Click here for Vendor Application:
For booth rates and description of market click here.
Click here to pay your booth fee by week, month or season.
Tulare hosts two markets through the Spring and Summer. The Farmers Market is for produce and ag vendors. The Traders Market is for Downtown Association members and non-ag related vendors. Visit the links below for more detailed information about these two Tulare County Farmers Market promotions:
Can I sell at the Farmers Market?
Why can't I start selling right now?
What is certification and how can I get certified?
What is the VFMA?
Why aren't you using Tulare growers?
How often is the market held?
But I'm not selling produce. Why can't I sell my merchandise?
What's the Traders Market?
I sell my stuff at the flea market. I can get a booth, right?
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| For Ag or Produce Vendor Information click here. | |
| Pictures and more from past Farmers Markets... | |
Why can't I start selling right now?
We've received several questions regarding the Farmers and Traders Markets, what we're doing and how it works. Simply stated, the produce portion of our Farmers Market is a certified market managed by the Tulare County Farmers Market Association AKA the Visalia Farmers Market Association. Here are some of the crucial aspects of this market:
Can I sell at the Farmers Market?
- Any grower wanting to sell at this market must be certified.
- I've got a great garden; why can't I sell my produce at the market? Answer: You can, with these conditions:
1) You must be certified
2) You must be a member of VFMA/TCFMA.
What is certification and how can I get certified?
Farmers Markets are designed to help local farmers sell local produce. Without certification, a wholesaler could bring produce in from anywhere to compete against local farmers. The quality can drop significantly when jobbers start bringing in fruit picked for long-haul shipment. Certification is good for a market that wants to sell locally grown, tree- and vine-ripened produce.
We want the highest quality produce available to the citizens of Tulare so the TDA board chose to make the market certified.
Becoming a certified grower is pretty simple, actually. Just call the county ag commissioner and request your farm be inspected to certify you are growing the crops you sell at the market.
What is the VFMA?
The Visalia Farmers Market Association (also known as the Tulare County Farmers Market Association) is a group of local farmers who have each been certified through the county.
As with all associations, the VFMA has by-laws, guidelines and rules to promote and protect its members. Because they have policies in place to protect local farmers, and specifically their membership, any person who wants to participate must apply through the VFMA.
There is no guarantee that you will be accepted to the VFMA. If you are, typically you are allowed to sell at the Tulare market and the two Visalia markets. You may also be "provisionally" accepted, meaning that you may be able to sell at the Tulare market but not the other markets.
The board of the VFMA works hard to be fair and to ensure that all farmers get an opportunity to sell their produce without saturating the market with repetitive products. If you are interested in participating as a grower, find out what the market already has in abundance and pick something else to grow. There are many crops that are under-represented and growing one of those and becoming county-certified will increase your chances of being included in the market.
Why aren't you using Tulare growers?
In the past, non-certified markets were attempted and management had no specific market experience. The TDA thought it prudent to bring in experienced market managers to handle the operation of the market and insure abundant selections of produce and other products.
How often is the market held?
Yes, the Farmers Market is every week, as are most farmers markets. As a part of Tulare Tuesdays, the market is open every Tuesday evening, 5-8PM on King Ave and K Street Downtown Tulare.
But I'm not selling produce. Why can't I sell my merchandise?
Currently, anyone who wants to participate in the Farmers Market must be accepted by the VFMA, even if you do not sell produce. The VFMA has specific guidelines that dictate most items being sold by local producers (no super-corporations allowed), that most of the products sold be hand-made, handicraft-quality or unique to the market. If you think your product meets those criteria then you can apply for membership with the VFMA, pay applicable dues and fees, and participate in the market.
However, because the Tulare Downtown Association is sponsoring the market, the VFMA and the TDA have a special arrangement. After allowing the produce portion of the market to establish itself, the TDA is opening the Traders Market for non-produce vendors.
What's the Traders Market?
The Traders Market is a special addition to the Farmers Market managed by the TDA that features non-ag vendors. Through special agreement, Downtown merchants have first priority on booth space and are allowed to sell their retail items if they choose (manufactured, not necessarily hand-made, goods) along with their handi-craft items.
Booth space is next allocated to businesses outside the downtown area that choose to participate in the market. There is a cost for booths for both downtown association members and non-members. You can see the fees online by clicking here.
I sell my stuff at the flea market. I can get a booth, right?
Just like the VFMA, the TDA is reviewing applications for booth space. Repetition of vendors, low-quality offerings, etc, are all considerations that can affect your selection as a vendor. Before applying, please ensure that you are offering a high-quality product for sale.
All applications will be retained and a vendor may be considered for future placement as the market grows.
For any other questions you might have call the downtown Association office at 559-685-2350 or email John Harman at [email protected].