2016 Holiday & 2017 Winter Farmers’ Market at Cole Gardens Guidelines
Mission: The market promotes local agricultural products to consumers in the capital area.
Vendor Types: The Winter Farmers’ Market at Cole Gardens provides for the following vendors:
This market gives vendor precedence to agricultural, edible, and vendors using local products, but is enthusiastic about receiving applications from other vendors. If vendors do not fit the above criteria, they will be given booth space only if space allows.
Producers: These Vendors meet the Saleable Products Definition. Our goal is to have as many vendors as possible fit within the
Saleable Products Definition.
Saleable Products Definition:
NH agricultural-based products will be sold with exceptions if needed. Items listed must be grown and/or
made locally by the vendor or a member of their family. This would include baked goods, dairy, fish, meat, poultry,
seafood products, eggs, fruits & berries, honey, maple products, jams & jellies, processed foods, and produce.
Vendors who wish to sell produce, other than their own, need to ask for an "approval of the product" by Cole Gardens,
beforehand. The vendor can then sell the product with its place of origin and properly identified
by signage.
Crafters: Vendors, who do not meet the saleable products definition, will be allowed provided their products 1) are made
locally by the vendor or a member of their family, 2) are approved by Cole Gardens and 3) do not substantially conflict with or
duplicate existing market members’ products.
“Farmers’ Spotlight” Station: The market will have an additional booth called the “Farmers’ Spotlight Station”. This booth will
rotate through vendors each week.
This space will give a vendor the opportunity to educate market customers via a specific activity. The assigned vendor for each
market must run continuous demonstrations/sampling for that entire market. The goal of this booth is to educate attendees
and teach them about local fresh food. This booth will be larger than a typical booth so that the demonstrating vendor will have
enough room for both the activity and sales of the vendor’s product. This station will be in the same location each week and will be
featured in weekly marketing where feasible. Examples of acceptable activities may include a demonstration on how your product is
produced; cooking demonstrations and using your product at home; and sampling product. A brief description of the activity must
be submitted to Cole Gardens a minimum of four weeks prior to the assigned Saturday.
Waiting List: Booth space is limited to the space available at the market site. A waiting list will be established for others seeking
booth space after those limits have been met. Prospective vendors will submit an application for subsequent approval by Cole
Gardens. Fees: Fees are due and payable to Cole Gardens. Vendor fees of $35 per market are to be paid before leaving at the end of
each market attended. If a vendor cancels within 48 hours prior to the scheduled market, a $35 fee will apply.
Responsibilities:
Each vendor, upon payment of the market vendor fees, agrees to comply with these guidelines.
All vendors must comply with NH and the City of Concord’s food licenses.
Each vendor is responsible for complying with New Hampshire regulations pertaining to items sold at the market.
Promote your product and company via Social Media or other promotional means.
Each vendor is responsible to be set up at the start of each market. To avoid safety problems involving vendors'
vehicles and gathering customers, vendors are advised to arrive for set up no later than 9:30 AM and no earlier
than 9:00 AM. Those arriving later may be relocated for that day. No sales will occur prior to 10:00 AM when the
market officially opens. Each member is responsible for staying until the market closes -- exceptions allowed as
needed.
Each member will be responsible for providing his or her own display and removal of trash. The area must be left clean and
neat at market day’s end. All guidelines apply to anyone attending your area.
Each vendor is responsible to bring enough product to each market to last the four hours until the market closes.
All vendors must provide proof of product liability insurance as stated on the application.
Pricing:
Vendors are encouraged to price their produce at fair market value. Customers come to the Winter Farmers’ Market at Cole Gardens
for the freshest and highest quality produce--they do not come for a "discount market". Pricing should reflect the quality of the
vendors’ products. Vendors are urged to consult the NHDAMF Market Bulletin for produce pricing guidance.
Prices will be prominently displayed. Where possible, each item will be priced individually.
Social Media
It is important to communicate with your customers on a regular basis. It is expected that each vendor help promote the market
outside of Cole Gardens normal paid marketing and advertising budget.
Each vendor should contact their customers through social media on a regular basis. Help support your fellow vendors by bringing
your customers to the market.
It is expected that you post on the market Facebook page and on your own Facebook, Twitter, other means of media, new products
you will be offering at your next market and suggestions on how to use your products when brought home. By promoting your
company, you promote others around you.
SNAP
Merrimack County Conservation District (MCCP) will be offering SNAP benefits at the market. Consumers who wish to use SNAP
benefits will go to a kiosk set up by MCCD where they can get $1.00 tokens during the market to be used to purchase your goods.
The kiosk will also be functioning as an ATM for those consumers that have debit cards and wish to purchase products from a
vendor who does not accept credit cards. These consumers will have the option to purchase $5.00 tokens. There will be no charge
to the consumer who is using the SNAP benefits, but there will be a charge for an “ATM” user. MCCP will explain to the vendors in
more detail the rules of this program.
November and December Holiday Season
Due to the limited available greenhouse space during this season, Cole Gardens will select vendors by a) first to apply and b)
best selection of products/vendors that will make a well rounded market.
Operations: Event Dates:
• The 2016 Holiday Market will run each Saturday starting Nov. 5th through Dec 17th and Friday Dec 23rd.
• The 2017 Winter Market will run each Saturday starting Jan. 7th through April 22nd.
Hours: The market will be open on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM.
Day of Market: Vendors will unload their products through the two greenhouse doors on the south and east side. Only vendors with
carts will be allowed to come through the north side greenhouse door using the walkway. A Cole Gardens employee will give parking
instructions to each vendor including an identifying card that should be placed in each vendor’s dashboard for identification purposes.
Vendors must park in vendor designated parking spaces. Parking in consumer spaces will not be allowed.
This market will run snow or sun. If you are unable to attend your scheduled market date, call at least 48 hours prior.
Address-Contact:
Cole Gardens
430 Loudon Road
Concord, NH 03301
[email protected]
603.229.0655
www.concordwintermarket.com