How To Become a Farmer's Market Vendor - The SECRET To Getting Started Quick!

[@oby-1607]

Have the most comfortable shoes possible. You are standing all the time and taking care of customers. Stay hydrated and always treat every customer as if they are the only customer you have. Only sell what you grow or create and then you can honestly and quickly inform any customer questions to create trust. Try different markets to see if it fits for you.

[@ProfessorKitchen]

The hardest parts of being in a Farmers Market in my experience: 1 - dealing with the market management if they don't know what they're doing/have no ethics 2 - loosing a day-off every week if you have a "day job" Dealing with the customers was fun to me. Thanks for such an informative video!

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Great points. We’ve been very lucky so far and had great market managers to deal with. It really is a whole day. Packing, traveling, setting up, selling, packing up to go home and then unpacking at home is a full day. THEN you have to get to work on farm chores. It’s a huge commitment. Thanks for watching

[@MaasBBQ]

Point 1 is for sure my biggest hurdle, they think they know my products but they don’t.

[@billshepherd5090]

My ultimate goal is to attend a couple farmers markets around my area but for right now I’m setting up my garden beds and doing farm infrastructure. Seeing what I can grow, what sells, what I have to do to be able to sell at a market. This spring has been a learning experience for sure. I mostly plan on feeding the family and I want to set up a stand in the front yard until I can get my gardening/selling legs under me. Great video too.

[@MrsJPTheBulldogs]

So thankful to have met y’all this past year - thank y’all for giving up your 26 weeks to provide for the community!

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Thanks. Appreciate y’all being customers and friends.

[@alwyzDTF]

I was interested in using the farmers market to get my business up and running but seeing as how I am only 1 person this may not be sustainable until I get either a helping hand or a much more self sustained system at the garden. Thank you for the knowledge and clarity on what it takes to succeed at the market.

[@cravethecard542]

Yet another great and informative video Sheraton Farms!!! I search day and night for video's like these that deal with HOW to run a small farm business and finding quality video's can be sketchy at best. Keep up the good work and good luck in 2021!

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Awesome, thank you!

[@ashreyhomestead1180]

Thanks for the content, it is what we been talking about the last to days. We're doing recon on the ones we want to go to. Thanks again. Be Happy Be Blessed !!!!!

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Awesome! Hope it was helpful. Thanks for watching

[@willieclark2256]

I don't think farmers markets are for our operation and it's ever more clear now. Thanks for sharing your expertise, I appreciate it

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Completely understand. Its not for everyone. Thanks for watching.

[@bonnitagibson]

That was great info to get right into the marketing in social media because it does put you on the radar, and then when you’re applying to be a vendor it’s already asking for your social media. And yes!!!! Tag where you wanna be. You’re beautiful man. Thank you 🙏

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Thanks. Appreciate y’all watching

[@Kristy-dd4wo]

My business is just starting and don’t have social media yet. Applying for my first farmers market tomorrow. Thanks for sharing your advice. Fingers crossed for me

[@reynoldsoutdoorlife3215]

Awesome 👍 advice! I really appreciate how you laid it out! I hope your piglet season is good for you!

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Appreciate the feedback. Thanks for watching

[@ladyhess5357]

Thank you sir, I’ll be doing my first market on Monday 😊

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Awesome!! Good luck!

[@h.s.6269]

Would you think growing lettuce, spinach, green beans, and radish as well as quail eggs on an urban location would be enough to make farmer's market worth it? Its not a huge area of my backyard but i think if i handle succession planting well i may have enough lettuce and spinach for quite a few market visits. The total mass of the products would probably be relatively low considering my growing plot, but it'd be nice to make a little side money.

[@Oldfarmlady]

Did you ever start selling? I hope you did.

[@tillmanfamilyfarm7759]

GREAT INFO! We have been doing some of that stuff already but you showed us some areas we haven’t visited yet. It’s a little harder for us in Georgia. We have to have a freezer unit at farmers markets. All meat has to stay in the freezer until sold to the end user. Jaime and I are looking forward to the series.

[@SheratonParkFarms]

That stinks. We keep meat in the coolers with cold packs and it stays frozen hard in 95 degree weather. Sounds like the state of GA is pretty strict. Appreciate ya'll watching.

[@psychochicken55]

@@SheratonParkFarms Wisconsin is the same way, very strict on licensing and permits too. You can't sell meat without a distributor license, even if it was butchered at a licensed processor.

[@RockyMtnGobblers]

Great video thank you, looking forward to the rest of the series.

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@3CreekFarms]

Great tips and lessons here. Would love to watch/hear the series about markets you mentioned creating. Thanks!

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Thanks. We are going to try and put it together and help folks get a head start.

[@vitomilillo8566]

As usual very informative!!! Appreciate you Chuck

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Very welcome. Thanks for watching Vito!

[@JPLawnsMore]

Awesome information!

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Thanks. You made a cameo in this one!!

[@JPLawnsMore]

@@SheratonParkFarms I saw that! And I asked Mrs.JP , did ya see we were in the video?!?! She said I did. Thanks for all you do!!

[@7StandsFarm]

Another great and informative video thanks again

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Appreciate y’all watching

[@GivenChancesFarm]

We do 2 markets. Saturday is all year long and Sunday is during the spring-fall.

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Its a BIG committment isn't it? Thanks so much for watching.

[@GivenChancesFarm]

@@SheratonParkFarms yes it is. But we enjoy it because we meet so many people!

[@irenetorres8073]

Very good! Going to start tomatoes and peppers with flowers.

[@holisticheritagehomestead]

Awesome video! Great tips. New subscriber here! Be well. - Colin

[@FosterFamilyFun]

Great info! Thanks for sharing.

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@bonnitagibson]

Trying to hop into the Vancouver, WA farmers market ideally selling food and beverage either packaged of my own or prepped onsite, but waiting to find out what I can do.

[@lunaluneta2695]

YOU ARE A VENDOR ? IN THE DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER WA? CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO BE A VENDOR PLEASE.

[@christymartin9404]

I'm looking into getting set up at two markets. Yadkinville & Elkin.

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Nice! Good luck at those. Should do great. Thanks for watching.

[@tinyhydrogreens1932]

I think you didn't cover the financing part of the business. Did you open a business account when you started selling at the farmer's market? Do you accept credit or debit cards, or use Venmo, Paypal when selling your products? How do you handle the taxes? Thanks for sharing.

[@cameronshaw599]

Speaking from my own experience: 1 - yes, you should open a business account when you start selling at the farmer’s market. You should create an LLC for your farm revenues and run sales through this. This also offers you some liability protection in the unfortunate circumstance that someone becomes ill from you products (or blames you products for an unrelated illness) and sues you. 2 - Yes, they do accept credit cards (they address this in other videos) and you should too. People spend more when paying with a card and you will eliminate lost sales due to folks not having cash. 3 - It depends on the laws where you are, but in most cases you will not need to charge sales tax as you are selling food. You will need to complete a Schedule F form and resolve any taxes to do with your LLC. Depending on the complexity of your income, you may need to hire a book keeper for an annual reconciliation. The better records you keep throughout the year, the less this will cost. Good luck!

[@seecesar]

Thank you sooooooo much for this info!

[@TheAdhdGardener]

This was good. Getting my plans going now

[@CliffsideStables]

Wise advice. I really enjoy and learn from your presentations. Tim @ Cliffside Acres

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Thanks. Glad it was helpful. Appreciate y’all watching

[@Sheenasalesthriftytreasures]

Thank you

[@PlaneViewFarm]

Great videos! Really appreciate what you're doing. I have a couple questions about your coolers. What brand do you use? Are you happy with their performance when it comes to keeping things frozen? A popular way of doing things in my neck of the woods is to put deep freezers in an enclosed trailer and sell out of it. It works really well and is really convenient but isn't nearly as pleasing to the eye.

[@_michig]

great tips! thank you!!

[@BigAlSparks]

To over advertise, and be undersupplied is a horrible position to be in. Always always over supply. That customer will only tolerate being told your out so many times before they start walking by your booth without even looking.

[@dianetraynere]

Super informative. Thanks.

[@tracyhillman]

Cut flowers just started in Plymouth, MA

[@carriejohnson9415]

Thanks for a great video. We are moving from Colorado to Southern Missouri in July so won't be able to get things going in time for market this year but really wanted to look into CSA boxes. Do you have any ideas or tips for something like that? We are going to do aquaponics in a greenhouse (also work toward pastured pigs and chickens maybe quail)that we could grow during the winter and have those things to offer. Thank you have a great day and great year.

[@SheratonParkFarms]

So we've considered a CSA but haven't done it for a couple of reasons. it should work if structured right. Thansk for watching.

[@lizmiller2341]

We do 2 Farmer's Markets Saturday morning 9 to 1 Tuesday 5 to 8. We also are part of on online Farmer's Market system called Reko we have 3 in our area. Customers ordered online pay in advance or on site. We all meet in a group setting for pickup only. Idaho.

[@SheratonParkFarms]

That’s a handful! Good luck with your markets this year.

[@dandoneral5405]

It's a great show, except for the volume. I have the volume up to 100%, and yet the volume is not quite loud enough.

[@mackenziebritain6535]

How do I start? I've been so scared because I feel like there's more info that I need. Do I need to be certified? Do I need a seller's permit? What's all the legal stuff that most places require? I feel silly/embarrassed to ask.

[@gb9926]

Live your channel! I’m from Raleigh ( previously from Clemmons) and looking to follow your lead... where did you find your market tent/awning? Couldn’t find one online like it? Thanks for the great advice. Do you have tours of your operations on your farm?

[@bulletcasey2310]

Thanks

[@amalkardaly1652]

great vid🙂

[@toddcaskey9984]

Good job good topic

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Thanks

[@toddcaskey9984]

@@SheratonParkFarms I really like the fact you consistently make down to earth video’s. By being transparent & true. Keep up the great work. Todd

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Thanks Todd. Always appreciate the kind words.

[@sincerelysandi]

Do I have to prep my juices from a commercial kitchen to sell at farmers market?

[@SheratonParkFarms]

You would in NC. Check with your local health department on that to be sure.

[@chiterrapalmer]

Your in the juicing business?

[@kellychartrand5532]

Are you allowed to sell chicken that has been processed on the farm. Cost to process here is over $7 Canadian per bird. That's a lot of money to shell out for a few minutes work per bird.

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Yes. In North Carolina we can process up to 10,000 birds on our farm for sale.

[@rickmatz1935]

Shop around. Near Calgary we are getting chickens processed for 4 bucks

[@classicrocklover5615]

I feel like every region or state will have their own rules on this.

[@braumenheimer9607]

How do you get a booth at a farmer's market? CUESA told me they aren't accepting applications, and Clement Street Market won't tell me a DAMN thing.

[@sabatouqeer8833]

does any one know that can we sell cooked homemade food like rice, chicken etc

[@CoastalGardening]

😎👍

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Thanks

[@MrSnugasaBug]

Anyone else have trouble with the audio? When chuck talks I can barely hear.

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Sorry about that. This was a designated audio track separate from the video. Thought we had it in better shape. Thanks for the feedback. Appreciate y’all watching

[@MrSnugasaBug]

@@SheratonParkFarms yes sir. I watch all your videos. We started out with goats a year ago, chickens (layers) about 9 months ago pigs about 6 months ago, and meat chickens about 3 months ago. I love your content, your videos are very informative and have helped me with in planning with my little homestead. Keep up the good work. 👍

[@SheratonParkFarms]

Awesome. Sounds like you have a lot going on. Glad we’ve been helpful. Lewis posted on how things are going for you. Appreciate y’all watching

[@tillmanfamilyfarm7759]

Not at all. I’ve seen a few people say this. And he has said he’s working on it. I’ve been watch since February and haven’t had a problem.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Great explanation! Thanks for sharing. We follow Hometown Acres and found your channel from a comment you left over there. We'd really appreciate if you'd give our channel a look if you aren't already following us. Thanks!