What's It Like Be a Vendor at a Farmer's Market???? 

Got my first farmers market in 8 days and this was really helpful. Thanks!

I know Darby is the master and he's been doing this for longer than me however.... I would get rid of those chairs and stools. I joined the farm I'm working for a year ago and took over the farmers market duties and increased sales by about 75%. One of the first things I did was get rid of the chairs, especially the easy fold ones. I see other vendors sitting down all the time and I think it is off putting. If you are tired, do some stretches, squats, etc. If you really need to sit, do it out of the booth. I know its tough to stand for 5 and a half hours straight, but body language is so important in sales. my $0.02

Really helpful video to show the reality of a Market sale day. It seems that collecting and retaining customers along with sale are the big goals... banners on the back of the booth could make significant points about product differences (organic/non-GMO vs what's normally out there for sale) - with images to appeal visually. Brochures to hand out really provide a lot of education as well and help reduce repeating. Also, encouraging email sign up for weekly notice of what you will offer at any location is another way to increase customer traffic and keep your website in front of people.

Very comprehensive look at the process. I worked at a farm that went to market every Wednesday, but they were long gone to market before I showed up for my work day. Take care.

This was the first video I've seen on your channel.... Kick ass video! it's nitty gritty, I like the that! Your right there in the mix giving a play by play as it's going down. Thanks for hard work!

great info video - love your cam all the best

Good Exploration of the subject! Looks like the gardening is better for a marketer.

after our saturday market and unloading, we eat a quick made lunch and i fall asleep for 2 hours. usually a 3-5pm nap. and then constant liquids the rest of the night, i feel groggy and dehydrated most of the time. education customers and answering questions does take a lot out of you. thanks for the video and showing what goes on at the market.

Really nice video. We are going into our second year selling at farmers market. We do all produce (herbs, veg, berries) & baked goods and I agree with the with the educational element needed for meat sales but veg producers also have a educational hurdle on certain products...introducing kohlrabi, parsnips and even eggplant to customers who aren't familiar with them can be a challenge. Great point too about time involved on a market day, our market starts at 7:30am and runs until noon but we work much more than 4.5 hours on market day with harvesting, washing, packaging, transportation, unloading, etc. Good info, I appreciate the video.

A very well done and informative video. thanks

Very good video. We sell homemade goat milk soap and a few other natural homemade items at farmer's markets and this seems very accurate to our experience as well. Some days are good, but some are not so great. You do make good connections by doing the markets and we get repeat customers. Many don't realize that natural, and homegrown, homemade really is different. We also have to spend time explaining to people why certain things are not good to put in or on your body. We enjoy it but from our experience, and we live in a fairly small town, we could not make a living off of the farmer's market.

it'd be pretty easy to build a cooled meat display I think (transparent plastic, pack with ice, rudimentary but can be made aesthetic). Heck, even a transparent cooler/cooler lid. If that's your family business it'd be worth looking into instead of just hiding all the stuff with coolers on the ground.

7:15 great point Diego!

great video. thank you

i love the look the little girl gives the camera at 9:55 into the video!

Simple awesome. Does he make his entire living doing this ? Thank you

Nice Im from Indianapolis as well.

Thanku

He could get professional photos of his meat products and display them around the stand (banners, etc). He could sizzle sausages on a BBQ and hand out small portions free of charge. The smell alone ought to draw crowds.

It's a rush that's for sure. Lots of preparation involved in the beginning that fades into routine. We have had the opportunity to utilize first mover advantage in our market. Which brings some different perspectives and challenges than entering an established market. I have no buisness competition at market but my challenge has been building a stronger market. Building a market and my buisness simultaneously at times I think can be harder than simply competing. But I haven't had to compete so I can't say for sure.

I would grill stuff on the side, let people taste the product and the smell would create an attraction. Just wondering, people don't stop eating after July, what's the reason for the slow down, weather?

what kind of sticker paper do you use as label?

6:37 Really nice hand writing

I know this is kind of old but you could do a print out picture chart of the cuts like some good restaurants do j.s

Nice farmers markets are nice

What market do you sell your stuff from? I contacted CUESA and they told me they weren't accepting applications, and Clement Street Market won't tell me a DAMN thing.

Seems like a really short market day, only til noon!

diego - any idea how many people went through that market that day? A market i go to has had 3000 plus people walk through, but many of them are just on their morning bike ride and buy nothing. One thing i have realized, is the market i go to is more about socializing, not so much about picking up fresh local food.

Interesting

I always load my car the night before because I don't want to rush and forget anything.

Does Darby send any sort of notification to customers in the area ahead of the farmers market? It could be weekly, so they might know already, but at least he could let them know what's going to be available. Might not cause a ton of traffic, but it might make them think to tell other potential customers. - Jeff

I wonder if the juicer in the background has some waste that would be good animal feed?

I can't wait to do my first farmers market I don't have any livestock I'll be selling organic hydroponically grown herbs, vegetables, fruit & microgreens

Do you have cashless sales with one of those mobile card readers?? Great video with some top advice!

Does he do market year round?

Indiana!!

Yoooo Indy I live thereeee

ha, i'd probably spend most of what I made on all the other yummy stuff there at offer

I really like the video, and your videos' in general, but...why are you hunched over at the 10min mark?

if i was him i'd buy grass fed steaks from another farm or air ship them to sell each week

So happy i don''t have to hall tables to the market . But I am in STL At a market that's been here for hundreds of years. We are get getting ready to expand on the chicken I have just over 1,000 , 1000 quail, and i don't know how many rabbits. And 60 head of cattle , no pork, Our largest seller in laying hens, we have 40 variety of birds. and breeding 1,000 a month . I am looking for my sales to pick up to $3,500 a day here soon. . My market is open 156 days a year . My sales ravage $12-$60, your right the veg are not the best sellers. Best of luck .

frozen chicken? I though it was fresh slaughtered