For makers, growers & first-time founders

Turn your kitchen table into a thriving market stand

Honest, practical guides to starting and growing a farmers market business, written by someone who built one from scratch. No fluff, no gatekeeping.

Browse the guides Read the story

Built from real Saturdays at the market, not theory.

Getting startedRules & licensingPricing & moneyFor organizers

Start here

Guides to get you from idea to first sale

The essentials every new vendor needs, in plain language.

See all guides →

Getting started

What to sell at a farmers market: a framework for choosing your product

A five-lens decision framework for choosing a product that actually sells at your market: demand versus competition, margin after your time, shelf life, your unfair advantage, and seasonality, plus how to test cheaply before you commit.

6 min read

Getting started

How to start selling at a farmers market

A practical, six-step path from idea to your first Saturday, picking a product, checking the rules, applying to markets, and setting up a booth people walk toward.

6 min read

Rules & licensing

Cottage food laws 101: what you can sell from home

What a cottage food law is, the foods usually allowed, why the details change from state to state, and exactly where to find the rules that apply to you.

5 min read

Rules & licensing

Cottage food laws by state: what changes when you cross a state line

There is no federal cottage food law, so six things change from state to state: the allowed foods, whether you need a permit, a sales cap, where you may sell, your label's exact wording, and training. Here is how to read any state's rules and find yours.

7 min read

Rules & licensing

What is a cottage food? What counts, what doesn't, and why

A plain-English definition of cottage food, the shelf-stability line that decides what qualifies, the categories usually allowed and usually excluded, why the list changes from one state to the next, and how to confirm whether your product makes the cut.

6 min read

Rules & licensing

Selling jams and preserves at a farmers market (and why salsa is different)

Jams and jellies are the classic cottage food, and there is a specific regulatory reason why. The acidity line that separates them from salsa and pickles, what a process authority is, naming your product honestly, and how to label and sell it.

7 min read

See all guides →

MarketDay

Software to run your market

MarketDay is the market management side of Farmers Market Edge: organizers build the layout, assign vendor spots, and track stall fees, and every vendor sees their spot before they load the truck.

Design your layout on a grid or a photo of the grounds
Assign spots and print the day sheet in minutes
Track cash and card stall fees per market day

Explore MarketDay

Who this is for

Wherever you are, there is a next step

Most market businesses start small and personal. So do these guides.

New & aspiring vendors

Learn how to choose what to sell, apply to markets, set up your booth, and actually enjoy your first season.

Cottage food makers

Making it from home? Understand what you are allowed to sell, how to label it, and how to price it for real profit.

Market organizers

Playbooks for the people who run the market: growing attendance, recruiting vendors, and building a Saturday your town looks forward to.

Why this exists

I built a farmers market business, and want to make yours easier

I started a New York-style cookie company at farmers markets and grew it one Saturday at a time. This site is the playbook I wish I had: the licensing, the pricing, the booth setup, the hard-won lessons, shared plainly, in the languages our community actually speaks.

More about this project

Get the next guide in your inbox

Practical market-business tips every couple of weeks. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.