Thanks for your interest in the Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market!

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The deadline for applications this year is February 28th for returning vendors, and March 18th for new vendors.

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We accept daily vendors (vendors who fill in during absences) throughout the season, and we have juries for new vendor applicants each month. If you are interested in vending, please read our market rules and application (you can download files at the bottom of this page). 

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Contact Christine Colascione, Market Manager, at farmersmarket05301@gmail.com or 802-254-8885 (texts are okay) with any questions about vending at the market. 

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Guide to Participation in the Brattleboro Area Farmers' Market (BAFM)

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SEASON: The Saturday Market runs from the first Saturday in May to the last Saturday in October from 9AM to 2PM at 570 Western Ave. (Route 9) in Brattleboro. Half-season (first or second half) participation is allowed. There is presently no midweek market.

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MEMBERSHIP: Participation in the market is open only to vendors who live and produce in Windham County, Vermont and Cheshire County, New Hampshire. The board can make exceptions for craft and prepared/specialty food vendors for a one-year-only membership on a discretionary basis.

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MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES: BAFM has two membership categories: reserved site and daily. Reserved site members have booths at the market for the duration of the market season, either full-season or first- or second-half season. Daily members come as space allows, and are invited to vend on a rotating basis. The market generally does not accept agricultural vendors as daily vendors.

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PROCESS FOR NEW MEMBERS: Prospective new vendors must mail an application with their membership fee only. Vendors who are not accepted to the market will have their membership checks returned. New vendors (with the exception of those selling straight agricultural products) must jury their products in late March or early April. After the jury, the board will vote on the jury committee's recommendations, and prospective vendors will be informed of the board's decisions in early April. Daily vendor applicants are juried throughout the season--first before the season begins, and then on a monthly basis once the market opens.

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INSURANCE REQUIREMENT: As of 2018, all vendors are required to carry their own product liability insurance, provide proof of such coverage, and name BAFM as additionally insured.

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ABSENCES: Full-season vendors are allowed no more than 6 absences during the season, 3 for half- season vendors. Vendors must report absences to the manager by 9pm on Wednesdays. If this deadline is not met, the absence will count as two, except in the event of an emergency.

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WORK REQUIREMENTS: Each full-season reserved site member is required to perform 10 hours of work (15 for group memberships) and to join and perform work for at least one committee. Half-season members are required to complete 5 work hours for individual memberships and 8 hours for group memberships. Work hours can include committee meetings, board participation, and market-day work (such as picking up trash and putting out signage). At Site Day, members are required to pay a $200 work hours deposit. This check is not deposited and will be shredded if work hours are completed by the end of the year.

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BOOTH REQUIREMENTS: The Saturday market is located on a floodplain and has very specific requirements for booth construction; please read the rules for details. At Site Day, reserved site members who intend to build permanent (seasonal) booths are required to pay a $100 "clean site" deposit. This deposit will be returned if booths are removed by the date stipulated in our calendar, usually two weeks after the last Saturday market.

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FEES: The fees required for reserved site members are an initial membership fee ($100 for an individual or $125 for a group), a booth fee, which is based on footage, and a 4% commission on sales, payable at the end of each market day. Reserved site vendors must also pay the clean site deposit of $100 and the work hours deposit of $200 on Site Day. (These deposit checks will be shredded upon completion of requirements.) Daily vendors pay a $50 membership fee, $20 each day they vend, and 4% commission on sales.

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REQUIRED EVENTS: All reserved site vendors must attend Site Day, which is typically held 2 weeks before the opening Saturday market and is the day when the market site is cleaned and sometimes booth spaces are assigned. All reserved site vendors must also attend the annual meeting, which is held on a

Sunday in early January and is when board members are elected and other organizational business is conducted.

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MARKET DAY: Vendors are required to be set up at the site by 9AM and stay until 2PM. Commission slips/token reimbursements must be turned into the manager by 2:30PM.

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FORMS OF PAYMENT DURING MARKET DAYS: The market has equipment that enables customers to obtain market tokens using their EBT, credit, and debit cards. Vendors must accept the payment forms for which they are eligible (all vendors must accept debit/credit tokens, while there are stipulations regarding who can accept EBT tokens and coupons) and will be reimbursed by the market for tokens/coupons collected in one to two weeks.

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MARKET RULES AND BYLAWS: All vendors, new and returning, are expected to familiarize themselves and act in accordance with the annually updated market rules and BAFM bylaws. All vendors must also sign the Market Contract, which is part of the application.

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