SPRINGFIELD FARMERS’ MARKET Casey Reed – Recreation Coordinator Springfield Township Parks & Recreation

Building a Farmers Market Community

Background� 2012 season will be the 5th full Market season

� The regular season Market runs Sundays, rain or shine, mid-May to mid-October from 9 am - 1 pm

� The Market is located at Preservation Park

� 48 Michigan vendors participate in the Market

� 25 average vendors a Market day

� 14,000 attended the Market during regular season and off-season Markets

Creating Success at the Market

� The right vendor mix is key!

� Make the Market a destination!

� Promote the Market!

The Right Vendor Mix

� Balance between the number of farmers & variety of their offerings and growing practices

� Overlap can be limited

The Right Vendor Mix

Farmers

30 - 40%

Crafters

20%

Food

Producers

30 - 40%Plants

Flowers

10%

Make the Market a Destination!

� Partner with local chefs and gardeners to

offer educational workshops and activities.

Make the Market a Destination!

� Provide lunch choices and a place to gather.

Make the Market a Destination!

� Offer free activities for kids!

Make the Market a Destination!

� The right entertainment adds to the overall Market experience!

Make the Market a Destination!

� Take advantage of what the surrounding area has to offer.

Promote the Market

� Take photos!

� Daily updates on facebook

� Cooking show on the Canton Community Network

Promote the Market!

� Recipe cards serve as event reminders throughout the season.

Promote the Market!

� Township Monthly Newsletter

� Weekly email newsletter

� Press Releases that suggest story ideas

How Parks & Recreation Staff support Market success in Canton!

� Marketing support

� Cross promotions

� Health & Wellness education partnership

� Budget support

� Staff support

� Volunteer coordination

Get under the umbrella!� Join MIFMA!

1. Training - Market certification and Michigan Farmers Market Association Conference

2. Listserv – great for getting quick advice on issues, Market equipment, standards…

3. Michigan Farmers Market Food Assistance Partnership (SNAP/Bridge Card support)

4. Keep up to date on food legislation, safety and other current issues

5. Networking!

BACKGROUND The Springfield Farmers’ Market started in June, 2011.

Therefore, this will be our 2nd year with the market. The market is located in the small city of Davisburg in

Springfield Township. Our market is on Sundays, from 10am – 2pm and will be

open this year from June 17th – October 14th. We are a locally grown market. Which means all items have

to be grown or made in Michigan. We have an outdoor market that is held in a parking lot at

one of our parks. We have space for approximate 15 vendors, with plenty of

room to grow in years to come. We averaged for our first year approximate 10 vendors per

market day.

VENDORS Our market has many different types of vendors

that sell various items. • Produce

• Meat • Flowers • Herbs • Chocolate • Handmade Items • Honey • Sauce • Food Vendors • Popcorn

• Jelly / Jam • Woodworking • Stone • Baked Goods • Soap • Lotion • Decorative Items • Dog Treats

CUSTOMERS We are unsure of the number of customers that

came to the market on an average market day. We do know that on the first day the market was

open we had over 75 families come in the first 15 minutes.

PARKS & RECREATION Recreation Coordinator directly oversees the Market

Manager. Market Manager is a employee of the department

rather than a contracted instructor. We run the market as if it were any other program or

event. We setup a budget just like we would for any other

program & event. We think of the Market as a Community Service and

therefore it fits into our Department’s Mission. To enhance each residents quality of life and leisure by

providing programs and facilities while being committed to the preservation of our natural environment.

PARKS & RECREATION Parks & Recreation office staff does multiple things

for the market. Accepts contracts and fees from vendors or from

Market Manager. Deal with all of the money and budgeting. (Deposits,

refunds, etc.) Help to find volunteers. Help to plan special events. Fills in if Market Manager can not be at the market.

FARMERS’ MARKET BUDGET

Revenue: Vendor Fees Donations Event & Program

Fees

Expenditures: Market Manager Advertising Events & Program

MARKET MANAGER The Market Manger is responsible to the

day to day responsibilities of the market Recruiting vendor Dealing with vendors Assisting and planning market events and

activities Setting up and taking apart market each

week Vendor Contract

Market Manager: Laura Haselhuhn

INCORPORATING EVENTS & ACTIVITIES AT THE MARKET THAT

WE ALREADY DID We were able to tie the market into a few events

that our department already did. Davisburg Heritage Festival

Had market both Saturday and Sunday the weekend of the festival.

Gave vendors a discount or allowed them to come for free the second day if they were a season vendor.

Perennial Swap Changed location from previous location to hold at the

market.

NEW EVENTS & ACTIVITIES AT THE MARKET

Cooking Demonstrations We allowed one of the vendors to cook on a grill at

the market and to hand out samples of his sauce he was selling.

NEW EVENTS & ACTIVITIES AT THE MARKET

Dilly Bean Workshop Our Market Manager had a friend come in and offer

a dilly bean workshop for free for customers.

NEW EVENTS & ACTIVITIES AT THE MARKET

Certified Dietitian We had a certified Dietitian at the market on most

market days to hand out recipe's on healthy eating what you can make out of the fresh items you are purchasing.

NEW EVENTS & ACTIVITIES AT THE MARKET

Elementary Day We invited out the local Elementary Schools to have

a day at the market. We had:

• A bounce house • Balloon animals

• Face painting • Scavenger Hunt

NEW EVENTS & ACTIVITIES AT THE MARKET

Cookbook & Gardening Book Swap Advertised that people could come out and swap

books.

NEW EVENTS & ACTIVITIES AT THE MARKET

Harvest is HERE Festival We did this because in June – July there is not a

whole lot of produce at the market. This let customers know that harvest was in and they

could start purchasing fresh local produce from the market.

NEW EVENTS & ACTIVITIES AT THE MARKET

A few other workshops Natural Tie-Dye Workshop

Using fresh flower to die silk

Compost Workshop Teach people how to compost and the benefits from it.

Our Market Manager led both of these workshops.

NEW EVENTS & ACTIVITIES AT THE MARKET

We are looking to possibly add a cook-off to the 2012 Market calendar. We have offered it in conjunction with our Buck Pole

the last 3 years and have not been impressed with the turnout.

We have a few vendors offering to help and participate if we add this event.