How to start selling at a farmers market

Why the farmers market is the best place to start

You don't need a storefront, a big loan, or a finished brand. A market stand lets you test a real product with real customers for the price of a table fee, and adjust every single week.

1. Pick one product and make it your best

Resist the urge to sell ten things. Choose one product you can make consistently and that travels well. You'll refine your recipe, your packaging, and your pricing far faster with a tight lineup.

2. Check your cottage food rules first

Most states let you sell certain homemade foods, usually shelf-stable items like baked goods, jams, and granola, under a cottage food law, without a commercial kitchen. The specifics (what's allowed, labeling, where you can sell) vary by state, so look up your state's cottage food law before you cook a thing.

3. Find markets and apply early

Search for markets near you and read each one's vendor application. Good markets fill up, apply a season ahead when you can. Ask about the fee, the foot traffic, what's already sold there, and whether they limit competing vendors.

4. Price for profit from day one

Add up every cost, ingredients, packaging, the table fee, and your time, then price so there's real margin left over. Underpricing is the most common first-season mistake.

5. Build a booth people walk toward

Height, signage, and samples do the heavy lifting. A clean tablecloth, a clear sign with your name and prices, and a little height (crates or a shelf) make a stand look established. Bring a cash float and a phone card reader.

6. Show up, talk to people, and iterate

Your first market won't be perfect, that's the point. Note what sold, what people asked for, and what you ran out of. Come back next week a little sharper. Regulars and word of mouth are built one Saturday at a time.