Launching a Market
Each resource below gives a general overview of the required scope of work when starting a farmers market.
They are meant to be an introduction to the many moving parts of a market, including forming a group to work with, surveying for community needs, finding a location, having the necessary permits, and recruiting vendors. Many of these topics are covered individually and in more detail in other chapters of OFMA’s Resource Library.
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Powerpoint presentation from the West Virginia Farmers Market Association. Great starting point!
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Nebraska’s Rural Farmers Market Handbook is a colorfully illustrated guide to starting and running a farmers market. We recommend starting with Chapter 3 as a way to take in the many considerations that needto happen when launching a market. This toolkit is also available in Spanish.
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This manual with lessons learned from tribal market managers in NM and AZ covers why to start a farmers market, finding farmers, attracting customers, making plans, and tracking success.
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While designed for on-campus markets, this detailed framework is valuable for any new market. Structured around the "Four M's" (mission, management, marketing, and measurement), it walks through defining goals, assessing community needs, recruiting vendors, building partnerships, and creating sustainable operations. Produced by the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) in partnership with USDA.
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From Purdue Extension. Four page article that covers the basic mechanics of starting a market. Quick to read, but you’ll need other resources for more detail.
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From the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. If you’re a list person, this resource will be great for you!
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The UC Small Farm Center’s 100-page guide to the who, what, when, where, and why of starting a farmers market.
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This list of reflection questions from the Farmers Market Federation of New York is posed as helping to determine whether you should go forward with a new market or, instead, use your time, energy and funds to support and grow existing local farmers markets. While OFMA doesn’t agree there are too many farmers markets, the questions could be a good exercise for understanding what’s needed to open a market.