To the Market We Go
The Beginning
Brent and I bought our farm in Rickman four years ago. The first summer, 2016, we were still living in Algood and so we didn’t have a garden that year as the summer was packed with construction, packing, selling, relocating and all the processes of moving. The second year, I put out a pretty good sized garden just for our consumption. We paid a friend to plow and till it for us and I’ll never forget seeing and smelling that freshly broken ground for the first time. There is something about the smell of dirt at planting time. It’s the smell of opportunity and hope. It will always be one of my favorite scents. That year, I enjoyed planting the usual things tomatoes, squash, zucchini, cucumbers. It was a success with plenty of produce for ourselves and extra for gifts to friends.
Our first Market Sales
It wasn’t until our third year that I expanded the original garden in size and decided to start selling at the local Farmer’s Market. I love being able to share our abundance of produce with customers. It’s so nice to talk to folks each week, some new, some regulars. It’s like having a front porch visit with friends. We talk about the farm, the weather, their gardens and even share recipes. It’s an enjoyable time and a great way to provide people with alternatives to commercial produce. That year, 2018, I only sold butternut squash and spaghetti squash. I didn’t even set up a table. I just sold out of the back of the pickup truck. It was a good way to introduce myself to the market and get familiar with the process. After all, you can’t just set up your wares one day, on a whim.
Market Requirements
The Farmer’s Market requires each vendor obtain a permit. I contacted City Hall of Cookeville and was advised that because I am a non resident of Putnam County, I had to get a letter from my local Overton County extension agent verifying he/she had observed my grow space, in order to apply for a permit. This is to ensure vendors are truly growing their food locally. I was able to contact my local agent, he came out, observed my garden and I secured my permit. A permit is required for each selling year. A list of regulations are also provided that include items such as a list of items that can and cannot be sold.
Last year, 2019, I made plans to return to the Farmer’s Market and with more than just squash. We added an additional garden to our farm to increase both variety and yield. We planted several first time items and also new varieties of beans, cantaloupe, tomatoes, peas, peppers, squash and more. I obtained my permit again and in addition, our niece, Mattie, also obtained her permit and decided to set up as well. Mattie is 15 and enjoys gardening produce, but more so growing flowers. Her and I had a great year of selling most weekends throughout July and August. We had help from Brent and Mattie’s Mom, Lisa. We sold a variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers. It was fun to try the new varieties ourselves and to introduce them to our customers. Our customers were happy with our products and that made us happy!
We look forward to trying our hands at new vegetables and varieties again this year. And we are counting down the weekends until we can get back to the Market for the 2020 season.
