Pennsylvania Farm Markets

This guide developed by The Center for Rural Pennsylvania details ways to start or strengthen a farm market in Pennsylvania. If you are thinking about starting a farm market, this guide will help you understand that "it takes hours of time and dedication to research, plan, organize and sustain successful markets. A farmers' market is a business. Therefore, many of the strategies that go into running a small business, like marketing and accounting, are needed to successfully run a farmers' market." 

If you are already running a farm market, this guide can also help you to strengthen the market and to identify areas of improvement like:

• "Better balance of shoppers throughout the day and over the months of operation
• More interest from younger people and families
• Greater willingness among buyers to try new produce items and varieties
• More appreciation that high quality produce can't be sold at bargain-bin prices
• Better retention of first-time shoppers."