Tent Talk

Enjoy this week's Vendor Story episode. Hot sauce is a fast growing category at our farmers markets nowadays, and Chef Saeed is on fire with his fermented sauces featuring unique flavor combinations. It's not just the taste that makes a food business successful though. In our Vendor-101 program we talk about the 4 Ps: Product, Packaging, People and Professionalism. Folks go to a grocery store to grab a familiar product off the shelf. They come to the farmers market to discover new things and get to know the people that feed them. Listen in to hear about Saeed Samad's story and tips for building a successful market business.

It's a new year, a blank slate. January always feels like a good time to think about what's working, what's not, and create your list of things to change and things to do at your market, and personally. We're all about setting InTENTions (see what we did there?). Market managers and market vendors coast to coast, from Florida to British Columbia, join us today to share about what they'd like to concentrate on in 2024. Listen in to hear what we're reflecting on and looking forward to, and what kind of goals some of the folks in our online community have in mind. We'd love to hear about your 2024 intentions: drop a note in the comments. 

Whether  and  however  you're  celebrating  Christmas  today,  we  hope  you're  getting  a  day  off  from  at  least  most  of  your  duties  and  chores.  Farmers are  still  feeding  animals  and  food  makers  may  yet  be  delivering  holiday  orders. 2023 has  been  a lot: happy, sad, busy, full, and all of  that  has  been  better  because  we've  done  it together.  Community  is  the  greatest  gift.  Merry  Christmas  to  those  who  are  celebrating  and  our  warmest  wishes  for  peace  to  one  and  all  from  all  of  us  at  Farmers  Market  Pros.

How do you go from zero to 60, or maybe 90, in a bit less than three short years? For Christy Campli, some keys were starting with experience in local food systems, and building on an established brand. Now she manages multiple year-round weekly farmers markets, regularly scheduled artisan markets and several annual events with a small but mighty team. Listen in as we talk with Christy about the finer points of managing multiple types of markets and events.

• How some systems overlap and how some differ for different types of events 
• Scheduling vendors intentionally to avoid cookie cutter events
• Collaborating with other types of food outlets to benefit farmers
• Finding camp buddies for life along with new ideas at the InTents Conference

Today’s episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Food-4-All, pioneering online order systems to connect local farmers, makers and markets with their communities.

Farmers markets are always a good time! The question is when is the best time for your market? Setting market hours is a foundational decision. There are a lot of factors at play. Whether your market lasts for two hours or six can be influenced by everything from farmer commutes to parking disputes. Fortunately, the beauty of markets is that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. Success means finding what works best for you and your market community. We’re here to help you find the right fit by considering things like...

• Giving staff, farmers, and vendors enough time to set up and breakdown 
• Adjusting your market hours to meet your shoppers' needs 
• Looking at other nearby markets' hours and filling a gap
• How to effectively manage a change to your days or hours

Today’s episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by InTents, the farmers market conference. Register today while pro-order rates are still in effect, and join us online or in-person March 4th to March 6th, 2024. 

Tis the season for holiday gifting! Farmer, vendor or market manager, it's time to remember your employees, volunteers and maybe some of your great customers or loyal CSA members. If material gifts aren't in your plan this year, we’ve got tips for other ways to   acknowledge people who have supported you this year. It really is the thought that counts, and a special thank you can go a long way. Grab your list, and check it twice as we discuss: 

• Who's on our holiday list and why

• Useful gift ideas for your team

• Shopping small and local, of course!

• Fun ways to show appreciation on a budget

Today’s episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by the national Farmers Market Coalition. 

Social media is a perfect example of a blessing and a curse. Engaging with your online community can strengthen existing connections, while inspiring and educating potential new shoppers. Navigating the comments? That requires a whole different skill set and sometimes a tough skin. There's nothing more fun than conversational volleys with your followers.  But as we all know, it’s not always sunshine and rainbows in the comments section. 🌈🫠 Join us as we discuss...

• Practical tips on effectively interacting with your audience

• Using critical comments as an opportunity to educate

• Counting on your followers for support 

• When deleting comments is justified 

• Transforming potential PR crises into opportunities for growth

Survey says: surveys can help you take the pulse of your market! Many of us are winding up our seasons, so why not take some time to listen, gather some data, and look at our markets from a different perspective? Opening a channel for honest feedback can help you improve, understand, and grow your market. No matter what you’re asking, surveys are one more way to communicate with your farmers, vendors, and shoppers. Join us as we chat about: 

• Who to survey and why 
• Creative ways to incentivize responses 
• Different survey methods and what to expect 
• The value of open lines of communication in your market 

Today’s episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Market Wurks. 

Ever wonder why farmers markets and small farmers don't have a bigger say in public policy? Us too! This week on Tent Talk, we brought in an expert to help shed light on the big issues that small farmers are facing. We learned a lot and it confirmed that the old addage is true: the squeaky wheen gets the cheese! Join us for this week's episode in which we get schooled by the one and only Kathy Zeman, Executive Director of the Minnesota Farmers Market Association, volunteer treasurer at Cannon Valley Farmers' Market and owner of Simple Harvest Farm Organics in Nerstrand, Minnesota and winner of the 2021 Gus Schumacher Award. Having spent most of her career in agriculture Kathy leverages the reach of the Minnesota Farmers Market Association to build strong collaborations with diverse groups, paving the way for successful public policy efforts in Minnesota and beyond!

This week's episode is made possible by support from Vendor-101.

Time flies and somehow we’re already wrapping up the third quarter of 2023! Because we've only got a couple months left in the year, we're chatting about what market managers should be doing to make 2024 even better: budgeting and sponsor outreach! In this episode we discuss the importance of budgeting for your market and why you should be connecting with potential sponsors now, rather than waiting for "charitable giving" season. We also give you some helpful tips on the most effective ways to reach out to sponsors. Listen along and then get excited about making 2024 more profitable and less stressful!

This week's episode is made possible by support from Sarah Delevan Consulting.