Yelm Farmers Market is open May 26 – October 27, 2018
We’ll be opening up with the momentum gained from last year’s successes that helped us gain visibility and customer base. We’ve reserved some special features at the market that you are going to like.
New home at Yelm Community Center. Parking on site.
We are so excited to announce we changing locations into the city of Yelm. We have made a great number of changes. Hope to see you there!
Continue the live music performances.
Continue the outstanding Power of Produce (PoP) program that has involved more than 1,100 children in two years.
We hope to bring in a diversity of food vendors to make this an even more attractive Sunday outing just ripe for picnicing. We will repeat the “Taste the Place” sampling tent that was introduced in 2016 to facilitate customers being able to taste the farmers’ flavorful fruits and vegetables from a common education booth!
Ready to Sign Up?
Please read our market guidelines and policies to see if you are eligible. They are available on this page as a PDF file.
Fill out the application by downloading it and printing out, or, filling out electronically:
Do you need a business license?
Check out the Washington State Business Licensing Guide.
Are you new to the Farmers Market?
Not sure if you fit in the eligible categories?
The Yelm Farmers Market welcomes five categories of vendors. A brief explanation of each vendor type and a guide to their requirements is given below along with some useful resource links.
Farmers
A Yelm Farmers Market Farmer raises produce, plants or botanicals, or animals which they sell at the market on land they own, lease or rent. The land must be in the State of Washington.A Farmer may also include someone who processes produce, fruit, berries, botanicals, meats, honey, etc., which is grown, raised or harvested on their own, leased or rented property in the State of Washington and then turned into value added product(s) such as jams, cider, salsa, vinegars, essential oils or any other botanical use.A Farmer is also someone who raises the basic ingredient(s) of a product but who must send it out for fundamental processing, either within Washington State or border counties, before creating the value added product. Such Vendors might include those Farmers selling certain essential oils, smoked meats or fish, etc.
NOTE: Washington State has regulations governing the sale of certain products. The WSDA Small Farm & Direct Marketing Handbook outlines these LINK HERE
If you are interested in being a Farmer at the Yelm Farmers Market please contact the Market Manager, manager@yelmfarmersmarket.com
Processors
Processors are vendors who offer fresh food products (such as meat, seafood, ciders, baked goods, jams etc) that have added value to a product through some sort of ‘hands-on’ processing (eg hand-made candies, jams/jellies, sauces, jerky etc). All Processors must meet all Federal, State and County Health Department requirements. These requirements differ according to the product being processed. All those participating in processing are required to have a Food Worker Card. This is available online at www.foodworkercard.wa.gov..
Should you decide to proceed as a Processor there are licensing requirements that you must achieve according to your product. (see further below)
Cottage Food Industry Permit
A Cottage Food Operations Permit is for those who wish to cook, bake or otherwise produce low-risk food in their home to sell directly to consumers eg at the market. Only certain foods qualify. Check the WSDA Cottage Industry Guidelines to see if your product qualifies.
The WSDA has produced the following video as an introduction to Cottage Food Operations.
Two other valuable links are:
WSDA Processor Guidelines
Regulations for Food Processing: WSDA Food Processor License & Facilities
Prepared Food
Prepared Food vendors have products that are ready to eat on site. They may come in a food truck (agreed upon by Thurston County Health Dept.). Or they can be on the ground, in a tent, serving up either cold, prepacked sandwiches and hand made drinks. If hot food is on a prepared food vendor’s menu to sell to the public a Temporary Food Establishment Farmers Market Permit may be obtained for the season, and shared across other markets in the county on different days of the week.
Artisans
Artisans are vendors who hand make their own crafts and art, such as pottery, candles, jewelry, paintings, wood work, etc.
Resellers
A Reseller is one who buys produce from farmers in Washington State, transports it to the Yelm Farmers Market and resells it to the consumer. Resellers are expected to be the only stop between the grower and the consumer.
Resellers may only sell crops that cannot be grown reliably or are not offered for sale in sufficient quantity by Farmers selling at the Yelm Farmers Market, as determined by the Market Manager.
All products must be labelled as being resold (or another similar term) and declare their farm of origin if they are not grown, raised, or harvested on property that the vendor owns, leases, or rents.
If you are interested in being a Reseller at the Yelm Farmers Market please contact the Market Manager, manager@yelmfarmersmarket.com
Resources to Get Started
Washington State Farmers Market Association “Roots Guidelines”
WSDA Small Farm and Direct Marketing Handbook – overview of requirements and great ideas
Thurston County Health Department – Food Handlers Permit, Temporary Food Sellers permit to sell at market, sampling permits