When I first started as GardenShare’s Farmers Market Manager, I was initially surprised it could be a full-time job, but after just one season, I can certainly say that there is a lot more that goes into running a market than one might realize! Prior to 2022 each farmers market in St. Lawrence County was managed independently from one another, but in 2022 GardenShare took on a new role that provided shared management services to the Canton, Gouverneur and Potsdam markets. I was excited to take on the challenge of developing the new program!
GardenShare provided direct management and advisory support, which created stability between a complex network of vendors, nonprofits and community partners. In addition to the dozens of vendors, there’s a lot of behind the scenes planning and collaboration involved with each market, including advisory boards, property owners, and voting market memberships.
St. Lawrence County is rich with extensive resources, and at the markets you can find an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables along with local goods and crafts, with something new to discover every month. Partnerships also contributed to the success and diversity week to week, which enhanced the customer’s experience and created a community destination for different types of shoppers. Whether it was an activity for the kiddos, a free fitness class, or musical entertainment, there were extra events to enjoy throughout the season. It was very rewarding to see members of the community explore the market for their first time, and watch vendors expand their operations as the markets grew and evolved each month. There was certainly a buzz surrounding the Gouverneur Farmers Market, as customer traffic more than tripled from June to September. Vendors quickly adjusted to keep up with the higher demand and increased the quantity of products they brought in for sale.
Between the three markets, there were 57 vendors and 33 nonprofits that showcased their items and services this year, with 13 vendors testing out other markets for their first time. Vendors who participated in more than one market, as a guest or applying for full-membership, expressed that having one contact was easier for their onboarding process, and communication was more efficient for their business practices.