Craft Fairs, Farmer's Market's And Shows

[DoubleC]

There's been a lot of questions on how to sell at craft shows, Farmers Markets and shows. Yesterday at my Farmer's market I went around and MEANT to take pics of different ways of setting up, but got caught up in taking pics of my friends instead. sometimes their set ups weren't in the picture. I'll do better next week. BTW doesn't my new cameras take good pics?

The first one is me with my unpaid help Skadi. My booth looks a little bare (2nd week) and I realized I have a whole bag of leather items that aren't with me. I hang my 'swingy' things on the canopy support, guitar straps, cross body purses. I hope the things waving in the wind might attract someone's eye. And I have a berry stand that I switch out with different things. Yesterday it was a checkbook cover, portfolio and art.

Next we have Josh who sells nothing but hydroponic tomatoes and is partners with Peter who cooks that I'll show later. With Josh it's just maybe 4 tables to start with tomatoes on it, and down to one table by the time he leaves. He is next to me and a funny guy and nice too. I'm making him a dog collar now that started out one like the brown print in the photo for 25 bucks that I manage to turn into a red one, with red marbled goat on veg tanned, laced in red roo for, well you got it, 25 bucks. He decided he'd like red and I ran with it. It's for his German Shorthair Pointer pup.

Across from me with an elaborate display is Pat. She makes incredible jewelry out of anything that catches HER eye and also probably has one of the nicest displays at the market. I'm not sure your display will sell you more but a nice one does get more lookers which increases your chances.

Then we have Roger who sells things like tomato plants. His first year he brought one table and was gone in 3 weeks, no more product. He hasn't made that mistake since. Nice guy that would help you do anything.

After that we have Rachel that I've known since she was maybe 10 years old. She used to take riding lessons where I had my horse boarded. Actually 'Miss Cheri; kept her busy during the hours that the Farmers Market was open because both her parents worked at it. I can still hear her trailing behind, 'Miss Cheri, Miss Cheri, Miss Cheri like an able student wanting called on in class. She used to ride this Shetland pony named Crackers that would have been more aptly named Crackerjack. I did a picture of Crackers on a piece of leather for her years ago I still haven't painted Now she's all grown up, plays the guitar and mandolin and works at the Farmers market. That is her with our Queen that we all have the opportunity throughout the year of entertaining at our booth. Wait, I think she's England's Queen too.

Next is Judy who was kind enough to come after me for the market since I didn't have a ride. She is Market Runner and Market runner, person extraordinaire who gets there at & AM in the morning to make sure everyone who needs help has it. She sells her plants on the most rickety card tables, etc. that I fear one day her plants will take a tumble. Her look? 'I'm too old for this crap, don't you dare take my picture and why aren't you at your booth?' True Vermonter, she has pipes running horizontally across the back of her seats to hold boards that are held with bailing twine and duct tape. I imagine the bag balm was in the glove box. Hysterically funny, kind, abrupt at times when she's in a hurry and one of the genuinely nicest human beings alive.

Andre and continuation on the next post.

Then we have Andre, Rachel's father selling he and Clair's exotic baked goods. well they are exotic to me. Tarts and biscuits and nothing but a booth filled with OMG I want it all. He is from France, Claire from Scotland which is how I think we got our Queen. Ordered from one of her magazines. We are the only Farmers Market in the United States to have a Queen I believe and we all love the old darling and fight over getting her for the day. As you can see off to the side Andre and Claire have curlicue shelf thingys and other quite nice things. Doesn't matter, people know they're there and flocked to their booth.

[DoubleC]

Next is Diane Heleba who helps Judy and well all of us. I don't have a Square so Diane takes care of customers with CCs that need tokens. For all of us. They also raise potatoes. Not just any spud; when we had a seller in Vermont who made purple potato chips the Heleba's grew the potatoes for them. Again one of the nicest people you'd ever wanna meet, and genuinely sweet, nothing aggressive about her. When she's upset she sounds like me on my best day.

Then there's Patty who sells meats from their farm. Oh boy good meat too. I wish I'd gotten her display because it's very neat, no nonsense, but still creative. She makes the most of every inch. Me when I do my display it's kinda like 'how fast can I throw it out and see who all is here.' I'll admit 1/2 of my items are not marked. At St. Joe's Christmas craft fair last year Mary made up signs and slid them under items that were only 1/2 marked. I'm still using those signs on items that are only 1/2 marked But you always know what Patty has for sale and when she's out of something. Plus she makes friend chicken feet for dog treats. Skadi loves them but I can hardly pick one up to give her. Of course Skadi would love friend chicken lips.

Across the aisle from her is Mort, my friend who is always feeding me brownies. Thanks Mort, I really need those. He is a teacher of about 200 years turned farmer AND woodworker. The make jellies and jams and baked goods and sell berries and squash and have beautiful flowers and Mort makes these incredible hand made clocks. He sells those in their store that Mary runs on Saturdays after helping him set up at the market. I'll try and get there early to get a better shot of their set up AND Mary. They use wood on saw horses, and blocks of wood, etc. Mort let me borrow his stool once when I forgot my chair. It has no stuffing left. Would like to recover it for him but prolly should do the tool roll first he asked me to do first I always refuse money from him and he never allows it. He pays me more than what I'd ask so I always give him some back. Sometimes he takes it, sometimes not.

Edited May 31, 2015 by DoubleC

[DoubleC]

Next is Peter and behind him you can see The Fat Chef's display which although I got him, I didn't the display. Peter cooks. He makes things like jalapeno cornbread and wonderful things like that. He also makes things like humus that I've only seen Gordon Ramsey use and I won't try, LOL. But he makes food you can TASTE. I couldn't eat it yesterday, I had stayed up and worked on a horse key fob all night for the market and to make sure I didn't oversleep. By noon my stomach was queasy from the heat and too much soda. I was starved. I went to check Peter out nd he said, 'none of this will settle your stomach. Ask the Asian Arts people for something soothing.' I did and got rice. It was yellow. They said it had turmeric in it, which I think is a spice and not a poison but sure doesn't have much flavor. Or STRONG flavor like Peter's wonderful food. I gave most of it to the dog whose favorite food is what I happen to be eating. Peter's display is pans. Well used pans. Pans that smell good.

Finally we're back around to The Fat Chef. That's the name of his booth and I can't remember his name right this second. He has a three by three canopy, I swear. Maybe smaller. He sells confections. He has a tall kinda two shelf thing with his confections on it. I like that word confections.

Next weak I'll try to do better at displays and less at people. This is not ALL the vendors by any means. I'll try and remember a few wide-angle shots too.

I hear people complain all the time that people don't care about hand made things anymore. Well what about you? The next time you go shopping take an extra 10 minutes and get it at the Farmers Market. Need a gift for someone's birthday etc.? Go to a craft fair. Christmas comes every year folks so why not buy some gifts at a Christmas fair? Let's start our own hand made movement.

Edited May 31, 2015 by DoubleC

[DoubleC]

Bumping this instead of moving all these images for the people interested in becoming vendors. A real job putting all this info in this. Going to add to it next week. I will link people to it then let it die folks. Cheryl