Ideas for Selling Produce at the Market

Keger · February 21, 2013

So yesterday we had our first market meeting of the year for the vendors.

One of the new rules (whats with EVERYBODY and all these silly rules anyway) they came up with is we can no longer have scales and sell by the pound. Blah,blah,blah.

I would always stack it up and sell it by the pound, no more. Blah,blah, and more blah.

Any ideas on what you guys like and use, or like to see when buying?

As much as I dont want to I am thinking clamshells for the little stuff, and peppers by the each, 3 for a buck, and so on. Tomatoes 75 cents each for big one, 3 for a buck for the salad size, so on.

Or just let them fill up a bucket with whatever they want for a set price?

Thanks as always.

biscgolf · February 21, 2013

why would they eliminate selling by the pound?? makes no sense whatsoever.

i'd go with by the piece pricing in that case rather than allowing a container to be filled for a set price- easier to control your inventory that way.

Doug9345 · February 21, 2013

Here in NY a scale will attract weights and measures quickly. I assume whatever agency is responsible for certifying scales and such hassled the market.

biscgolf · February 21, 2013

most markets here require your scales to be certified. it is state law, the only question is whether the markets simply leave it to the domain of the vendors. the one i'm on the board of actually has a guy from the state come in and do certifications at our annual vendor's meeting.

Cole_Robbie · February 21, 2013

I agree something's fishy. It sounds like they are in an argument with the state.

You could just weigh out one and two pound boxes of items. You're still selling 'by the pound.'

Doug9345 · February 21, 2013

I'm not experienced with farmers markets but I found that with some groups that I'm involved with there is always one person that says. "we shouldn't do this the liability is to great." They either get a complain and freak or one of the members uncle's father-in-law's neighbor has told someone they can get sued and now they stampede to "eliminate" the danger. It a variety of. "when in danger, when in doubt, run around in circles, scream and shout."

Wi-sunflower · February 21, 2013

Yes I think someone just doesn't want to get scales certified and/or doesn't want to have to get a scale that is "legal". In most states now the old hanging scales are no longer considered legal.

While the digital scales will cost $200-400, they are so much more accurate and with the price computing get the price to the penny. The nice thing is the customer SEES what the price is and then if you round it down to the nearest nickle, dine or quarter, they see you are giving them a good deal.

Frankly someone needs to contact your state's Dept of Ag or whatever dept is in charge of stores or consumer affairs to see what the law REALLY is about sales.

Here in Wisconsin we HAVE to sell some items by weight. That's the law here. Recently some items were changed to also allow sales by volume or by the piece. That was because plenty of farmers markets complained that the laws contradicted "traditional" farmers methods of sales. One of the compromises was that if you sell by volume in a non-standard measure you have to add a "minimum weight" on your signage. Standard containers are pints or quarts. Non-standard are ice cream buckets or 5 gal pails.

JMO,
Carol

ScottinAtlanta · February 21, 2013

So true. We are a nation of frightened potential liabilities, rather than proud and independent free people.

February 21, 2013	#1
Keger Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Richmond, TX Posts: 327	Ideas for Selling Produce at the Market So yesterday we had our first market meeting of the year for the vendors. One of the new rules (whats with EVERYBODY and all these silly rules anyway) they came up with is we can no longer have scales and sell by the pound. Blah,blah,blah. I would always stack it up and sell it by the pound, no more. Blah,blah, and more blah. Any ideas on what you guys like and use, or like to see when buying? As much as I dont want to I am thinking clamshells for the little stuff, and peppers by the each, 3 for a buck, and so on. Tomatoes 75 cents each for big one, 3 for a buck for the salad size, so on. Or just let them fill up a bucket with whatever they want for a set price? Thanks as always.

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February 21, 2013	#2
biscgolf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 353	why would they eliminate selling by the pound?? makes no sense whatsoever. i'd go with by the piece pricing in that case rather than allowing a container to be filled for a set price- easier to control your inventory that way.

February 21, 2013	#3
Doug9345 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Durhamville,NY Posts: 2,706	Here in NY a scale will attract weights and measures quickly. I assume whatever agency is responsible for certifying scales and such hassled the market.

February 21, 2013	#5
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I agree something's fishy. It sounds like they are in an argument with the state. You could just weigh out one and two pound boxes of items. You're still selling 'by the pound.'

February 21, 2013	#7
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	Yes I think someone just doesn't want to get scales certified and/or doesn't want to have to get a scale that is "legal". In most states now the old hanging scales are no longer considered legal. While the digital scales will cost $200-400, they are so much more accurate and with the price computing get the price to the penny. The nice thing is the customer SEES what the price is and then if you round it down to the nearest nickle, dine or quarter, they see you are giving them a good deal. Frankly someone needs to contact your state's Dept of Ag or whatever dept is in charge of stores or consumer affairs to see what the law REALLY is about sales. Here in Wisconsin we HAVE to sell some items by weight. That's the law here. Recently some items were changed to also allow sales by volume or by the piece. That was because plenty of farmers markets complained that the laws contradicted "traditional" farmers methods of sales. One of the compromises was that if you sell by volume in a non-standard measure you have to add a "minimum weight" on your signage. Standard containers are pints or quarts. Non-standard are ice cream buckets or 5 gal pails. JMO, Carol

February 21, 2013	#8
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	So true. We are a nation of frightened potential liabilities, rather than proud and independent free people.