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

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 basic info front and center • Landing pages and links • Vendors and sponsors and maps, oh my! • Who updates your website   Today’s episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Grapevine Local Food Marketing.

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. 

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's talk about: Making friends with your inspectors Scheduling farm visits Educating versus policing Prioritizing transparency    Today’s episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Market Wurks. 

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’s cooking up new, delightful ways to contribute to and learn from her community. Let Sina inspire you to take a page from her book and:   Shine a light on your skills Combine "real jobs" and creative pursuits Use market honed skills in related industries   Today’s episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by American Farmland Trust. Keep farmers farming. 

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 event applications, so tune in for Pro tips on:  Making holidays inclusive Surviving holiday markets   Managing boundaries in a busy time    Today’s episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Manage My Market, offering proven solutions to eliminate paperwork and streamline your market management tasks.

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 special kind of produce distributor. Listen in as we discuss:   Innovative ways to promote your market  Creating a food security programs that benefit farmers  The pros and cons of farmers market awards programs When produce distributors do the right thing   Today’s episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Gusto, making it easy to process payroll and supporting your HR needs.

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 The future of Tent Talk 👀   Today’s episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by InTents, the only national farmers market conference, coming back to San Diego, California March 4th-6th, 2024. Find your people, learn new things, discover valuable resources, and tune in to the power of the hive mind. Register now for super early bird pricing at: InTentsConference.com. 

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, it’s an invitation to be part of what we do, and an opportunity to grow community connection around local food. Follow along as Catt, Brijet, and Cara Mae discuss:  Successful methods of outreach for fundraising  Overhead costs of various fundraising methods  What incentives most inspired the community to donate The hearts and minds dividend when people contribute    Today’s episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Yiftee, creating and managing custom gift cards for your whole market or your entire community. Yiftee's Community Cards link your market's farmers and vendors to a single Gift Card to make it easier than ever to ensure people spend their money at local markets and shops.

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 make time for yourself and take a deep breath once in a while. We’ve gathered some tried and true tips from industry pros on how to conserve energy and set boundaries. Tag along as Catt and Brijet discuss:    The frustration of navigating the changing climate Practical steps you can take to protect your time  App & system recommendations that can make your job easier  Scheduling self care into your busy routine    Today's episode of Tent Talk, The Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Social Pilot, helping small farmers, food makers, and market managers keep up with social media posting. Regular posts that feed the algorithm help you reach shoppers more effectively, and scheduling in advance means better control of your schedule. 

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  • Common misconceptions about what it takes to sell at a Farmers Market  • Farmers Market to Wholesale success stories  • Common pain points in the transition process • The hybrid option: por que no los dos?  • Things to consider when deciding what model is best for your business    Today's episode of Tent Talk, The Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Square, helping small farmers, food makers, crafters, and market managers increase their incomes by making it easy to process credit and debit card sales on the street and in the tents.

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 know, farmers markets are so InTents.    Listen for the inside track on: How the conference started and where it is now Who comes and who should come to InTents How to join the livestream online What’s new for the 2024 conference   How Farmers Market Pros is building a bigger tent    Join us at InTents, the Farmers Market Conference in March 2024. If you have knowledge to share with farmers market managers, participants and policymakers, submit your proposal now at www.conferencerfp.com  A limited number of Super Early Bird tickets will be available on August 28th.    This week's episode is made possible by support from MarketWurks, the online platform for market management.

We're talking with James Grevious of Rebel Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado. He's creating neighborhood food security with the hyper local farmers market he has developed and managed, featuring urban gardeners and farmers.    Listen in For James' views and tips on: • Intentionally developing and incubating urban farmers  • Increasing community capacity from the inside vs outside intervention • Market growth pacing based on operator capacity • Funding education for farmers and vendors  • Balancing financial security and community needs   James started Rebels in the Garden, then the Rebel Marketplace farmers market, and now Urban Symbiosis, a non-profit focused on education and fundraising.    Join us at InTents, the Farmers Market Conference in March 2024. If you have knowledge to share with farmers market managers, participants and policymakers, submit your proposal now at www.conferencerfp.com  A limited number of Super Early Bird tickets will be available on August 28th.    Today's episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by The Kitchen Door, connecting food entrepreneurs throughout the US with well-organized and equipped shared-use kitchens.

Today we’re chatting about what to wear and what not to wear at your farmers market. Find that perfect blend of comfort and creativity in staff uniforms to make your team stand out and be recognizable. Encourage your farmers and vendors to do the same for their teams.  Listen in as we discuss everything from punny t-shirts and safety vests to comfortable shoes and how we wish everyone from farmers and vendors to shoppers wore name tags. You look amazing! Today's episode is supported by Blue Owl Promos, helping market managers and vendors create additional income streams by supplying branded tote bags, hats, water bottles, and staff uniform shirts to meet any budget. InTents 2024 is March 4-6 in San Diego and proposals are open! Submit your ideas here.

B. Griffin, Farmers Market Support Program Manager for Community Farm Alliance, a non profit serving farmers markets throughout Kentucky. In this episode: B. gives us a rundown of the new Electronic Farmers Market Nutrition Program that was recently rolled out in Kentucky and the problem-solving efforts CFA has put into action. We also get an update on the impact last summer's floods in Kentucky had on their local food system and what the rest of the country can learn from their disaster response and relief efforts. This week's episode is made possible by support from Farmers Market Coalition. We'll be digging deep in some coming episodes on climate change and its impacts, and how we can plan ahead to manage our responses to natural disasters. 

Are you a farmer or small food business trying to navigate finding spaces to sell at farmers markets? Are you a farmers market manager buried in application emails and trying to find the perfect needles in that haystack? In this episode we're chatting about how we process applications for our markets and approaches used by some of our fellow market managers. Yes, you can have an amazing product and still not be a perfect fit for a specific market. Learn how to narrow down your targets if you're a producer. Listen in to find ways to help a diamond in the rough shine if you're a market manager.    Find tips on: • Telling managers everything they need to know about your business • Balancing your market's offerings • Application red flags • Helping new vendors launch successfully   If you have knowledge to share with farmers market managers, participants, and policy makers, submit your proposal now at www.conferencerfp.com    Today's episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Vendor-101, helping vendors launch and succeed, and streamlining the application process for managers. Find the help you need at www.Vendor-101.com

How do you learn and grow in your farmers market career? We met Jessica Mullen of South Carolina's Travelers Rest Farmers Market when she traveled to San Diego for InTents, the national Farmers Market conference. In this episode of Tent Talk, Jessica shares what she finds valuable about InTents and other conferences and networking with other market professionals. She's all about learning, and also about offering educational opportunities at her market.    Listen in for Jessica's tips on: • Interactive programming for kids • Simple cooking classes at the market • Using data to educate your community • Funding education for farmers and vendors   Check out the clever ways the Travelers Rest Farmers Market shares their impact.   Jessica will be on stage at InTents, the Farmers Market Conference 2024. If you have knowledge to share with farmers market managers, participants and policy makers, submit your proposal now at www.conferencerfp.com    Today's episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by American Farmland Trust, protecting farm and ranch land to help foster a new generation of farmers. Voting in AFT’s annual Farmers Market Celebration is underway now at https://markets.farmland.org

National Farmers Market Week is right around the corner! Sometimes we plan way in advance for this important week, and sometimes it sneaks up on us. Guess what happened this year? Not to worry, we all still have time to take advantage of this national campaign to bring attention to our local markets.   Tune in today as we discuss this year's theme and how to finish this sentence: Farmers Markets are changing the way... Check out this past episode of Tent Talk for more on the history of Farmers Market Week. Today's episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Farmers Market Coalition, advocating for farmers markets on a national level and providing invaluable tools for local markets. Don't forget to order your I love Farmers Markets tattoos today.

The Information Booth is open! It's time for another Hot Topics Q&A episode of Tent Talk, where we provide some answers and insights around recent questions that we've heard from vendors, farmers and market managers.    Our social media direct messages and our private Farmers Market Pros Community on Facebook are full of great discussions this month and always. We also hear about hot topics from the other forums we moderate or participate in, and from small farmers and vendors at the markets we manage.  Tune in today as we discuss: Evaluating air quality issues and how to reduce the harm to farmers, vendors and shoppers when you have to close a market to keep folks safe. Will staying in your booth throughout a market increase your sales? If you're a market manager, can you help vendors find that answer? How to encourage - or require - inclusivity and discourage - or prohibit -discriminatory sales practices at your market. Sharing perspectives from our listeners helps everyone in the market community to figure out how to handle challenges. because only another market member knows exactly how truly #ourjobisweird.  Today's episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Sticker Mule, providing printed labels and promotional products for farmers, vendors, and market managers to support their businesses.

School's out for summer and that means even more kids at the market, both in the aisles and in the tents.     Whether developing programs for kids visiting your market, or putting teens to work in your booth, this episode is full of ideas to help you make the most of this season for market fans of all ages. Tune in today to hear: Ways that markets, farmers and businesses are putting their kids to work this summer Ideas for fun kids' activities that will engage the littlest shoppers All the ways to make your market the village that local parents need to raise healthy, happy children Today's episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Vendor-101, helping new farmers market businesses launch successfully and streamlining vendor inquiry processes for market managers.

We recently celebrated a big milestone at the Little Italy Mercato farmers market - 15 years! - and a not-so-big milestone at our Chula Vista market - 1 year! Whatever milestone you have coming up at your market, whether it's big or small, this episode is packed with tons of tips to help you celebrate your vendors, your community, and your farmers market family.  Tune in today to hear: How to secure a *MARCHING BAND* for your big farmers market anniversary  Tips for fun things you can do that won't break the bank (succulents anyone?) Tons of examples from our farmers market friends around the country about what they did to celebrate their anniversaries  Today's episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by Yiftee, creating and managing custom gift cards for your whole market or your entire community. Resources: Farmers Market Bingo

Jorge Bustamante had a problem. Covid-19 completely shut down his thriving transportation business and he wasn’t sure what to do next. He knew one thing, however, people loved his family’s pozole recipe. So he formed a business plan, took our Vendor 101 course and My Pozole was born. In just a few short years, he’s grown his business so much that he’s at farmer’s markets seven days a week and recently opened a food truck! Listen to this episode to learn: How Jorge turned his family’s recipe into a thriving farmers market business Business tips from Jorge and the business book he read when he got started The number one piece of advice he has for people thinking about starting a small business Today's episode of Tent Talk. The Farmers Market Podcast is supported by Square, helping small farmers, food makers, crafters, and market managers increase their incomes by making it easy to process credit and debit card sales on the street and in the tents.

A few years ago our guest and friend of the show, Sagrdrina Jalal set out to create the anti-racist farmers market toolkit. Sagrdrina was the founding executive director of the Georgia Farmer's Market Association and is the lead facilitator of the anti-racist farmer's market toolkit and related communities of practice. Tune in today for: Tips for making your farmers market more inclusive The history of Black farmers in America and the ways in which we can better represent them at our farmers markets  How farmers market managers can honor and recognize the Juneteenth holiday This week's episode is made possible by support by the Farmer's Market Coalition, giving farmers markets a voice in public policy and strengthening farmers' markets for the benefit of farmers, consumers, and communities.

What happens when farmers market managers from 50 countries assemble in Europe to talk about strengthening local food systems, shortening food chains, preserving biodiversity, and protecting small farmers? Listen to this week's episode where we follow Catt on the road as she attends the FIRST general assembly of the World Farmers Market Coalition in Rome! Their mission is to cultivate and promote intentional, managed farmers markets and we were thrilled to attend. Hear our takeaways from the exciting event including chatting with Tent Talk fans from around the globe This week's episode is made possible by support from MarketWurks, the online platform for market management.

Last time Daniel and Kasi Haire were on Tent Talk, back in early 2020, we were all adjusting our farmers market operations to accommodate COVID-19 protocols. In the time since, this farmers market power couple who manage the Nolensville Farmers Market have become invaluable contributors to our online community, sharing brilliant market hacks and solutions to the sticky situations market managers constantly find themselves in. We're thrilled to welcome them back again to Tent Talk this week to learn about: The benefits of collecting data at your market How you can apply that data to everything from increasing vendor sales to grant applications The numbers help inform Daniel & Kasi when making decisions about bringing in new vendors, applying for grants, and have even changed their whole approach to pulling in sponsorships! Time to get your calculators & spreadsheets ready, folks! This week's episode is made possible by support from Marketing for Markets.

Our guests this week are Jonathan Przybyl and Amanda Abou-Eid, owners and bakers at Proof Bread in the Phoenix, Arizona metro area. Jon and Amanda took over an existing farmers market and wholesale bakery business in 2017 when their favorite bread vendor decided to retire. After four years of baking in their garage, Proof Bread has expanded into a commercial bakery space and is now sold at 5 weekly markets across Arizona. Tune in this week to hear Jon and Amanda's incredible story of how they've expanded their business while staying true to their farmer's market roots. This week's episode is made possible by support from The Food Corridor.

Spring is just around the corner and it's time for market managers, farmers and vendors to get in the zone for peak farmers market season! This week on Tent Talk we're chatting about all the things you need to do to get ready for those excited shoppers who'll be flocking to your market. Tune in to hear what you should be doing a few months, a few weeks, and a few days before the start of your market season. This week's episode is made possible by support from California Palms.

This week on Tent Talk, we're chatting about big changes at Farmers Market Pros just in time for a spring refresh! Tune in to hear about our favorite takeaways and moments from InTents 2023, our travel plans this spring, and what we're looking forward to in the future. This week's episode is made possible by support from MarketWurks.

This week on Tent Talk we’re joined by our friend, Tamara Cameron, former farmers market manager and Executive Director of the Boise Farmers Market. Tamara worked for the Boise Farmers Market for over 4 years, implementing new software programs, harnessing an impressive volunteer force and leading them through the trials and tribulations of COVID-19 by implementing systems to keep farmers farming and shoppers shopping! Her most recent accomplishment was helping the Boise Farmers Market organization find and train a new leader as she transitioned out of her role and moved to a new state and away from hands-on market life. Tune in for an insightful conversation about what it takes to find your own replacement, the steps to take for a peaceful transition of power, and what market managers should be doing whether or not they plan to leave their job. This week's episode is made possible by support from Food4All.

Do dietary supplements, nutritional powders, health and CBD products have a place at the farmers market? Well, it depends! This week on Tent Talk, we tackle the topic of vendor products that straddle the lines between food, medicine and dietary supplements. Join us as we discuss what types of nutritional supplements and products make sense in a farmers market setting based on the mission of your market, how to develop clear policies around non-food ingestibles, and what to consider when vetting vendor applications. This week's episode is made possible by support from American Farmland Trust.

This week on Tent Talk, our guest is Chef Michael Ceraldi, owner of Ceraldi on Cape Cod. Chef Michael opened his namesake restaurant in 2014 and has become well known for his rotating 7-course tasting menu of upscale fare with an Italian accent, focusing on hyper-local ingredients sourced from Cape Cod purveyors. Tune to hear his fascinating chef journey, what led him to his philosophy and devotion to seasonal menus, and how he's built close relationships with local farmers and purveyors. This week's episode is made possible by support from The Food Corridor.

The clock is ticking! USDA FMPP Applications are due May 2, 2023, at 11:59 pm Eastern Time! This week on Tent Talk we chat with Amanda Cross, Programs Manager for the Oregon Farmers Market Association about applying for grants for your farmers market. Amanda has been working in and around farmers markets for twelve years and she joined OFMA in 2019 to support Oregon farmers market managers, coordinating OFMA’s Farmers Market Learning Network, and providing technical assistance to markets needing guidance in offering EBT/SNAP programs. Amanda has experience applying for grants, implementing grant awards and reviewing FMPP grant applications, so she knows how grueling the grant applications are, from tricky forms to acquiring matching funds. Listen along to this week's episode for some practical advice, helpful tools and words of wisdom for applying for farmers market grants. This week's episode is made possible by support from Grapevine Local Marketing.

This week we’re sharing another live recording from the InTents: the Farmers Market Conference 2023 held in San Diego last month. In this Tent Talk Live episode, you’ll hear a presentation titled “Marketing: It’s Not Just for Shoppers Anymore” from Christine Hawks who manages Columbus’ Worthington Farmers Market, the largest year-round market in Central Ohio. As a Certified Farmers Market Manager and recently certified Ohio Master Urban Farmer, Christine serves as an ambassador for local food and entrepreneurs. She believes that food is transformative, affecting change in community health and wellness, access, equity, education and understanding. Fueled by that belief and a recent grant award, Christine is expanding her farmers market’s outreach through an experiential learning collaboration with a local high school and with a variety of cooperative programs with other local organizations. This week's episode is made possible by support from USDA, Square, Market Wurks, Farmers Market Coalition, The Food Corridor and American Farmland Trust.

This week we’re sharing a live recording from the 7th annual InTents: the Farmers Market Conference which we hosted in San Diego and online earlier this month. In this Tent Talk Live episode we hear from shiny flanary, a queer Black farmer and founder and manager of Come Thru Market, a Black and Indigenous incubator farmers market and farmer training program in unceded Chinook and Cowlitz territory (so-called Portland, Oregon). In her session “Creating and Retaining Confident Vendors”, shiny lays out a toolkit for extensive farmer and vendor orientation and models how she establishes a culture of learning rather than assumed expertise and builds vendor comfort, relationships and retention. This week's episode is made possible by support from USDA, Square, Market Wurks, Farmers Market Coalition, The Food Corridor and American Farmland Trust.

Earlier this month we hosted hundreds of farmers market managers and participants at our 7th annual InTents: the Farmers Market Conference. Farmers market folk flew in from all over the US and Canada and even more tuned in virtually for 3 days of learning and growing with people who understand that #ourjobisweird. It’s no secret that being a farmers market manager draws on an eclectic set of skills and we were curious to find out what talents our attendees wield in their day-to-day. So over the course of the conference, we invited our attendees to share their farmers market superpower. Are you a logistics mastermind, or an expert vendor-wrangler or a community partnership genius? We asked, we found out and in this episode of Tent Talk, we’re sharing those answers! This week's episode is made possible by support from USDA, Square, Market Wurks, Farmers Market Coalition, The Food Corridor and American Farmland Trust.

As the current US Farm Bill is set to expire later this year, legislators and policy-makers are hard at work behind the scenes, negotiating and developing the massive omnibus bill that will eventually impact all of us. The details of the final bill aren't clear yet but it's never too soon to start paying close attention to the policies that will impact farmers, market managers and anyone working in the agricultural industry! To get in the zone for the 2023 Farm Bill, this week on Tent Talk, we're chatting with Ben Feldman, Executive Director of the Farmers Market Coalition. In this episode you'll get some background info on what the Farm Bill is, who and what it impacts, and why we should be making friends with our congressional representatives. This week's episode is made possible by support from the USDA.

This week the Farmers Market Pros team is busy hosting the 7th annual InTents Conference in San Diego, California so we're replaying our interview with Melissa Maltais, past conference speaker and Membership and Program Lead at BC Farmers Markets, from last Spring. Melissa is a brilliant marketer, fundraiser and advocate for farmers markets in Canada. This episode is jam packed with tips on marketing your market through community outreach and simple ways to reel in sponsors - all the things you’re likely thinking about as you enter your 2023 farmers market season! Enjoy this Best of Tent Talk episode & we’ll have another great episode for you next week. This week's episode is made possible by support from our incredible Farmers Market Pros partners including the USDA, Square, The Food Corridor, MarketWurks, Farmers Market Coalition, American Farmland Trust and more!

Eek! April 15th is just around the corner! It's time to get your receipts gathered and your books in order so you can file those 2022 taxes. This week on Tent Talk our guest is Danielle Hayden, CEO of Kickstarter Accounting where her and her team help entrepreneurs understand their numbers so they can gain the confidence needed to create sustainable profits. In this episode Danielle gives us a pep-talk & much-needed reprogramming on how we approach bookkeeping. She shares her philosophy on judgment-free accounting and provides insight on what small business owners should be doing to prepare for tax season. Whether you're a farmers market vendor, market operator, or just someone with anxiety when it comes to finances, this episode is for you! This week's episode is made possible by support from Square.

As state legislatures across the country rethink laws on food safety and street vendor permits, farmers market managers are having to rethink their market guidelines and policies. This week on Tent Talk we go over some of the various regulation changes that have been rolled out and implemented and how they are impacting farmers, food makers and local farmers market communities. Listen in for updates on recent shifts in public policy, how these changes are shaking out on a local level and what market managers should be aware of when it comes to food and vending legislation. This week's episode is made possible by support from Food4All.

Our guest this week is Sean Kirkpatrick, co-owner and the culinary creative behind Down to Ferment Hot Sauce. Sean has cooked professionally for all his adult life, filling roles as an Executive Chef, Food and Beverage Manager and Culinary Director. At the on-set of the pandemic, his love of fermented foods coincided with his dissatisfaction with corporate cooking culture and in early 2021 he and his business partner launched their line of vinegar-free hot sauces at local farmers markets in San Diego. Join us this week to learn how Sean applies his corporate training to his farmers market business from sourcing ingredients to keeping labor costs in balance. We also dig into the spicy double meanings of his hot sauce flavor names and discuss the vision behind his playful brand voice. This week's episode is made possible by support from TentCraft.

While we tend to focus mainly on farmers markets, here on Tent Talk, we love food markets of all shapes, sizes and persuasions! So this week we were delighted to speak with John Wang, founder of the Queens Night Market, an open-air night market in Queens, New York. Every Saturday night from April-October, the Queens Night Market features up to 100 independent vendors selling merchandise, art, and food as well as small-scale cultural performances, celebrating the rich cultural diversity and heritage of its borough. Now heading into its eighth season, the wildly popular and uniquely affordable event has launched over 350 new businesses in NYC and represented over 90 countries through its vendors and their food. In this episode we hear about how John got this project off the ground, how he curates his diverse roster of vendors, and his philosophy behind the $5 price cap on food sold at his market. This week's episode is made possible by support from Yiftee.

This week we’re discussing an issue that all market managers seem to face: pirate vendors. No, we’re not talking about buccaneers that sail the seven seas, we’re talking about sellers and solicitors that set up in or around a farmers market as unofficial vendors. Though usually well-intentioned, hawkers, buskers, petitioners, and street vendors can confuse shoppers about where and when the actual farmers market begins, encroach on sales, and could potentially be a liability for farmers market operators. Tune in for some commiseration and brainstorming about what to do and how to handle these unofficial farmers market vendors. This week's episode is made possible by support from Vendor-101.

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 adage is true: the squeaky wheel 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.

Farmers markets are often touted as a key to revitalizing failing downtowns. And while they aren't a panacea for all Main St. issues, when executed well, they really can turn around a business district in a special way. Our guests this week represent one of those Main Street success stories: Ivy Hagedorn and Lindsay Gagnon, of the Downtown Joplin Alliance and Joplin Empire Market. Back in December of 2016, the Empire District Electric Company donated to the Downtown Joplin Alliance over 33,000 square feet of buildings on 3.34 acres in the center of Joplin. Downtown Joplin Alliance re-purposed this historic building and its attached 11,000 sqft. garage as the new four-season Empire Market which opened in April 2018 and is now home to a growing roster of farmers, vendors and a brand new shared use commercial kitchen. Not only did the Joplin Empire Market reactivate a lackluster business district, it also breathed new life into a defunct historical building! Listen along to hear this incredible story. This week's episode is made possible by support from The Food Corridor.