It’s probably happened to
you.
You stand with hands on hips and stare at all the beautiful
apples you grew, now lying on the ground because your family
can’t keep up with them. At the same time, your raspberries
are rotting on the vine, and the two pet gerbils you thought
were both females, weren’t. Oh, and then there’s the
rhubarb… You can’t stand to throw all this wonderful
produce out, and you’re not going to hurt those adorable
baby rodents, even if you didn’t want them, so what are
you going to do?
Head to the market! The Kingston Farmers Market,
that is. A simple, often overlooked solution for the “weekend
farmer” is the wonderful open-air market held every Saturday,
May through October, next to the Kingston Marina. It’s
a lovely venue, and draws many tourists waiting for ferries,
boaters docked for supplies, and of course, loyal locals. Everyone
wants fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables, and you can
get in on this action easily.
Being a seller at the market requires a once-yearly
fee of $40 ($35 if you pay before May 1st) along with a simple
application. Then, each time you attend, you pay a $10 fee as
a seller. You can come as often or as seldom as you like, although
regular attendance does lead to regular customers. The easiest
thing to do is to plan on growing a lot of a few things, rather
than a little of a lot of things. This way, you simplify all
the stages - planting, harvesting, packaging and getting to
market. Then you can go to market just a few times, when your
crop is in. You don’t have to be a big grower. Just plan
on picking your apples before they fall this year, getting those
raspberries harvested and in baskets on time, and maybe planting
even more rhubarb, or onions, or artichokes, or whatever it
is you want for your family anyway.
If you want to plant something new specifically
for the market, try to grow something unique. Cruising the market
is the best way to see what there is too much or too little
of, but by the time you can do that, you’re too late! So,
as an insider, I’ll give you some tips. Virtually any vegetable,
especially if it is organically grown and freshly picked, will
sell at the market. I consistently sold out each week. But the
more common, easy to grow vegetables (lettuce, carrots, beets,
greens, squash) are sometimes over-represented. Last summer,
some produce was noticeably absent (celery, artichokes, corn,
nuts, many fruits) and there was so little of in-demand items
that they flew off our stands (strawberries, spinach). You have
the best chance of being successful if you are growing something
unique, or an heirloom variety of a common item. Also, things
that can be eaten as-is do well, as people like to snack as
they cruise the market, or have come off boats and have little
storage.
Then there’s the critters. A real Farmers
Market needs animals! Luckily, we do have a “bunny lady”,
who also brings down her llamas now and again, but everyone
loves to see animals, especially babies. This can be a good
opportunity to find loving homes for those unplanned-for gerbils
(instead of other options we don’t need to mention). It’s
also a great place to get out information about the specific
breed or species you are interested in. In spring, people are
ready to buy ducks, turkeys, chickens and rabbits. If you have
extra, come on down!
Your presentation is important. People want to
know that produce is clean and fresh. And of course, if you
have animals of any kind, they need to be healthy and well cared
for. Displaying your wares attractively will draw people in.
I pay attention to details and do things like misting my produce,
rotating things from a cooler, signing everything clearly so
people know prices, and using clean produce bags (because who
knows what you carried before in that crumpled up old bag their
food is going in). Being friendly is definitely a plus, as is
offering samples. I’m sure my neighbors got tired of hearing
me call out “would you like to try a fresh pea?” last
summer, but samples are great! Customers who would otherwise
have passed by were so pleased with the sample that they would
frequently buy. And even if they didn’t buy, it was fun
to share and watch kids (and adults!) learn to shell their first
real pea pod.
The market may not only be a source of extra income
for you, but also the kids. Let them grow a small crop or two
and show up. It’s the perfect summer job, and kids get
special rates. Besides the money, there are other reasons to
sell at the market. You get to be outdoors in a very picturesque
setting, and you will definitely meet people. From the acquaintances
I made last summer, I gained some very useful gardening strategies,
obtained starts of heirloom plants, recipes, and of course,
great stories of successes and failures. I have gotten more
involved in my community as a direct result of participating
in the market. Perhaps most importantly, I came home feeling
good at the end of each day because of the compliments I would
receive on the results of my hard labor. Vendors often trade
with each other, share info on other selling opportunities,
and in general form a camaraderie and look out for each other.
You will feel welcome from the first day!
The Kinston Farmers Market is in need of more
weekend farmers, in need of more quality produce. The first
time I showed up to sell, I was the only one with produce (it
was very early in the year). You might think I would be delighted
with my inadvertent monopoly, but I wasn’t. When the market
cannot meet the needs of those attending, a vicious circle starts.
Locals learn there isn’t enough produce, and so they stay
away. This lowers buying power and makes sellers stay away.
We need to establish a broad base of produce vendors that are
capable of supplying both abundance and variety. We need locals
to support us in trying to consistently deliver fresh goods.
Then the circle becomes an upward spiral - more people come
because they know they can do their produce shopping at the
market, and more vendors come to sell because they know the
buyers are there.
Now is the time to get into gear. Order your seeds,
plan your plot, breed your ducks. Whatever it is, we need it,
and you can sell it. The Kingston Farmers Market has grown steadily,
is well organized and well advertised, and gains popularity
each year. For more information, go online at kingstonfarmersmarket.com,
and print an application. If you’re not online, call Clint
or Cindi Dudley at (360) 297-7683. There are some rules, and
you’ll want to know them up front.
Then, pack up your surplus, and we’ll see you at the
market!
-Joan Peter owns Yellow Dog Farm and sells organic vegetables
and mason bee houses.
You can reach her at (360) 598-2631
