For me, depending upon season and time of season.

almost always good sellers:
Tomatoes, must have minimum of 50 lbs at start of each market.
Cucumbers, minimum 1/2 bushel per market
Peppers, minimum 1/2 bushel
any berries

at times good sellers, depending upon who else has and how much they have:
sweet corn
melons
green beans
potatoes

things that are not worth the effort:
eggplant
radishes, any kind I've tried
turnips
lettuce, any kind
spinach or other greens

I'm sure there are other items, but I can't think of them at this time.

Marla

Best sellers for my first year at market

Berries
Jams/Jellies (though margin is bigger on berries)
Cucumbers
Zucchini (when I had it - has anyone ever heard of a bad year for zukes??)

Tomatoes and hot peppers not selling well, still waiting for bells.

I forgot Zukes, this year was bad for them. Had plenty and then all of a sudden, nothing.

I don't make jams and jellies, tho I probably need to. In my spare time, LOL!

Marla

Things must be so regional!

I know - I was surprised at the zucchini. Doesn't everyone have neighbors trying to GIVE that stuff away? Though maybe it was a good seller this year b/c no one was having luck with it.

I have been surprised at the organic tomatoes not selling when a lot of people had blight this year. I have gotten lots of comments on how nice mine looked and then people walk away w/o buying - started at 3 for $1, dropped to 25 cents each and then $3/pint (roughly 1.25 lbs). Maybe b/c they're smaller than most people are used to, but larger than a cherry, and no one has heard of Glaciers?

Then again, I could sell cukes for 75 cents to $1 each a few weeks ago but today started at 75 cents and dropped to 50 cents each b/c the market master had a bunch of big ones for that price, mine were a little smaller, I didn't have as many and they were not as pretty. Hers aren't organic but people don't seem to care now, whereas they did a month ago.

small tomatoes do not sell for me, unless I call them salad tomatoes. Organics around here does not increase the price at all, that's the reason that I don't mention it unless someone asks about it. I can tell them exactly what I have used, and if it is a problem for them, I'll try to find someone else that didn't use that item. I do mention that arsenic is organic and very deadly. People seem to think that everything that is organic is super safe, and there are a few things that are definitely NOT.

I think everything is regional, we are getting more gardeners (newbies). I give out more information at times that sales, but those same people will come back to me after they pick theirs and need more. I am also selling more plants because I teach them how to finish growing them until harvest. I also help teach them on how to preserve their own harvest. Helps my plant sales.

Cukes, I could only sell them for 50cents, while my 2 sons families at different markets less than 30 miles away could get 75cents to $1 each.

Zukes, people are afraid to grow them due to getting overwhelmed, so they just buy them at the market. Really plant an entire packet and how many plants do you get???

Marla

Just our first year but we are selling chard and mustard greens really well. They don't sell mustard greens in our supermarkets here so it is unique. We stand our greens on water at market and they look full and fresh so they go quickly.

We have a lot of greens and also lettuce that will be ready in about 2-4 weeks and no one else really sells that at our market so I am looking to fill the table with them once the flowers are done.

It was really cold this morning 1 degree - not cold enough to kill stuff though thank goodness. Supposed to be more seasonable for the next few weeks.

Was darn cold standing out there this morning.

Yes, you can sell any smaller tomato if you put them in a quart container and call them a salad tomato. Tell them that they are similar to "cluster" tomatoes, everyone has seen them, just not on the stem.

arugula
lettuce
kale
chard
Asian greens
onions
carrots
leeks
garlic
cantaloupe
watermelon
strawberries
raspberries
pears
basil
radishes
scallions
spinach

I tried putting them in pint baskets and telling people they were salad tomatoes, still didn't sell many. Maybe I should put "Salad tomatoes" on my sign instead of "Glacier tomatoes?"

Oh, well, the extras are being turned into tomato juice as we speak (too seedy/not fleshy enough for salsa - and a pain to peel since they're so small). DH will appreciate it (I also made a batch for him last w/e). He'll drink a pint at a sitting.

As long as they don't go to waste, by canning them, they won't. I don't know if I would've bought with the Glacier sign, since I wouldn't know what "Glacier" meant (unless I was a grower). Try the salad instead.

Marla

I am surprised no one mentioned beets. I don't like them and don't eat them, but I always sell out. People really like them with the greens and I don't let them get too big. They grow well in my climate, they like the cool nights.

I have also planted a large amount of asparagus, it sells out if my family lets me take it to market. And I agree, any kind of berry is popular.

Yesterday I had grapes and they sold themselves. No one else ever has grapes at our market. Now is a good time to plant and I sold a bunch of grape plant starts yesterday. They taste the grapes and buy the plant. I wish it were always that easy.

I don't care for Beets, they are ok, but not a favorite. I always sell out too, but I don't grow many. My ground isn't the best for beets.

Honestly what sells best is anything that nobody else has.

I heard my favorite phrase at the market again last night. "Let's buy that here, NOBODY else has any." They were talking about winter squash.

Jay

Jay, I would start selling my squash near Labor Day weekend, I planted accordingly.

Beets sometimes sell well, and other times, not at all. Usually the not at all week, I canned everything and the next week, everyone was looking for them and I didn't bring any.

Marla

Definitely greens for me, like spinach, beet greens and kale. We have a large East European-ancestry community here (2nd generation) who appear to consume more greens than the typical North American. At least it seems that way.

i find that when my market is very busy i can sell just about anything by closing time.

My market hasn't been too busy lately. Might not even go tonight (supposed to be 90% chance of rain - it's been raining most of the week though not at the moment). Next week is the last week though, and I do have some decent-sized green bell peppers today (as well as the never-ending tomatoes - cukes are done). Been making lots of grape jelly - it will keep but it would be nice to sell some this week, I'll still have plenty for next week.

Might be a good market next week if it's sunny.

Next year might try a different market - new one opened this year next town over in opposite direction, mid-week, off state highway. But it's 2x as far away (about 15 miles instead of 7.5). Might try it - vendor list for this year looked more artsy-craftsy stuff (might be good for jams) and fewer veggies (might be good - less competition?). Just hate to double the fuel bill when the truck only gets 14-15 mpg.

Definitely go next week, I found that the last week, people realize that they need to get what they need before it ends.

Marla

This year, the jams and jellies have gone over well. We have repeat customers and the customer base is getting larger as they get used to our product. What also sold well?
Lettuce, turnips, garlic, basil, mint,dill, sweet corn, green beans, snap peas, rhubarb, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, okra, watermelons.

POURING right now, I picked DS up at the end of the driveway so he wouldn't have to walk in the rain, he asked "Don't you have market?". I told him there wouldn't be any customers today.

10-day forecast is showing next Friday clear, high of 66 (though it will get chilly by end of market at 7pm). Much better day for selling (not to mention the reason Marla gave). Gonna take 2-3 cases of jams/jellies as well as peppers and (if they hold out) the last of the tomatoes. Might have some gourds and pattypan squash by then if they don't all rot. Pumpkins aren't ripe yet.

I read on LocalHarvest's newletter that last year they placed alot of posters informing people that the last week of market would be xxxx,xx and telling the customers to 'buy the farmers out'. Encouraging people to stock up with the 'good' produce before the market is done. I think it's a good marketing tip. I'm going to try it next year, if I can remember.

I would also get people's names and contact info, for sending newsletters or postcard in the future. That one thing that I regret not doing at my old market.

Marla

Actually, Marla, I was thinking of making up business cards with the email address and phone number on, so they could contact me if they wanted anything in particular, or if they wanted email updates. DH hasn't gotten the website up yet (hope the domain name isn't taken yet).

Of course, not all farmers markets are the same. I manage a three day a week small market in SW MO (different locations - different customers, and sometimes different vendors). The baked goods seem to always go strong, as vendors build up clients.

Think next spring. Produce is slow to start, and folks look forward to the first strawberries and the only veggies are greens and radish. That's when bedding plants go strong for both flowers and veggies. Mothers day is great in May for flower sales and as the flower plants get bigger and prettier, sales remain strong through June. Cut flowers work, but most folks want a plant.

I no longer sell at the market myself - I don't have to. I found that folks LIKE coming to the farm (and it definately helps to be selling buffalo meat and be near town). If I take meat to the market, I have to worry about keeping frozen, etc. But by encouraging folks to come to the farm, i have the customer all week and all year long. They become devoted customers once they have visited your farm.

You might want to think about opening a 'farm day' for folks to pick up produce and get quantity discounts for canning. Schedule the day when produce would be overmature if waitin for market day. You'll get spoiled getting to stay home waiting for customers. I have.

What sells well? Brownies. I sold out on brownies with a swirl of homemade caramel.

Another buffalo, do you have certain days that your farm is open? If so, which days have you found work the best. I have a job that I can schedule around most days, so I just need to know if you can tell me which days of the week work best for you. Thanks

Marla