Courtesy of Roxanne C., Philadelphia PA Arugula is one of those crossover crops that went from niche to mainstream. It found a fanatical following back in the late 90’s when it was the mark of distinction for artisanal farmers, and a symbol of enlightened eating among foodies. Over time it...
Publicly, farmers markets are cornucopias of goodwill and local food solidarity. But behind the scenes? Personality clashes. Warring factions. Intimidation. Fear and loathing. Over the years we have known farmers whose markets have risen to become vital parts of their communities. We have also heard about those whose markets descend...
Once farmers take on a year-round, permanent stand inside a Farmer’s Market building, they are in the retail business, whether they realize it or not. This presents some unique opportunities and challenges. On the plus side, you have less work because there is no setup and teardown on every market...
Courtesy of Wally S., Wally’s Market Garden, Pleasantdale SK In early spring when your cash flow is still not developed, your sales can get a boost from a source many growers overlook or toss out: volunteer plants from around your property. Typical plants that do well in pots are catmint,...
Courtesy of Wally S., Wally’s Market Garden, Pleasantdale SK A Backyard Riches member just joined the online support group looking to fast track some fresh herb sales. He wrote: “Hello All. I plan to combine the sale of herbs only at two or three of my local farmers markets along...
Courtesy of Roxanne C., Philadelphia PA It’s winter. Are you selling “Spring Mix”? What you call, and put into, your salad mix shouldn’t always be the same. SPIN farmers change their salad ingredients to reflect the changing seasons and keep customer interest stoked. How much variety and creativity they put...
Courtesy of Wally S., Wally’s Market Garden, Pleasantdale SK Pricing is one of the most important elements of marketing. We all know that. The pricing benchmark I set when I first developed the SPIN system was $3 per item or 2/$5. The idea was to use multiple unit pricing to...
Courtesy of Wally S., Wally’s Market Garden, Pleasantdale SK If you are in a year round farmers market like I am, you have the opportunity to fill your stocking with some extra Christmas cash. Markets have gotten much more sophisticated about attracting additional shoppers at this time of year, those...
Courtesy of Roxanne C., Philadelphia PA One the most frequently debated topics in the SPIN online support group is our usually fraught relationships with our farmers markets. They’re the highlight of our weeks, and the most fulfilling part of what we do, where we feel the appreciation and trust of...
