Community Farm Markets Are Becoming Increasingly Popular and For Good Reasons
Community Farm Markets Are Becoming Increasingly Popular and For Good Reasons
Betina had always wanted to open a little store that would cater to people who were watching their diet to include a more natural way of eating. She envisioned stocking it with whole grain products and breads, fresh spices and lentils and beans. She wanted to have an area where she would offer such items as fresh made smoothies with all-natural ingredients and drinks such as organic herbal tea and organic oolong tea. She had long enjoyed the benefits of healthy eating and drinking and wanted to share her knowledge with others in a venue where she could make some money and run a successful business.
As Betina explored her options, she discovered that this was not to be as she was in no position to enter a lease for a building to house her idea. But she did find out that there was an alternative open for her. She found she could join a local community market that was open three days a week for limited number of hours as a vendor. She researched the qualifications and discovered that by obtaining a food service license, she would be able to have a small café area in addition to offering the line of natural foods and she decided to give it a try. She was on her way to becoming a successful entrepreneur without all of the financial commitment that is so extremely dangerous in this current economy.
When anyone is considering a move such as the one described above, it is always a good idea to explore several options before committing to any plan of action. There can often be a path that will help you arrive at the same goal but not be so complicated and as financially draining. Some of the other vendors at the community market consisted of:
o Fresh flowers – A local flower shop found that by becoming part of the local community market, they could get their flowers into the hands of many more people than just waiting for them to enter their place of business. They were able to offer weekend specials and many people picked out bouquets of flowers impulsively to have on the table for company dinners. This greatly increased the visibility of and the sales potential for the flower shop.
o Fresh baked bread – A local bakery started making extra loaves to stock shelves at the community market and staffed a table with just one person from the store to handle sales. The owner discovered to his delight that with just a small outlay of cash to cover the rent for the space there he was able to greatly improve his sales record.
o Fresh grass-fed meats – A farmer brings in packages of fresh meat from cattle that has been only grass-fed and that have been protected from any antibiotic or hormones. This type of meat is becoming much preferred by most people who want to live a more natural lifestyle and who are watching their diet to eliminate problem foods. It is increasingly appealing to buy from local farmers to ensure that a person knows exactly where their supply of meat is coming from.