Tent Talk

The 8th annual InTents Farmers Market Conference is just around the corner, starting 3 weeks from today. Listen in to hear more about this year's schedule and what's coming up here in San Diego and live online. There's still time to register, just use the link in our bio or on the home page at farmersmarketpros.com Learn all this and more in this year's sessions:   • Join hive mind roundtables to...

We've known Maya Madsen since the beginning of her phenomenal Black woman-owned business' journey. You've heard from her before. We check in often enough to consider her an unofficial Tent Talk podcast co-host.    From the start she told us she meant to create a vegan cookie empire and she's done what it takes to accomplish that. She not only makes delicious cookies, she collects tons of data. She...

How can talented food makers learn to be successful farmers market vendors? In this week's episode of Tent Talk we're chatting about vendor education. Being passionate about your product is important; being fully prepared will increase sales and reduce stress. That makes small businesses enduring. Whether you're starting a new business or you're a market manager thinking about providing support to...

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 g...

With lots of new farmers markets ramping up for their first or second season, let's take it back to the basics. Experienced manager? Stay with us, sometimes a little refresher can be a great thing. Farmer or vendor? Let's see if you think this is sound advice.  There's a lot to know and a lot to do to launch a farmers market and get through those early months. Thinking things through and taking th...

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 co...

Happy New Year! 2023 was a lot, full of changes, excitement, highs and lows. We're welcoming 2024 and looking forward to focused growth, outreach and some exciting collaborations. Unless the universe throws us onto a whole new roller coaster of course, and then we'll do what farmers market pros do: we'll make the very best of whatever we encounter. You will too. For now, take today to relax and we...

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  gr...

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 f...

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...

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. Gr...

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 sunshi...

Whether or not you have a robust social media presence, your website is your markets' home. Whether you're a market manager, a farmer, or a vendor, use your website to tell people the who, where, what and maybe why of your farmers market business. This is a great time of year to take a look at what's there, what should be, and what might be streamlined.    Tune in as we talk about: • Putting the b...

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, vend...

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 Zem...

Unpopular opinion: inspections can actually be great! Of course, as market managers, farmers, and self-employed business owners, we definitely like to make our own rules, but it's important to remember that inspections provide value in maintaining a market's integrity and keeping things safe. Tune in while we help you navigate the regulations that keep your farmers market playing by the rules. Let...

Say it together, folks: OUR JOB IS WEIRD! Minnesota Farmers Market Association Director of Engagement and Inclusion Sina Pleggenkuhle chats with us about how widely varied experience qualifies us for all kinds of positions in the farmers market world and adjacent. She's developed skills on skills on skills, soaking up all the knowledge this business and others have to offer. In her free time, she'...

It's the beginning of the end…. end of year planning, that is! Heading into the fourth quarter means the holidays are upon us, folks. Get planning for Halloween costume contests, thanksgiving recipes, special holiday markets and events, and if you're lucky, latke cook-offs. It also means tackling some less exciting clerical stuff and reports. It's a short episode today while we're tackling holiday...

We all advocate for farmers keeping the full retail price of their products by selling at farmers markets. So are produce distributors competing with markets for chefs' dollars and sometimes home shoppers? Or are they providing one more valuable income stream for farmers? Chris Cirkus manages the award-winning West Windsor Community Farmers Market in New Jersey. She also sells for Zone 7, a specia...

This week we celebrate 5 WHOLE YEARS OF TENT TALK!   🎉🎉🎉   It has been an absolute delight creating this podcast week after week, and it wouldn't be possible without you, our listeners! Come party with Catt and Brijet as they reminisce over:    Our amazing guests and followers Swoon-worthy accents  Helping markets and vendors world-wide What we've gained through all these meaningful connections...

This week on Tent Talk, Cara Mae Wooledge of the Napa Farmers Market invites us into the world of successful fundraising for farmers markets. From sturdy tents to the compostable trash liners, it costs money to make a market go. It can feel uncomfortable asking your community to contribute financially to your market beyond simply shopping there. It helps to remember that it's not just a money ask,...

Has anyone else been feeling exhausted lately? The weather has been all over the place from triple digits to alleged "hurricanes", and that makes scheduling farmers markets hard. It's been a long, busy season, and the holidays are right around the corner. We know being a grower, vendor, or market manager is not a job for the faint of heart. The danger of burnout is REAL, Y'ALL! Don't forget to mak...

Are farmers markets a space for long term business success, or a springboard for your product to make it into wholesale? Short answer: yes. Long answer: It all depends on your product, your goals, and of course, your market. However, don't make the mistake of thinking wholesale is the only path to success. Tune in as Catt and Brijet dive into:    • The benefits of staying in Markets long term  • C...

This week on Tent Talk, Farmers Market Pros and InTents Conference founder Catt Fields White takes us inside the evolution of  InTents: The National (actually, multi-national) Farmers Market Conference. From the start, the purpose of the InTents Conference has been to educate, connect, share, and build community in this wonderfully weird world of farms, food and event management!  Because we all k...