Most FM's have limits on sizes for canopies or space allowed to use. Check with them first to determine what size you can have. By all means get a rainproof top and one that is easy to set up & take down quickly. We bought ours, a 10x10' at Dick's Sporting Goods (not sure if they are out your way) and it has worked very well. The first couple times may be a little tricky getting set up/down but after a while it becomes easy, usually takes us less than 5 minutes. There are all kinds of canopies out there, so it may be difficult to recommend a brand. Just make sure it's sturdy, can be secured to the ground in the event of wind, and again rain proof!

I use an EZ Up. its 10x10.

By the straight legged ones. I have had two. One was a cheap no name brand and the other a First-Up from Walmart. While I don't like walmart, I did buy this one. It is so much stronger than the no name one. I can imagine that a EZ-Up is really nice, but I can't justify the cost. I am very happy with the First-Up.

Prepare to make some sort of weights for the legs. There are many designs out there, just make one that works for you.

Ez-Up is one of the best, but sometimes that is disputed.

First-Up makes a nice one for a $100.

Try it out first before you buy. Ask around and see them in use first.

Jay

Thanks for all of the info. I'm going to shoot for a pop-style. Thanks again, Luke

I have purchased a couple of types. I ONLY recommend the actual EZUp canopies. Plus get the trussed style if you can, they are stronger than the open-truss style. I get mine at Sams for about $200, but well worth it. I have had them since 2001. I am very hard on my canopies, I set up at least 3 times per week for 26 weeks. My canopies, even the EZUp Commercial ones only last me about 3-5 years.

This question inspired me to do a blog post I have been meaning to write for several months about shelters. Enjoy

Here is a link that might be useful: Boulder belt Blog-Market Shelters

I agree completely with your blog. I know one gentleman that has his same canopy, one of the original EZUps, for about 20 years. Of course, he always puts it back in the bag, which helps the life.

Uses for those cheaper canopies that break, use the canopy top on a 'real' frame from EZUp. You may need to move the velcro, but the replacement tops are as expensive as a new complete canopy from Sams.

That blog says it! 2009 was my first "market garden" so...my first farmers market experience. Whew, lots of things to get together. After looking at many canopies I bought the $112 from WalMart. That will be my reminder in life that not everything less expensive is better! As the blog states, your canopy (if it is going to) will break while you are trying to do what you love, work with your market goods at the market. A steady wind ended up destroying my canopy. Sure we had it secure to the ground but the wind actually caved it in, not fun! Even though sympathetic, the customers were not very impressed with the experience either! That was weds. by saturday market I had gone to Sams to get the EZ up...about $200 and maybe about 20# heavier! No more problems! Tie downs or weights are ever so important for your canopy and the safety of people. Our market implemented (for 2010) a rule of either being secured to a vehicle or 30# per leg. If your canopy is not weighted down they will kindly ask you to take it down.

I guess I am careful with mine. I have had the same $100 one for two years. I put it up and take it down 2-3 times a week for 25 plus weeks a year. I put it up and take it down by myself every week. It looks and works as good as new. We have some strong wind here in Kansas. I guess I know when not to set it up. There are days when that happens. When the wind is so strong, put up a canopy is like flying a kite.

Jay

For weights, we have used anything from filled milk jugs to concrete blocks. Now we have some window weights, the kind from very old windows, and use bungee cords to attach them. My son found them on a 'scrap run'. He is always looking for things that will work for us and are free. Of course, we make sure the things are clean.

At market we have attached several canopies together, inline, if there is someone without adequate weights. As long as there are enough weight on both ends, the canopies 'behave'.

Since we sell at a tail gate market we simply bungee our EZ Up to the van. If the van starts moving due to wind it is time to quickly find shelter.

When we sold without the van we would bungee the EZ Up to the tables plus put the 12" long spikes through the holes in the feet. that would keep it solid in winds up to 20mph. Anything higher than that means we don't use it.

Jay you must be super careful with your shelter or perhaps you bought an exceptionally well made cheapo shelter. usually during the high season we will watch up to 3 different newbie vendors break their shelters during market (and we have one well seasoned vendor who refuses to buy a decent shelter and spends a part of each market fixing his shelter with bailing twine, duct tape, paper clips, etc..)

You da man jrslick! Good luck with it year #3 hope you get more out of it! That's a good idea, fly a kite from your canopy, just don't, like, attach at key to it or anything.

At our Farmers market I'd say 95% of the canopies are white. Do you have any suggestions on color? and why?

Thank you
Eric

I will suggest a dark color, blue for example. I have had two one that was blue and one that was tan. I preferred the blue. I feel that it kept things cooler. It did make it darker, but It had a cooling effect. The lighter does make it brighter under one, but it warms up more, IMO.

The speaker at GPVGC also agreed that darker makes things cooler, so I guess I wasn't just imagining things.

Thanks for the compliments. I don't do anything special to it. I put it up I usually take my time. I check the bolts and screws and tighten them up,if needed. I usually do this at the end of the market. That way it is ready to go down and put back up the next time.

My current shelter is a First Up from Walmart.

Jay

Thanks Jay,

I'm no fan of blue, especially those blue plastic tarps. I like the cooling effect, so I'll look for green.

I'm not sure if timmylaz is being a smart ---, but he sure is funny.

Eric

I choose white. If I have to use a tarp, I buy a silver one.

The white or silver will reflect heat, while the darker colors attract heat.

After setting up for several years, I don't like to be hotter under my canopy than out in the sun.

Ours has a blue top . . . like the sky! We bought ours at Dick's Sporting Goods for $70! And it has held up wonderfully for the past 3 seasons. Easy to set up/take down. I believe it's "Quest" variety. While you can spend lots of money for canopies remember that the bigger it is the heavier it is and the harder to set up. If you are a full time farmer and do many Farmer's Markets it may be better to get a higher-end variety that will hold up with repeated use. As for us, we do just 1 FM a week (we also have "real" jobs so we can only do Satursdays and our canopy has done the job.

"we also have "real" jobs"

Now that might get some blood flowing. Farming is not a real job?

Eric

Farming is REAL WORK, just not as well paid as some others for the amount of work.

My canopy weighs about 40-45 pounds. I can put my canopies up by myself and I'm a 50+ women. Of course, my canopies ar only 10x10 and I wouldn't recommend anything larger. I set 2 of these up every market day, 3 days/week 26 weeks/yr.

Thanks for all of the input. Got some good information. Thanks, Luke

Re: "Real Jobs"

Opps!
Maybe I didn't word that right! Full-time farming is really a real job. My wife and I have a small part-time greenhouse/nursery business, large gardens for the Farmer's Market and do this while working full-time "real" jobs. My real job is not gardening/farming is what I should have said. The greenhouse/Farmers' Market is a hobby that we hope to one day be "real jobs" for us.

I have a blue First-Up, but I have read that blue makes the colors of the veggies look washed out. I'll continue to use it until it won't stand up any more and may replace it with white.

I made my own weights out of an 8' piece of 4" PVC pipe, cut into 4 two-foot pieces. I taped one end of each piece off with duct tape and mixed one 80# bag of cement, which filled them perfectly. I removed the duct tape after the cement set up. I also inserted a long eyebolt with a fender washer into each one while the cement was still wet. These hang perfectly with a bungee, one on each leg. If you set up the canopy to the middle hole on each leg it will leave an open hole to hang the weights on. That's over 80# of weight to hold the canopy down.

farmsteward, I was thinking of that very thing for weights. Thanks for the tips and the color consideration. I would not have thought of that. Good information!

Thanks, Luke

Several of our vendors use the PCV pipe as suggested, some larger pipe and some smaller pipes. My son found the weights and they already to go, which is why I use them. Plus I can lift them, some of the larger PCV pipes are too heavy for me to life. I just use 2 of the weights to compensate. Plus we attach the canopy to the bumpers of my van. We have 2 spaces 20' wide and park the van sideways in the spot and work out of the side door.