The Staunton Farmers Market - Introducing Becky's Barnyard

 

Today, was Becky’s FIRST Farmers Market experience as a seller…a producer of farm fresh, naturally raised meat and eggs.  And, I was able to capture/share the experience because I was present as the cheap, as in free, help.

 

My day began by waking and getting up at 3:00 AM instead of the planned 4:00 AM.

 

Becky arrived by 4:30 to start packing all the remaining supplies and paraphernalia (in addition to what she already packed at her house) gathered at my house. And, I do mean ALL.  Besides the eggs, lamb and pork, we had two tables, one chair, a  large 10’ X 10’ canopy, tablecloths, a sandwich-style dry-erase easel, a pig silhouette painted with blackboard paint, a photo album, a decorative chicken, a potted Gerber daisy which held a blackboard-painted mini sign-on-a-stick, a basket, business cards, price lists, three calculators (just in case of battery failure),  tape, twine, scissors, chalk, pens, pencils, receipt pads, camera,  farm name banner (made my me - I have to get back to my sewing  - I am losing my skills) and money box.   Beef will not be ready for another two weeks. 

 

We left the farm by 5:30 to arrive at the Staunton Farmers Market venue by 6:00 to have a full hour of set -up which included erecting the borrowed 10’ X 10’ canopy - what fun!  Actually, the set-up was a breeze and quite painless.  Needless to say, it is challenging to create an attention-grabbing display when the products you are selling are frozen and hidden away in coolers.  The display will always be a ‘work in progress’ as Becky tries different visuals to entice market attendees to become her market buyers.

 

Then, we waited.  And, we waited.

 

The Wednesday Farmers’ Market is not as well attended as the one offered on Saturdays. This we discovered quite early in the day.  The other vendors praised the Saturday market as the ‘sell out’ market.  These vendors attend both markets. Wednesdays is the lesser market day.

 

Becky chose the Wednesday market for two reasons.  One reason was to be a vendor in a less crowded market for her first exposure as a vendor and the second reason was to be the only meat/egg vendor at the market.  Was giving up numbers as in buyers for the opportunity to be the exclusive vendor of meat and eggs worth it in terms of overall sales?  Only time will tell.  Becky is hoping it is.

 

But, for now, it is time to take a well-deserved nap. Next Wednesday is a mere seven days away and I need to recuperate.