June 3, 2015

by Kim Riedel
N•P Columnist

June is going to be great! I am thinking about going back out to some of the farmers markets as I did a handful of years ago when I had my worm farm, though this year I will be taking my plants that I have grown and some of my produce. Well, maybe I’ll even take some of my red worms as long as the days don’t get scorchingly hot enough to bake the worms like what happened last time.
Farmers markets are good for a community and a great place to incubate small businesses for producers. Besides the classes and workshops that I helped with through the MG program, the farmers markets were a great way to get the word out that I offered worm castings and live worms for fishing or for adding to the garden. Each market is unique…some are large, structured and more competitive, and some are more laid back. They are a good place for the smaller grower (anyone with a few acres and the ability to grow good crops) where there is minimal start up costs, little or no packaging, advertising or promotion costs, and immediate and direct feedback about price, quality, variety, preferences and ideas. Farmers may talk about their product and meet those who use their product, and the consumers may find out how the produce is grown–a win-win situation.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.