Farmers Market Vendor Training Resources
The Virginia Farmers Market Association held a training day in Richmond for farmers market vendors on April 23, 2019. An excellent line up of marketing and business experts shared detailed advice specifically for farmers market vendors. The day also included a Vendor Resource Panel of representatives serving farmers market vendors.
The presentations, contact info and toolkits they shared are listed below. We thank our sponsor Farm Credit for helping make this training possible!
Marketing Essentials for Farmers Markets
Paul Cassimus of The Apple Cart
https://paulcassimus.com
804-475-9026
facebook.com/paulcassimusmarketing
Covering the groundwork of everything from social media, email newsletters, down to your booth set-up and and presence at the market to best engage and excite your customer base, and more importantly, grow sales!
Presentation
Pricing What’s Right for Your Product
Rachel Grosse Henley
Extension Agent, Agriculture and Natural Resources – Animal Science
Virginia Cooperative Extension – Powhatan
(804) 598-5640
Better Vendor Booth Displays
This session focused on eye appeal, better booth displays and bringing customers into your booth.
Dr. Theresa J. Nartea
Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist (Marketing & Agribusiness)
Virginia State University-College of Agriculture-Cooperative Extension
804-524-5491
Presentation (Very large — 324 MB!)
Templates & Samples:
Large Cooler Signs – Meat Example
Farmstand Vegtable Signs with Recipe QR Code
Produce Farm Stand Signs-Portrait-with Logo Example
Produce Farm Stand Signs-Landscape
Business Planning for Growing a Small Business
The session covered business plans, where to get good advice, how education can help, legal structure, licenses, permits, financing, and other key considerations for building your small business on a firm foundation.
Rod Conner
Local Farming Technology
https://localfarmingtechnology.com/
Presentation
Vendor Resource Panel
BB&T
Matt Joyce
Market Leader / Small Business Advisor
BB&T Tuckahoe
(O) 804-740-4256
(M) 804-740-6768
(F) 804-754-0541
Financing land, equipment, and product that local small business farmers and large scale commercial growers use
Certified Naturally Grown
Certified Naturally Grown
Alice Varon, Executive Director
Certified Naturally Grown
845 687 2058
https://www.cngfarming.org/
Certification for farmers, not corporate conglomerates
Presentation
Frontier Kitchen
Frontier Kitchen
Loreann Grimes
571.932.3667
www.frontierkitchenva.com
Food Business Incubator for Virginia’s Culinary Entrepreneurs
Slow Money Central Virginia
Slow Money Central Virginia
Michael Reilly
Co-Founder
Slow Money Central Virginia
www.slowmoneycva.org
(434) 409-0053
0% revolving loan fund for farmers and food entrepreneurs who need capital and are dedicated to using resilient, eco-friendly practices that produce healthy, nutritious food for our local communities
VA FAIRS
VA FAIRS
Julia Clark
Executive Director
804-495-5659
www.Vafairs.com
Areas of expertise include strategic planning, grant assistance, feasibility study and business plan creation, and cooperative assistance for rural agricultural enterprises
Lulus Local Food
Molly Harris
www.Luluslocalfood.com
Lulus Local Food is a VA FAIRS program — a cloud based ecommerce solution simplifying online sales, inventory management, financial reporting, reaching new customers and markets, and so much more.
Legal Structures Guide
VDACS/Virginia Grown
Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Heather Wheeler
Program Manager – Virginia Grown
Program Manager – Virginia Horse Industry Board
804-786-5842
A marketing tool promoting fresh, local products to consumers and has a proven track record for increasing visibility, developing additional media attention and enhancing marketing opportunities for Virginia Grown products.
Presentation
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Sarah Weaver Sharpe
Extension Agent, Agriculture and Natural Resources
Virginia Cooperative Extension- Greene
(434)985-5236
Presentation
Credible experts and educators sharing university knowledge, information, and tools you can use every day to improve your life
VAFMA
Virginia Farmers Market Association
Kim Hutchinson
Executive Director
www.vafma.org
Presentation
Supporting the sustainability of farmers markets in Virginia
Thank you to our sponsor Farm Credit
