I enjoy hearing about market day. Glad I wasn't there because I am a sucker for kittens and I don't need a pet in my life at the moment!

I love pound cake. I'd have eaten all the remaining slices on the drive home. Thanks for the update!

Teresa, I always look forward to hearing about your day at market. Pam, I would have raced you for the pound cake. I'm not much of a sweets eater, but pound cake is my favorite.

Glad you had a good day, Teresa.

jude

Sounds like a perfect day in America! well......except for the horrible heat! Kittens, babies, the mayor, and great food and veggies!
I am so happy to hear how well you do on Market Day. I also look forward to reading about your mornings.

Teresa, glad you had another good day. I've been hearing about your heat. I admire that you even went to the market today....and did the baking in order to have something to sell. Take care!

Nancy

Congratulations on another good day and I'm so glad you were able to leave before the worst heat of the day. The variety of produce and the eggs and honey along with your baked goods could certainly supply most of our food wishes in this hot weather.

It also sounds like a very friendly event. I'd love to see a few pictures.

Lee

So, are you known as the "Bread Lady"? I am so tempted to show up.

Guess I am the "bread lady" and Suzie is the "egg lady" and Vonda is the "chicken salad and pie" lady. I will try to get some pics soon.

The vendors with the blueberries had a cute pre-teen daughter with them. She spread out the blueberry blue checked table cloth and the blueberry blue napkins, then set out their table-top posters and a blueberry blue pottery bowl containing their berries with a spoon so folks could taste their berries. It all looked really nice, and she kept arranging everything to be "just so." She was so cute!

Your market sounds lovely, Teresa. I never go to the one in the next town (6 mi.) because I work on Saturdays. Now I'm inspired to take an hour off and go.

I wish I'd had your pound cake today. We did a program that involved a tea, and we served Costco pound cake (not bad, but how could it be that moist when I bought it on Tues.? ). The scones were homemade, though, and I absconded with a couple of those for tomorrow's breakfast.

Teresa,
Inspired by your weekly posts, I sought out our Market, 3pm-6pm, Thursdays. Weird time, but I was there at 3:30 on Thursday. yikes. There was one guy with Kentucky tomatoes, (I am in Northern Illinois), and 2 ladies at a table selling jewelry. No bread lady, no blueberry girl. Sheesh.
I bought 2 tomatoes and a cucumber, cost me $5.50. I wish we had a nice market like the one you describe.

Oh, sissyz, that's kind of sad isn't it? I think I'm beginning to realize how lucky I am to have so many farmers' markets close to me. And except for the organic farmers, most everything seems very reasonably priced.

One important element of the Gibsonville market is the people - vendors and customers alike. Most all of them are just very friendly down-home folks - farmers, businessmen, college professors, the retirement folks, and others. I know I would miss seeing them if I didn't sell at the market. We look out for each other and promote what they are selling as well as our own goods. Benny personally took two customers over to the truck selling corn near us, having tried their bi-color "Serendipity" corn. Last week I pointed out to one customer that she could special order her sourdough bread from Vonda (Benny's wife) to be sure of getting a loaf. Even Vonda has only so much time to make long-rising sourdough bread.

I think I'll finally break down and go buy a larger folding table at the dreaded Wal-Mart today.

Teresa

Around here in Nebraska the Farmer's Markets are certain days, and they can't sell until an exact time, Kind of a pain but stops people from showing up early and getting the good stuff. Also they have the rule that you have to grow or make all produce and products, which is nice because you know it is local.

Stacie

Teresa - check out K-mart for a folding table. They are nicer than Wal-mart's.

I made an old no-knead recipe for good ol' white bread rolls to sell last Saturday. Rolled teeny-tiny balls and put them in 7" disposable pans. Sold all 20 pans in a couple of hours at the Market. People thought they were so "cute", wanted them for children or grands. I used one pan up quickly as samples for my jams which was much better than just a taster spoon. So, I sold a lot of jars of jam too.

If y'all's Markets are unsatisfying, maybe a drive to the next town will have a better one. Check out the link to find some others.

Nancy

Here is a link that might be useful: Farners Markets - US

Thanks, Nancy - I actually did end up going to K-Mart and got a table and a folding chair, both on sale. Great idea for the tiny rolls, I might have to consider that if I could find the pans.

Stacie, North Carolina's laws are similar to Nebraska's in that you can sell what you make or grow yourself. This includes baked goods, jams/canned goods, vegetables and fruits, farm raised meat, etc. If you bring in produce from a supplier you must buy a license.

I'm going to try sourdough again this week. It can be dicey in this heat not to over proof rising bread loaves. My multigrain did over proof and looked a little lop-sided on top, but folks still bought it all anyway.

Teresa

My sister sells knitted wash cloths at her farmer's market. She also sometimes bakes cookies to sell, but a neighboring vender sells bread. She really enjoys her market. I wish I could go to one, but I work every Saturday.

Oh, by the way, there's no such thing as "free" kittens! lol

Sally

Teresa, another successful market day. I bet if you didn't show up each week you would have a lot of disappointed customers.

I know when I go the market, I buy from the same vendors each week.

At our market, there is a variety of vendors, all local, - farmers that grow their own produce, or raise free range chickens, eggs, beef, pork, etc.. Others selling bread and other baked goods, home canning,jams, pickles, etc, and artists, selling pottery,jewelry, textiles, etc.. Something for everyone.

Ann

Yeah I'm still waiting for pictures, sniff.

I try to buy local too - better if its local AND organic. Tough choice if its not both, LOL.

Oh Teresa.. I'm glad you are so successful at it!

I wish I had the time to do it..

Teresa, I remember when you were just considering doing this, I'm glad it's all worked out well.

Here the "farm markets" have rules about only selling local products that you make/grow/etc. too, so I know if I run to Fremont or Newaygo, both of whom have farmer's markets, I'll get local honey or maple syrup, freshly grown local berries or produce, fresh baked good. Several of the Amish families participate, so there are always a lot of baked goods, but I don't like Clear Jel in pies, it makes that "gelatinous goo" that I dislike so much, so I never buy those.

Produce stands are different, they get stuff from all over and that corn could be from Texas, the beans from California, the cherries from Washington and there's nothing to assure that anything is actually local. So, I prefer the farmer's markets.

I like MagicLand best because they are open 6 days a week, from 10 am until 5 pm. After that their doors are still open and they have a little slot to drop your change into. They also take checks and IOUs, LOL.

If I go to the farmer's markets in eithe rof the towns, the one in Newaygo is Friday evening, the one in Fremont Saturday morning, but no other days.

Annie

Annie

Teresa - I'm jealous that you can actually take home-baked goods and sell them in public. Our laws in FL prohibit it exclusively.

My baby sister's name is Vonda. Not a common name, unless you were born in the mid-60's, I guess. She was named after Vonda Kay Van Dyke, Miss America 1965.

Pat...there is a new Cottage Food Law in Florida that allows one to sell homemade baked goods at locations such as neighborhood farmer's markets. The law went into effect the first of July. As long as you don't sell over $15,000.00 a year, you're ok.

From "The Fresh Loaf"

The State of Florida now has a regulatory system for Cottage Food Operations that allows for the production of non potentially hazardous foods i.e. cakes, cookies, jams, jellies, breads, and dry mixes prepared in a personal residence using home kitchen appliances. Annual gross sales cannot exceed $15,000 and your products cannot be sold on the internet, mail order or wholesale, which includes such places as restaurants and retail outlets. There are food labeling requirements; and the Department of Agriculture has the authority to investigate home-based food operations if there is a legitimate complaint and enforce penalties for non compliance. Look, it's a start! Congrats Florida Bakers & Happy Baking!!!

Well, COOL! Thanks Maddielee!