Vendors marketing products and produce as being organic are required to display a copy of their latest organic certification at their stand every market day, and should also submit a similar copy during the application process. Vendors are directly responsible for their employees and should ensure that they are familiar with all the rules and regulations of Drake Road Farmers’ Market. This is essential since a vendor may be ejected from the market if their employees fail to abide by the rules and policies put in place.
All vendors and their employees should remain behind their tables and tent spaces while selling. Distribution of bags for customer use is not allowed at the designated selling space or in front of tents. Designated spaces refer to the 10×10 spaces acquired with the application. They are not inclusive of the space in front of tents or around or in front of product displays not within the tent. It also does not include aisles, grassy areas, walkways, or entrances.
Cars are not allowed in the market area unless they are necessary to transport or sell products. In addition, vendor employees must park away from customer and vendor parking areas. At the end of each day, sales tax and fees should be paid to the market coordinator by either Venmo, check, or credit card (using Frontline Asset Strategies). No cash transactions are allowed. Vendors who are unable to make their payment by the end of the market day will be required to do so before the beginning of the next market day. Failure to this, they will not be permitted to set up.
No pets are allowed at Drake Road Farmers’ Market. Because of liability concerns, children of vendors and those of employees are not permitted to behave in a disruptive, unsafe, or unruly manner. All parties that do not pay attention to this policy will be ejected from the market. Calling out, bellering, hollering, or hawking to customers is not permitted by any vendor or their employees. To ensure minimum noise, reefers are not allowed during market hours. Vendors are not allowed to leave the market before 1 pm on Saturdays or 2 pm on Wednesdays and Sundays even if they have finished selling all their items.
Vendors are required to clean their selling space thoroughly, failure to which attracts a fine of $25. Vendors are also required to carry their trash. Disposing trash in the neighborhood dumpsters attracts a hefty fine of $50. If any conflict between two sellers or a seller and the market coordinator emerges and cannot be resolved by both parties independently, a short hearing will be held with at least one board member present.
Drake Road Farmers’ Market offers vendors the opportunity to sell their products and residents to promote local products. The market has significantly encouraged local production since its launch and has become an example for farmers’ markets in other communities.
