The Farmer’s Perspective: How Farmers Markets Help Producers

During National Farmers Market Week, we celebrate farmers markets across the country, their popularity and their growth.  But there wouldn’t be any farmers markets without farmers. Just as farmers markets help consumers know their farmer and know their food, they also help producers know their customers and know their business.  I’d like to share with you one Virginia farmer’s account of how a farmers market helped him:
“My name is John Biscoe. I own Glenburnie Farm Produce Company. We grow microgreens, herbs and seasonal vegetables on our farm in western Spotsylvania County, Virginia. My family has farmed the same land since the early 1860s, primarily raising cattle—first for beef and later for dairy.

I began selling produce direct to restaurants over 10 years ago and began selling at farmers markets in 2010. Currently I sell to restaurants in the Fredericksburg area and at the Spotsylvania Farmers’ Market.

In a practical sense I benefit most from our farmers market simply because it provides me a setting for the sale of my products at retail prices. For the most part, we farmers are very good at aspects of our operations related to production, but somewhat less so at marketing and sales. My farm is located outside the most heavily populated areas of our county and on roads which don’t bear enough traffic to support a significant retail enterprise. The market affords me access to people without having to expend time, money, and intellectual energy (all of which are in short supply much of the time).  The market creates a venue for them to come to me.

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