farm market

Local farmers’ markets do their part to flatten the curve on coronavirus

Last week was a blur amid all the news about coronavirus and its impacts on our communities, both locally and nationally. Every day brought new information and new policies. I spent the week canceling large... more »

How to appreciate the benefits of community supported agriculture

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, directly connects consumers and producers to help create a more profitable and transparent local food system. CSAs have been around for a while, but have adapted to changes in the market,... more »

Jerry Mills: Book has successful launch; products, tools help out

Happy days! I was at the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO in Grand Rapids in early December to help launch my new book, “Notes from the Farm,” a compilation of my columns... more »

Take basics steps toward a successful market

What distinguishes a successful farm market from a mediocre one? Some simple management practices can be the difference between a profitable market and a marginal one. The following “seven steps to success” were observed by... more »

Match employee roles to farm market needs

Farms that sell produce while using entertainment to attract people to the farm are complicated operations. For Eckert’s Orchard at Versailles, Kentucky, it’s essentially meant having three employee teams. The need for different types of... more »

USDA: From 2002-2017, agritourism dollars tripled

Agritourism helps U.S. farmers and ranchers generate revenue from recreational or educational activities, such as tours of a working farm or “pick-your-own fruits and vegetables” programs. Beginning and small and mid-size farms are increasingly exploring... more »

Is agritourism right for your farm market?

Recently a few colleagues and I just led a two-day bus tour for retail farm market owners and managers visiting seven markets in Virginia. Most of the markets we visited are less than 10 years... more »

Retaining good employees requires an investment

I regularly encounter retail farm market managers and owners who express frustration with not being able to find, much less keep, good employees. Also, they talk about training employees to represent or at least understand... more »