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Tent Talk

InTents Business

Tent Talk is a podcast for farmers' market managers, farmers, food makers, and anyone who counts on farmers’ markets as a source of income. Please join us as we interview farmers’ market experts, talk about ways to improve local food communities, and provide you with tips on building a successful farmers’ market business.

  • 1 hour 30 seconds
    Ep 329: Good Form | How To: Manage Market Applications
    There's no one right way to manage vendor applications for your farmers market. Some managers prefer simple inquiry  emails before a detailed form. Some market management platforms integrate applications with online maps and vendor profiles. We all need to know business names and exactly what will be sold. An origin story makes an application more interesting, permit and insurance information generally gets it processed more quickly.    On this episode the Farmers Market Pros discuss our experiences and preferences, then we chat with Cara Mae Wooledge of Napa Farmers Market and Chloe Kuhn and SJ Osborne or the Riverside Arts Market.  Listen in for a variety of opinions and tips on topics including:
    • Longer applications lead to good decisions
    • Detailed instructions save everyone's time
    • Should vendors visit before applying?
    • You don't want to miss Michael Jordan
    There's still time to sign up for Farmers Market University's live online market manager certification class starting January 24th. Use code FMPROS25 to save when you register at FarmersMarketUniversity.com   Use the link in our bio to register today for the 9th annual InTents, the National Farmers Market Conference, coming March 10-12, 2025 in San Diego. 
    20 January 2025, 9:32 am
  • 29 minutes 30 seconds
    Ep 328: By The Numbers | How To: Share Your Market Data
    How many eggs did Apricot Lane Farms collect in 2024? Eighty three thousand five hundred ninety seven. How do we know that? Because they posted a clever graphic that said so. What does that make us think about their farm? They must be hardworking farmers and have some happy chickens. Use numbers to share your farm, business or farmers market accomplishments and impress your shoppers. Make it eye-catching and fun to be sure it's memorable. Listen in for how-to tips including:  
    • Exact numbers are more impressive and memorable
    • Should you share products made or sales totals? 
    • Creating graphics doesn't need to be complicated
    • So much can be counted: how many tents did you pop?
      Thanks @apricotlanefarms for the graphic. We love those chickens and those farmers.   There's still time to sign up for Farmers Market University's live online market manager certification class starting January 24th. Use code FMPROS25 to save when you register at FarmersMarketUniversity.com   Use the link in our bio to register today for the 9th annual InTents, the National Farmers Market Conference, coming March 10-12, 2025 in San Diego. 

     

    13 January 2025, 9:32 am
  • 34 minutes 36 seconds
    Ep 327: Log Polling | How To: Track Your Market Day
    Farmers Market Day logbooks can store valuable information, customer requests and market history. Whether you use them to track attendance or sales, complaints or comedy, they can be helpful and interesting if you both maintain and read them. Listen in for tips to decide what to include and how to format your market log, based on the Farmers Market Pros' experience and other market managers' and market business owners' input. These are some of our takeaways:
    • A standard set of information can help predict trends
    • Multiple team members reporting is most accurate 
    • Open ended questions can yield better insights
    • Don't spend time collecting info unless you'll use it
      #farmersmarkets #recordkeeping #farmersmarketday #smallfarmers #smallbusiness #marketmanagerlife #farmersmarketsdontjusthappen
    6 January 2025, 9:32 am
  • 1 minute 49 seconds
    Ep 326: Start the New Year with Good InTENTions

    And just like that another year of farmers markets is coming to a close. We’re ringing in this new year quietly. 2024 has been full of meaningful connections, community-building and so many conferences. In the coming weeks we’ll be sharing our inTENTions for 2025, tips and how-tos, and new ways to connect. We're cooking up some exciting new things, so stay tuned. Don't forget to register for InTents, the National Farmers Market Conference; we can't wait to see you there.  Thanks for listening all year long, and we're wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

    30 December 2024, 8:44 am
  • 3 minutes 32 seconds
    Ep 325: Happy Holidays

    Whether you’re observing  a holiday this week or not, remember that you are a gift to your communities every week of the year. We hope you find time to rest and enjoy the fruits of your labors. Wishing happy holidays to all who celebrate and peace to one and all.

    23 December 2024, 9:32 am
  • 32 minutes 11 seconds
    Ep 324: Holiday Gifting
    The season for holiday gifting is here! Whether you're a market manager, farmer or vendor, we have great tips for remembering all the people who have supported you this year. It really is the thought that counts so if gifts aren't in the budget we suggest other ways to acknowledge the people you appreciate. Grab your list, check it twice and listen in to this spotlight episode from 2023 as we discuss:   • Who's on our holiday list • Useful gifts for your team • Shopping local, of course! • Big impact on a low budget
    16 December 2024, 9:32 am
  • 20 minutes 58 seconds
    Ep 323: Give and Let Give
    For some folks making year-end donations is a tax strategy. Others just feel generous this time of year. It's a perfect time to bolster your farmers market's fundraising efforts and finish the year with a balanced budget. Even though your core market business is hopefully self sustaining, many market organizations also provide educational programs and supplement nutrition incentive programs. Those are efforts your community can help support. Listen in as we talk about how to make that ask effective: 
    • Be specific about why you need support
    • Explore the best ways to reach your fans
    • Give your followers the opportunity to give
    • Report back on results and say thank you
    9 December 2024, 9:44 am
  • 40 minutes 4 seconds
    Ep 322: The Fourth P: Be a Farmers Market Pro
    We've been talking about the 4 Ps for market success since we started our Vendor-101 class almost 15 years ago. Product, packaging or presentation, personality and today's focus: Professionalism. Farmers markets are a shopping environment where one vendor's actions and attitudes can affect a lot of people's businesses. Be a most valuable farmer or vendor by remembering some of the things we're chatting about today:
    • Being timely during the application process
    • Ways to build trust with shoppers
    • Communicating the "why" helps 
    • Remembering kindness counts

     

    2 December 2024, 9:32 am
  • 44 minutes 12 seconds
    Ep 321: James Grevious: Rebel Courses
    This week we caught up with James Grevious of Rebel Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado. Since he last joined us on Tent Talk, he’s been addressing  challenges around establishing a consistent location and a sustainable business model. Staying rebellious, he  continues to create neighborhood food security with a hyper local farmers market. Along with today's update, it's a pleasure to share our talk with James that was originally broadcast in August 2023. 

    Listen in For James' views and tips on:

    • Intentionally developing and incubating urban farmers 
    • Increasing community capacity from the inside 
    • Balancing market growth and operator capacity 
    • Weighing community needs and financial security
    25 November 2024, 9:44 am
  • 29 minutes 4 seconds
    Ep 320: Youth in the Booth
    Inviting young people to vend at your farmers market can foster a new generation of market entrepreneurs and delight your community. Sure, there are challenges. It can be a trick to be sure that kids meet permit requirements. Their grown up is probably going to have to sign for insurance. Figure it all out and watch as family and friends come out to support the youngsters and maybe get hooked on farmers market shopping for the long term. Listen in as we consider:  
    • Exploring local regulations for under age vendors 
    • Deciding whether friendship bracelets fit your farmers market 
    • Providing sales tips and training to kids
    • Making sure your consistent vendors benefit too
    18 November 2024, 9:00 am
  • 30 minutes 23 seconds
    Ep 319: Staff Evaluations

    Whether you're a farmer, maker or market manager, if you have a team, providing them with feedback will make their work life and yours better. It doesn't have to be awkward or uncomfortable to discuss workplace performance. (OK, sometimes it can be.) If you've provided employees with expectations and the tools to meet them, this is just a checkup. We're talking today about how we make these chats productive for everyone involved, including: 

    • Giving people a chance for self evaluation
    • Hire in a hurry? It's never too late to share job descriptions. 
    • We're all motivated by know the why behind processes 
    • Bosses can benefit from feedback too: listen!
    11 November 2024, 9:44 am
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