Getting legal is taking me so much longer than I had expected. So in the meantime, the Farmer's Market that I am trying to get set up in is filling up with vendors who sell baked goods.

Here is the reply that the lady in charge sent me today.

"Our market has been joined by Great Harvest and we have at least 2 additional people (farmers) selling baked goods, so I will need to assess the demand for baked goods when I go to the market on Saturday to see if we can support another baker -- we can't get too lopsided and we need to be careful that we stay a farmers market with a preponderance of farmers and farm products."

Great Harvest is a local bread shop. They have a store and their products are available at about 15 different grocery stores in our area. I would think that a Farmer's Market would much rather have the small home business, instead of a business that already has a large customer base. You could just go around the corner anyday of the week to get their baked goods. I just can't seem to find the right words to help persuade her in my direction. Help! I really want to sell my cupcakes at this market. It's in a very upscale section of our town and I know there would be a niche for my "gourmet" cupcakes.

Great Harvest is a chain, so they may have the marketing muscle to keep you out. I would explain to her that you are only going to sell X, Y, and Z, which don't really compete with the cookies offered by great harvest ( their only real dessert option) or the fruit pies etc, that the farmers sell. See if you can get a "cupcake only" permit to start. You may very well find that you don't really make enough money to make it worth while. When we looked at the numbers, it didn't make any sense.

How about adding to your argument that you'll only purchase YOUR ingredients (maybe fruits/berries/carrots) from fellow vendors at this farmer's market? That's a huge incentive for not only the organizer of the market and the other farmers, but a wonderful selling-tool for your own customers AND probably something that a chain store would be unable to do themselves.

Buying locally-grown and supporting local businesses who use regional ingredients is a huge environmental plus for you! I'd support anyone who did, rather than used ingredients shipped in from foreign lands/countries. (I know all ingredients aren't always available in your area, but at least supporting the vendors in the booths around you will not only be good for you...but them as well. Get them on your side!)