10pgs, Why farmers are increasingly banding together to take their products online, targeting consumers directly without the fuss of a physical market.
2pgs, Farmers markets are temporary retail establishments typically held outdoors, where farmers come to sell their produce at a specified place and time. Farmers markets are growing in popularity across the country and can be a good entry-level selling place for beginning farmers.
2pgs, Roadside stands are physical structures located on a farm or along a nearby road where farmers sell produce, meat, eggs, dairy, or other products from the farm. The stands can be as simple as a small open-sided display with payment on the honor system, or as elaborate as a small grocery store.
2pgs, The Internet is a communication and marketing tool that can provide exposure to a large number of potential customers. The Internet can be used to advertise your farm with pictures and maps, take orders online, show product availability, keep in touch with your existing customers, and support other ways of selling, such as CSAs or farmers markets. Farmers can have an Internet presence through their own website or by using a website run by a third party.
2pgs, CSA is a system of direct marketing where consumers pay the farmer at the beginning of the growing season for a weekly box of fresh fruits and vegetables. A CSA “share” is harvested and delivered to customers over a period of several months. CSAs may include meat, grain, flowers, or value-added products such as bread or cheese, in addition to fresh produce.
2pgs, Grocery stores typically buy large volumes of fresh and processed foods as well as other household items, reselling their products to individual consumers. Grocery stores are appealing because they sell everything customers need at one convenient place. Depending on the size of the town, these stores may have more than one location. Very large grocery chains operate stores across broad regions of the country. Many grocery stores are now interested in selling products grown by local farmers.
2pgs, A produce broker is a salesperson who has access to any seller in the food chain, including packing houses, processors, agribusinesses, and mid- to large-scale farms. Typically they work with large-scale farms. A broker will help arrange the logistics of getting your product from your farm to their buyer, often taking commissions based on a percentage of the sale. Their success depends on their reputation and they spend years building relationships.
