It might have upended most people’s lives, but the COVID-19 pandemic was a boon for producers who sell products directly to consumers. People in fear of shopping at their local grocery store found a “safer” option buying directly from farmers.

For farmers markets, the pandemic brought in more customers after years of declining gross sales, said Brian Moyer, educational program associate with Penn State Cooperative Extension. But something else happened that was just was notable.

"What happened in 2020 as well, some of the produce vendors were selling at their own farm, and there was such huge demand on their own farm that they couldn't be at both the market and farm, or didn't need to be at both. They were selling everything at the farm,” Moyer said at the recent PASA Sustainable Agriculture Conference. “So we've seen this drop in produce vendors at markets, and so there's still not enough produce vendors to go around at all the markets.”

Anecdotally, farmers markets had a good 2021 — better than 2019 — but sales were way down from 2020, Moyer said.

There are many factors that go into a producer’s decision to sell or not sell at a farmers market, but some are fairly universal no matter what you produce or what market you sell in.

First up, though, now is the time to decide if a farmers market is where you’re selling this growing season.

“Get going right now. This is the time when they're signing up vendors. Typically anywhere from December until the end of this month” and into early March, Moyer said.

Becky Clawson, a Penn State Extension educator who also spoke at the conference, said farmers markets can be a great way for a producer to establish a customer base and build relationships. It can also open doors to other market channels. For example, a farmers market can be a good place to recruit Community Supported Agriculture members or make relationships with restaurant owners.

Emma de Long, owner of Kneehigh Farm near Pottstown, Pa., a small 4-acre farm that includes a 120-member CSA, sells at numerous farmers markets, including the Swarthmore Farmers Market outside Philadelphia, and she has opened a small retail market just down the street from her farm.

“The market is kind of the one face-to-face time you have guaranteed every week, because you're always in the field or doing something else,” she said. In her case, she uses one of her markets as a CSA pickup spot for her customers.  

"I found it was really easy to put it in boxes and bring it down. I set everything up and people have a free-choice CSA," de Long said.

But farmers markets can be challenging, too. Income can vary from week to week, Clawson said. And farmers markets will charge a flat fee or commission — up to 5% of sales — to sell there, Moyer said. 

“You might also have to hire some labor to help you at the market, so be aware of that,” Clawson said. “And those days can be long and tiring. There may be certain policies and regulations that you need to abide by, and if you’re introverted or customer weary, a market may not be for you.”

What are you selling?

It might seem like common sense to some, but Moyer said growers should plan what they are bringing to market based on the customers who shop there and where the market is located. People have differing tastes, and that varies greatly based on if you’re selling in a market that caters to ethnic customers, or if you’re selling in a more rural area or suburb.

“Knowing that stuff will give you way more success at the market,” he said.

Based off university and rapid market assessment surveys, including a 5,000-consumer study that was led by Cornell University, Moyer said that most farmers market customers tend to be older than 50 with no kids. The reason, he said, is because people older than 50 have more expendable income and time, and it is inconvenient for parents with children to shop at a farmers market when they have other places to go.

“Every market survey I’ve done has showed the same thing,” he said.

Do your homework

Clawson said that doing good research beforehand is crucial. Think about the time it will take to drive to the market, especially if it’s only a once-a-week market.

“I’m doing the math, if I’m making $400 extra, would I drive another hour to go to market?” she said. “Does that pay off considering the amount of staff I have to pay, and gas, and my time?”

Clawson said that winter farmers markets, if you have the ability to do them, are a good way to get your foot in the door, especially if it’s a market that’s in high demand during the growing season.

She added that it’s good to do some site visits to find out when the busy times of the market are and just to get a feel of the place and whether it’s for you or not.

Once you do land a contract, Moyer said it’s important to bring your highest-quality stuff and have a cooperative spirit.

“It’s basically a market, and it is a large cooperative market; a whole bunch of businesses coming together for a specific purpose,” he said. “In other words, you play nice with others. And accept the authority of the market manager.”

Time to sell

Having a nice-looking display and plenty to sell is important, but Moyer said that other things are important to consider, too — such as having your items on tablecloths, a cash box available to make change, offering some sort of electronic payment, and having cleaning supplies to wipe down dirty areas.

If you are selling a lot of items, Clawson said to consider having some shopping baskets available.  

“You give them extra capacity to carry more; they’ll buy more,” she said.

In terms of pricing produce, Moyer said there is no one way to do it, which can be challenging. Some producers price based on what it costs them to grow a fruit or vegetable. Others base it on seasonal demand for a product.

Some even go with the “psychological method” of pricing. One example is pricing something lower than a whole number to create the perception of getting a good discount. So, instead of pricing something at $4 a pound, price it at $3.99.

Think about the time of year, too. For example, if you have early strawberries in May, you might be able to price those berries much higher than if it were the middle of June, the peak of strawberry season, Moyer said.