Courtesy of John Greenwood, JNJ Farms, Macomb IL SPIN farmers know the value of market research, but more than one has found out that people don’t actually buy what they say they will. John Greenwood of JNJ Farms in Macomb IL says, “People will say they want heirloom tomatoes but...
Courtesy of Julianna Tan, owner/operator, Those Girls at Market, Saskatoon, SK The first step to having a successful business is having a desirable product or service. The second step is letting your customers know. Taken together, these two simple steps have a significant impact on your success (or lack thereof)....
Courtesy of Roxanne C., Philadelphia PA The question frequently comes up, Do SPIN farmers get organic certification? The real question is, Is organic certification worth it? Let’s think it through from a SPIN perspective. Organic certification has cost and effort associated with it, so you need to determine if there...
Courtesy of Julianna Tan, Owner?Operator, Those Girls at Market, Saskatoon SK You can joke that the human species is well on it’s way to living in a virtual reality through technology outlets like computers, tablets ,and cellphones, but if you take a look around it doesn’t seem all that unlikely…...
Courtesy Julianna Tan, Those Girls at the Market. Saskatoon SK Last weekend we participated in our first on-campus farmers’ market pilot project held at the University of Saskatchewan. As a pilot, this was a one-time event to test whether or not an on-campus market would be successful. Initially, the project...
Courtesy of Jared Regier, Chain Reaction Urban Farm, Saskatoon SK Starting out as a young farmer in a market with many seasoned veterans is a challenge. We have a thriving farmer’s market here in Saskatoon these days and the large crowds alone nearly enticed me to join in the fun...
Courtesy of Wally S., Wally’s Urban Market Garden, Saskatoon SK You might have been hearing that marketing is becoming much more experiential. At the farmer’s market this means participating in onsite cooking demos. Farmers showcase their offerings by preparing them and giving out free samples. My intern Bryon Hall roasted...
Courtesy of Wally S., Wally’s Urban Market Garden, Saskatoon SK Crop repertoires always vary from year to year. SPIN farmers aim to change up their offerings, experimenting with exotic crops, and providing those not offered by their competition. Keep an eye out, too, for crops that are in short supply. Right...
Courtesy of Bryon H., Saskatoon SK Over the last two weekends at the Saturday farmers market I learned creative ways to increase exposure and sales. The first one was the transition from being an outdoor vendor to an indoor vendor. The challenge was notifying as many customers as possible that Wally’s...
Courtesy of Bryon Hall, Saskatoon SK One of the most beneficial things I’ve done with Wally has been market day selling. Very quickly I realized it wasn’t as simple as it looked. However there are some key things I have noticed make a difference. Engagement covers all of these things...
