a market is the watch everyone else season. You see what rules are bended and who bends them. You also see what everyone sells and what you have that no one else may have. I discovered that hardly anyone sells asparagus but that there appears to be a good market for it. Therefore, I've been adding 20-40 plants per year for the last two years. Most people at our market don't want to devote space to a niche market that produces for only a set time during the year but that doesn't bother me. I'll be the asparagus lady.

Janet

We teased the vendor next to us this weekend, because he had yellow squash and cukes when nobody else did. He's got a greenhouse. Kept telling him the greenhouse was 'cheating'. Super nice guy, it's kind of fun being next to new people each weekend because you get to know the other vendors.

I actually started some plants in pots. Bought seeds for my garden, and went ahead and planted some in pots for sale, pattypan squash, cukes, pumpkin, sunflowers (short ones). figured it would be worth a try.

Our second market this year turned out to be GREAT. The weather was absolutely perfect. This week My hot sellers were 8" potted tomatoes, Dwarf sunflowers(in bud) in 5" pots, cut flowers(always sell out) and jumbo scallions. I came home with very little extra. When I left for the market I had my pick up full and my trailer full. When I came home, just my tables and tent were in the trailer. In the pick up I had one flat of plants and 3 miscellaneous 6 packs of herbs. I wish I had a bigger truck so I could bring MORE. I don't like putting too many plants in the trailer as I find they don't ride as well as produce or cut flowers.

I'm a bit worried for next week..I'm OUT of plants so I hope more of my early veggies are ready and lots of cut flowers. The weather is not suppose to be to good this coming week. Oh well, Heidi