Tent Talk

This week on Tent Talk, we're checking in with Maya Madsen of Maya's Cookies to hear all about surviving and thriving after an unexpected large boost in her Black owned farmers market business! Maya updates us on all that her business has been through these past few months. Listen along to hear about Maya's hurdles, wins, losses, celebrity shout outs, missed calls from Netflix execs, supply chain...

In preparation for National Farmers Market Week, which is coming up August 2-8, our guest this week is Stephanie Fenty, Manager of Operations and Strategic Engagement at the Farmers Market Coalition. We talk about all the different ways markets can participate (while still adhering to COVID-19 safety regulations) and the amazing promotional resources the Farmers Market Coalition provides. You can...

In various parts of the country, farmers markets are still open, just opening, operating differently with drive throughs or curbside pickups or not opening at all. This week on Tent Talk, we're talking with Ashlie Pesic, the farmers' daughter at Da Le Ranch, about staffing to sell at multiple farmers markets and pivoting during COVID-19.  Da Le Ranch is a Southern California meat and poultry farmi...

This week on Tent Talk, co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine talk about the importance of vendor education. When new vendors take courses such as Vendor-101, or have a general knowledge of what it takes to sell at the farmers' market, it lays a strong foundation for a successful farmers market business future! Listen along for tips on where to start if you have no experience as a vendor, or if you're...

Farmers' market managers and vendors are dealing with even more than the usual regulations, physical labor and day to day jobs right now. In these trying times, when we can't gather in person, online communities provide some much needed support. For this week's episode of Tent Talk, we chat with some of the members of our Farmers' Market Pros Facebook community about how your tribe of market indus...

This week on Tent Talk, co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine catch up on what's been going on in farmers' market communities across the country. From face masks and contingency plans to the nuances of social media messaging for your farmers' market, this episode covers a lot of ground! Listen along for tips and tricks from your farmers' market pros. 

Listen along to this week's episode of Tent Talk for an in-depth conversation between co-host Catt and Erin Tormey, farmer and director of Coastside Farmers Markets,  recorded at the California Small Farms Conference back in February. They chat about creative ways to pull in farmers' market sponsorships and the reciprocal benefits of community-supported markets.

On this week's episode, Tent Talk co-hosts have an important conversation about the civil unrest  taking place in many parts of the country and what that means for farmers markets. "Farmers market people are people who do things. Let's band together. Let's work for change." - Catt Fields White, founder of Farmers Market Pros Black Lives Matter. 

This week on Tent Talk, we're replaying our inspirational 2019 interview with Eric Dobbs of Seven Seas Roasting Company. Eric's passion for coffee led him from the military and law school to Vendor-101 and the farmers market where he launched his coffee roasting business. A few years later, Seven Seas is still in farmers markets even now that they have 2 successful brick and mortar coffee shops.

As areas begin to reopen and loosen restrictions surrounding COVID-19, many farmers' markets are reopening for the summer season. This week on Tent Talk, co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine discuss how reopening cities, businesses and public spaces may impact farmers' market operations. 

This week on Tent Talk, co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine look on the bright side and discuss the silver linings they've discovered in spite of the many changes farmers markets have faced in the last few months. Listen along for a sliver of optimism!

On this week's episode of Tent Talk, we hear from Daniel and Kasi Haire of the Nolensville Farmers' Market in Nolensville, Tennessee about how they implemented a drive-through format to adjust to new farmers market health and safety guidelines.

On this week's episode of Tent Talk, co-hosts Brijet, Catt and Justine catch up with with Maya Madsen of Maya's Cookies . They discuss how farmers market food makers are coping with stay-at-home orders, farmers market restrictions, and pivoting to online sales. Listen along for tips from Maya on how her business is surviving and thriving amid the COVID-19 lockdown. 

We're still talking about the current public health emergency since, like everyone else, farmers, food makers, and farmers market managers are still operating under conditions that change daily. On this week's episode, we chat with  Christine Farren, Executive Director of CUESA , about how to cover operations costs when your farmers market has been modified to operate under current public safety g...

Stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders are still impacting the lives of farmers market managers, small farmers, food makers, and…everybody in the whole world. On this week's episode Catt, Brijet and Justine discuss some of the nuts and bolts of dealing with reformatted farmers markets as we enter the frayed nerves stage of COVID-19.  

While many states, cities and counties have different rules about keeping farmers markets open during COVID-19, on this week's episode of Tent Talk, we chat about the important role farmers markets play and why they should be considered one of the "essential" businesses allowed to remain open.

In this week's episode, Catt, Brijet and Justine discuss the impact of COVID-19 on farmers markets and how market managers, farmers and food producers are pivoting their businesses to adapt. 

As concerns surrounding COVID-19 increase, the roles farmers markets play in local food systems become more and more important. This week on Tent Talk, Catt, Brijet and Justine discuss the importance of keeping markets open, while also implementing heightened safety measures. Listen along for logistical tips for managing markets, while also keeping staff, vendors and the public safe. 

On this week's episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet discuss the current challenges faced by farmers, food producers, and market managers in midst of growing public health concerns. Listen along to hear how markets around the country are coping with COVID-19.  Follow us! @FarmersMarketPros Sign up for our email newsletter at:  www. FarmersMarketPros.com  

This week on Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet will teach you the four A's that will help you manage your time and avoid burnout. Avoid! There's another A!  Keep up on all things Farmers' Market related with our weekly email newsletter! Sign up on our website: www. FarmersMarketPros.com

On this week's episode of Tent Talk, Catt and Brijet answer a listener question about the challenges of using social media for your markets when your event is owned by the city. Tune in for tips for navigating this tricky subject. 

This week Catt is at the Washington State Farmers Market Association Conference in Tacoma, so she caught up with fellow conference speaker, Katie Green of Wild Hare Organic Farm. Katie shares what makes a great farmers market from a farmer's point of view and how she juggles markets, farming, a successful CSA program, and family life. 

This week we bring you another episode of Tent Talk, live from the 2020 edition of InTents: The Farmers Market Conference. Listen along to hear an informative presentation from Nathan Macaulay, sales director for Apricot Lane Farms, which was featured in the hit film The Biggest Little Farm. In an ever changing employment environment, Nathan shares his methods for recruiting, training and retainin...

On this special episode of Tent Talk, we're sharing a highlight from the 2020 edition of InTents: The Farmers Market Conference. Speaker Sarah Marshall, co-owner of Marshall's Haute Sauce, author of Preservation Pantry and host of The Meaningful Marketplace podcast, shares how she builds community inside Portland, Oregon farmers markets and out in the greater food system that surrounds them.   

Just a quick "hello!" from the 2020 InTents: The Farmers Market Conference! We are knee-deep in conference happenings right now, and will be back next week with all new content- keep an ear out for 'live! from the conference' episodes of Tent Talk!