Resources

Resources for Producer/Vendors:

• Creating a web site with WordPress for Markets, Farmers and Vendors: a basic guide through the basics of creating a free web site and customizing it for your market or farm
• Farmers, get ready for the new season with a GAPs Online Produce Safety Course from Cornell University! Learn from the comfort of home with an online course. (Feb. 2010)
• Ohio State Food Safety Program has a number of documents for farmers and producers, including guides on food safety for fruits and vegetables, farmers’ markets and more. See the OSU Food Safety Guides.
• The Rutgers Food Innovation Center’s new online professional development course: Best Practices for Farmers Market Farmers and Vendors – These comprehensive, online courses provide the practical guidance that vendors and sponsors need to assure successful market operations.
• Good Agricultural Practices and Food Safety Training Materials
• Details of the National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement
  To read testimony given at the hearings that have been taking place around the country:  Read Testimony . The Ohio Produce Growers And Marketers Association is working on its own agreement for Ohio that will include options for diversified small farms. Visit their website for more information.   www.opgma.org
• 07/21/2009 – Scientist to Ohio’s Produce Growers: Be Proactive, Set Own Food Safety Standards. Read the article

Resources for Market Managers:

• Creating a web site with WordPress for Markets, Farmers and Vendors: a basic guide through the basics of creating a free web site and customizing it for your market or farm
• Produce Safety at the Farm Market: A Guide for Farmers and Sellers
• Starting a Farmers’ Market the Right Way (free), The Rodale Institute
• Marketing the Market (free) (6 pages) Kansas Rural Center
• The Rutgers Food Innovation Center’s new online professional development course: Best Practices for Farmers Market Sponsors and Managers – These comprehensive, online courses provide the practical guidance that vendors and sponsors need to assure successful market operations.
• Online Webinars for Market Managers Archive fromThe Farmers Market Coalition

• Recruiting Vendors For A Farmers Market:  The Wallace Center publishes innovative ideas for markets and for small farmers. For some fresh ideas, check out their online resource library.
  Read the Recruiting Vendors For A Farmers Market Publication

• The Ohio State University South Center’s Growing! Ohio Farmers’ Markets program is providing resources, education, training, and technical assistance to help all Ohio farmers’ markets and vendors succeed in capturing a greater share of the growing demand by consumers for access to locally produced foods. Visit their website at www.ohiofarmersmarkets.osu.edu

Inform your customers about the importance of protecting local farms for local food. Print the Farmland Protection Toolbox (pdf) and visit the Farmland Information Center for more great tools and resources. Check out the great resources available from the Farmers Market Coalition to get answers to all your questions: from getting your market started, to on-going farmers market management.  Get the latest on farmers market issues on the state and federal level and get linked into the community to share what works at your farmers market. Measure your market’s success. Check out the Sticky Economic Evaluation Device (SEED 2.0). SEED helps you conduct an economic analysis of your market’s effect on the local economy. Add your farmers market to the interactive map on Culinate. Check out Food Routes printable Fact Sheets to hand out to your farmers market customers.

More resources coming soon.  If you know of a resource that would be useful to other managers and vendors please email us.