Transcription of Are you ready to start a farmers’ market?
1 are you ready to start a farmers ' market ? Use this checklist to find out how ready you are. Congratulations! 1. Demand. vendors is good, but finding the right mix and volume of products to You're taking on a significant project! Is there demand for a farmers ' market in your area? Are there other farmers ' accommodate demand is critical. Starting a farmers ' market can be a markets in your area? If so, have daunting task, but there are many you been in contact with them to 4. Financial support. rewards in the end once your market is discuss opportunities to build upon How are you planning to resource the off the ground. and/or collaborate on issues such as costs of start up and promotion of your Not sure where to start ? A farmers ' scheduling that won't conflict or market ? Who will be the sponsors' of market is a mix of crucial ingredients; if compete for customers and vendors.
2 Your market ? Have you identified your you are missing one, your recipe will be If you're not sure about customer potential sources of funding? Money is slightly off. demand for a new market , ask! A one thing farmers can't grow. Town Check to be sure you have all the right community survey will do the trick. council, neighbourhood groups or your ingredients. The following are absolutely local chamber of commerce/ BIA can 2. Consumers. be sources of funding. necessary. Have you identified who your cus- tomers will be and what type of 5. Organizational help and products they are most likely to be interested in? Is it an after work' or volunteers. lunchtime' crowd, or weekend shop- Have you identified and recruited pers? Who would be interested in community groups and/or volunteers shopping at your market ?
3 This will to collaborate / assist with the market ? help you pinpoint what your market Who will help get the market off the will be all about. Knowing your ground? Go team! This is where audience will help you focus your goals. teamwork is particularly important. Recruit volunteers, community groups and committee members to help 3. farmers and vendors. with planning and execution. Have you identified and secured farmers and other vendors for your 6. Purpose. market ? Are there enough interested Typically, farmers ' markets are created vendors in your area to provide the with the primary purpose of serving range and volume of product for your local growers and consumers, although market ? This is the most important they have many more benefits. consideration, given how challenging Clearly defining the market 's purpose it can be to find farmers these days or mission is perhaps the most who are available and willing to important task for market organizers.
4 Participate in your market . Volume of (cont' ). Take our questionnaire and checklist quiz online at Checklist cont'd The following are also important to consider before starting a farmers ' market : 7. Products 10. Timing Planning Timeline Which interests you? What range of products will you have Have you got enough time to plan at the market ? Will your market be and start up a new farmers ' market ? RUNNING a farmers ' market : producer-based or include resellers? There is quite a long lead time from finding and managing the location;. How will you regulate what is sold at when you start planning a new finding and managing farmers and market ? Will you restrict products to market to the day it opens. We have other vendors;accountability for all local food only, allow reselling and/or a sample timeline available to help financial and logistical issues related invite craft vendors?
5 You map out what needs to happen, to the market ; collecting and and when, during the months retaining stall fees from vendors;. 8. Location leading up to your opening day. marketing and promoting the Have you identified and secured a You can download it from our site: market . - OR - location to hold your market ? Finding the perfect location is great but are HOSTING a Certified farmers '. you allowed to hold a market there? 11. Communication market (MyMarket) offering a Permits and legal agreements may How will you disseminate information? location rent-free for a verified be necessary. Your method of recruiting vendors producer market ; promoting the and volunteers as well as promoting market in cooperation with FMO;. the market to consumers will influence developing and running special 9. Timing market Schedule the market 's success.
6 Events and retaining event proceeds;. Have you selected the day of the collaborating with FMO, who would week and time for your market ? be responsible for providing vendors, Considerations for this decision 12. Rules and Bylaws collecting/ retaining stall fees and should include availability of farmers / What restrictions are there for selling hiring and managing the market vendors as well as timing to optimize at your market ? What bylaws will you manager. the traffic / volume of potential enforce? What is the cost for selling shoppers. Finding a balance between at the market ? Vendors will want to when consumers are available and know what they are signing up for interested in shopping for food and and setting out rules from the begin- when farmers and vendors are ning helps avoid any disputes later in available to sell is key to realizing the process.
7 The most benefit for everyone. farmers ' Markets Ontario is focused on assisting the development of community-based farmers ' markets, so if you are looking to run a private market , unfortunately we are not in a position to provide assistance at this time.
