Hi Jay,

Rant away...I haven't ever sold at a market but find it impossible to even get a call back. I emailed you through your blog email address a few days ago. We live in NE Kansas and there must be about 10 different farmer's markets but no one calls back. I think in this area there is too much competition. My favorite Farmer's market actually kicked out most of the local vegetable sellers and now are focusing on crafts - I haven't gone back! I may try to show up at one that I found this Fall. I like the www.locallygrown.net idea. Let me know how it's working out for you.
Kendra

Whats with farmers market politics? I swear they act like 3 year olds. A new and heavily promoted market that I was interested in attending just voted out the market manager. She wrote up a long face book article on what happened. I feel bad for her cause she really did put her heart and soul into it. 3 people didnt want her there and voted her out. Probably more to it, but really, its just a farmers market.

My market had a problem with our farmers market market master and it was IMPOSSIBLE to 'vote' him out. Last winter, he fell and is unable to continue as market master. Now we have a new one. The former one was a vendor and had had problems with most of the female vendors, he was very chauvinstic. Our new one is NOT vendor, so there is no conflict of interest and she's doing a wonderful job.

I left my market a few years ago, because of the market master. But after 2 years, I went back due to the volume of business that I was doing at that market. The other market that I attended while I was gone was less than 1/4 of the business. Evidently money was the reason that I went back.

I can't tell you, Jay, when to give up. But if it was me, as long as you making enough to pay for your gas and the other costs that might be associated, AND you like the market, I'd stay.

Jay,

I concur with Marla. If it is worth your while, keep going. There are always going to be soreheads. I love my market and all the vendors. However, I am concerned as to its longevity as the majority of our sellers are in their late eighties. I wouldn't mind taking over but not until I retire.

On a side note, I just wish I had something to sell. We lost over 90% of our crops to these endless rains and the disease and weeds they bring. Then there were the rabbits, deer, coons, possums, bugs, etc. Localharvest has generated a lot of responses for me. I feel horrible that I'm unable to supply what I should.

Brook

Hi Jay,
I'd stick with it if it's making you money. Let those other people fight their own battles and you do what you have to do. Eventually, the dust will settle and everyone will get back to the business of selling produce. And remember, there are always two sides to the story. Sometimes though, I'm not sure if I want to hear either side. Just let me sell my stuff.

Well this week is the second week I am not going to this market. My Wednesday sales have been through the roof. With the lower expected sales and very low inventory and a big event planned for this Saturday's market I am not going. I am getting use to this and I am ok with it. Yes it would be nice to sell another $100 of stuff or more(recently it was less than that), it isn't worth it with $50 in expenses ($20 in gas and $30 to feed the family). It is a rule that we get to eat out, a luxury at our house, when we go to market as a family. It keeps the 4 girls motivated to work hard. If it is just me or one child and me we will take a meal or a snack or just eat at home when we get back.

Here is for another good weekend. I am starting to get use to these!

Jay

Jay, it is wonderful to sit back and enjoy some time off, especially with the heat that we are having. I'm not doing my Tues market and not much on Thurs. My son is doing the Thurs with just a little help from us. Saturdays are also a day that we're having more help, and less for us to do.

There are a few reasons for giving up a market. The main reason is not making enough money. We have been in one market for 4 years and are return has went down every year. We stopped going the first of July when are plant sales were done. The market is in a park, very nice setting, but there is no traffic to see us and the signs are small. The committee that runs the market has allowed Church groups to join this year. their members donate items and they sell so they have nothing left at the end of the market(low prices). If you are not increasing sale or not getting a decent return for your time, LOOK FOR ANOTHER MARKET!

One of my favorite markets started dying and I was asking myself this exact same question. 30.00 or less was becoming the norm. Do I quit?

Then I did what I always do to myself....asked myself..is quitting the right thing to do. Ethically speaking.
I decided to give reviving the market a try first.

Up went a "community Tent" with various demonstrations, from local coop extension doing soiltesting to vendors doing cook8ng demonstrations with only what's found that day at market. All free demos and workshops for the patrons.
MUSIC tent. Solos, duets, local kids from the school music programs. Something new and exciting every week.
FACEBOOK for the market, advertising on free radio spots and newspaper events calanders....
BINGO!
Market started picking up. Got busier and busier and is maintaining a nice steady flow of regulars and adding new customers (AND vendors.)
Try promoting your market before giving up!

Dont' try to have a 'festival' every week, our market has a 'special' day every month. On those days, I've found, that there are more people but less sales. The people are coming to 'see' but not spend. We do better in sales any other week, than the 'special day' week.

At our market, several vendors have reported that their sales are 1/2 of last year's sales. Plus last year's sales are less than the year before. These are vendors that have been at this market for 5 years or more. The newer vendors don't have the track record to be able to determine how their sales are.

thosedarnsqurls: Thanks for the info. I have been doing this at my hometown market and business is great and we are growing and pulling lots of vendors in. Some as far as 1 hour away to sell baked goods and produce.

This market in not in my hometown and I quit going and have never looked back. My sales on Wednesday night have been double to triple from the year before. Put that together with a large increase on my Saturday market and I am running out of produce to sell each week.

To bad my production has been down this year. However, the bottom line is way ahead compared to last year. Oh, yea and prices are the same to lower. Very strange to produce less, sell it for less and make way more????

I find that when we have our special events sales are up 25-35% over the year before.

Jay

We all do so much better on 'festival' days...I suppose that you have to figure out what issues are involved with your own market/community that keeps people from buying. At ours, it seems to be just getting people comfortable with stopping by in the first place - thus the music, chef demos, kids events, etc are great. New people come for those things, and once there seem happy to buy and come back.

Facebook has been an awesome tool for our market. So many people check FB every day, many times a day, so little updates to remind them of what's in season, recipes to go with those things...sometimes just a reminder that we exist and we're open 'RIGHT NOW!' is what they need to get motivated to come down. Plus, it's contagious - people like to brag about coming, so then they post about it, remind other people, etc, etc...

Our older vendors especially notice how many of their customers are always referencing FaceBook in regards to us.

We're primarily bakers this season - yesterday my sister happened to mention that many of her cookies didn't turn out, but that she promised to only bring beautiful, perfect cookies to market ---- so many people stopped down just to laugh in person with her about it (and buy those perfectly beautiful cookies...and tomatoes...and soap...etc). Once you get the hang of it, it can really be an awesome tool.

We have a large regular customer base, but the 'festival' goers come for the music and such, free entertainment, but don't bring money to spend. Maybe it's just our market. Our largest sales days are the Saturday before 7/4 and Labor Day Saturday. We are resting up for this next weekend, Labor Day Saturday.

Jay, You have to stay as far away from the politics as you can. These negative people will just bring you down. In the early days of my nursery business I started out at a farmers market selling herbs so I could get people to my nursery. It worked and I stopped selling at the farmers market. I have since retired.

Most of the folks at my local market had their own farm location, and sold at the farmers market just to entice people to their farms. The market isnÂt where they planned to make their total income.

Here are just two folks who started at the market and then left to run a successful market.

Tabora Farm started out selling fruit from their orchard and now has an excellent market at their own farm. The wife baked pies to use up some of their harvest and now theyÂre known for their wonderful pies.

http://www.taborafarmandorchard.com/store/

These folks use to bake bread in their basement, and now they have one of the best bread bakeries in town.

http://www.crossroadsbakeshop.com/

Another women made and sold jellies and muffins until a local Bed and Breakfast asked her to sell some to them on a regular basis. She found out that other B&BÂs were also interested. She has since retired.

I could list dozens of success stories. The secret is to compete only with yourself, and to stay away from the bickering and gossip. Anyone who is doing this is not making money.

Good luck, and keep up the good work.

We have this same problem. one of our weekday markets isnt doing as well as it used to. we started with 10-12 vendors the first year and are down to 4 this year.It needs to be moved to a better location and one could be available that could double or triple sales. The manager is resistant to the change. She says it wont make a difference. we still make money but we see what the potential could be. What do we do?
On a side note. Four of us from my main Saturday market started a side market on the other side of town where we dont get much business from. Its been small but steady about 6-10 bu of peaches for us my teenage son sells for us there. Its really helped me as one of my neighbors has entered my saturday market even though I'm 3 hours from home. He saw me haul way to many peaches away every friday night and wanted to get a piece of the action. It really cut into my sales during the peach glut time of mid July to mid August. Well you know I really tried harder this year at marketing and meeting and greeting the customers.

Alan: I know what you mean about a better location. The town my Wednesday market is in also has a Saturday Market. They have outgrown their space. It has been outgrown for several years. However, no one can agree on a better location. They also don't want to give up this location for fear of losing people. What I think will happen is the location will never change and people will start another market on that day.

It is really funny to set up beside someone else who sells from your hometown. That has happened to me before, but they usually quit going and I am still there.

My main Saturday market, in my hometown, is still doing good. Last year it really died after early September. This year we have slowed down, but still offer alot of selection. I slow down and let other sell more also it is when I am starting back up with school, so it works out for me. I am also frantically planting and weeding for my fall/winter CSA this year, so I am glad I don't have alot to pick.

Jay

I know what you mean when you say that your market has outgrown its location. Our market has been in the same location since the 1860s. It supposedly can't move because that's the location allowed for the market in the city rules. It's frustating.