Farmers Market Etiquette Part 2

I did a previous post on farmers market etiquette and focused more on actions and being a good customer. This post I want to offer some simple tips and tricks to make sure you have a happy market or small business shopping experience!

The most common question I get is to do you prefer cash or credit card. I honestly don't mind either, but cash is slightly more preferred than credit card as I can avoid fees. I only say slightly because if I calculate the time needed to count the cash, drive to the bank, and deposit the cash, it's similar to the credit card fees. To me time is money, I have a very condensed season is every second is "precious". The one thing I don't like is debit cards (insane fees) and people using a $20 to pay for a $1 purchase. To be honest if you have a small purchase I don't mind nickels, dimes, and quarters.

Tip number 2 bring your bags or boxes or baskets! Everybody has hundreds (slight exaggeration!) of reusable bags so instead of adding to your collection why not bring your bags to the market.

Tip number 3 I think it is important for children to know where their food comes from. That being said children need to be supervised and watched closely at farmers markets or at a small business. I love it when parents tell their children "hands in pockets, use your words, look with your eyes". Children are naturally very curious and this curiosity, if the child is not being supervised, can mean things getting destroyed in my booth.

Tip number 4 I don't mind selling before I'm completely set up or when I'm tearing down. It can sometimes take me a couple of hours to set up so I don't mind if customers "interrupt" me.

Tip number 5 please don't haggle with me. I work hard and can't afford to lower my prices. If you don't agree with my prices, please don't be rude. Just leave and find another booth where you may find better deals.

Tip number 6 please be gentle with the produce or products. I have actually had customers throw my product, which has usually meant I can't sell that product. There is no reason to squeeze every tomato, no reason to dig to the bottom of a veggie bin to find the best "beans", and no reason to top up containers of veggies. Here's an interesting fac: I don't mind if people peel back my sweet corn a little bit. Sweet corn has a bad habit of not filling all the way to tip and the only way to tell if it is a good cob of corn is to peel it a little bit.