Story on Baking for Farmers’ Markets

[BakerAunt]

For all of us who dream of selling our baking at a Farmers' Market:

Market Made Bakers

Spread the word

      

  

  

[Mike Nolan]

Thanks for posting this.

This is why I've never had any dreams of selling my breads at a farmer's market or opening a bakery. I cannot imagine baking 144 loaves of bread in a day, much less baking several times that much bread day in and day out. (Also, we already have a local artisan baker at the major farmer's markets in the city, French-trained, using French #55 flour, and people who've tasted their bread and visited Paris says they are better than most of the boulangeries in Paris.)

[BakerAunt]

I'm not sure how anyone has the space in a regular kitchen to bake 144 loaves. Perhaps they rent space. Different states also have different requirements for home bakeries, and these sites must be Farmer's Markets located in major urban centers.

Once we have moved and gotten settled, I plan to try selling at the Farmer's Market in the small town that has an influx of summer people. Over the past summers, I have been observing what is sold, and I would look for a niche that I could fill. Small Bundt cakes and scones seem good possibilities. The bakers I've seen there mostly do sweet rolls and cupcakes, except for an Amish woman who does a little of everything. I'm not looking to start a business but to finance my baking addiction once I retire.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by BakerAunt.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by BakerAunt.

[Mike Nolan]

I think in Lincoln you don't have to have a 'commercial' kitchen if all you're going to do is sell at farmer's markets, but you do have to pass an inspection to get an 'unlicensed kitchen' certificate. And as I recall, cats that have access to the kitchen is a no-no. I don't know why.

[BakerAunt]

In Indiana, it requires a printed label with the statement that the food was prepared in an uninspected kitchen, and the ingredients listed in decreasing order of weight. The food must be packaged--and no selling individual portions, or the person is considered a vendor, and that brings in a different laws. Certain foods are forbidden, such as cheesecakes, and low-acid canned foods. Products can only be sold at a road-side stand (where allowed) or at the Farmer's Market. Delivery of items to the buyer's place is forbidden, although it is legitimate for the buyer to order ahead, then pick up and pay at the Farmer's Market.

I may decide it is too much hassle, or that it is not worth my while. I go to the Farmer's Market regularly (when we are there) for the fresh fruits and vegetables, and occasionally a craft item. I was disappointed the one time I bought sweet rolls from the Amish lady.

I was going to post my link to forager.com which has information for every state, but the site appears to be having problems right now.

[aaronatthedoublef]

It's a great story. I spent Friday nights for six months going to the local artisan bakery and making bread. There were four of us each shift and we would make about 600 loaves of bread. I would stagger home at 4 am and try to get to sleep. Then I would wake up at 7 am and have to take kids to soccer and/or baseball. It was not easy.

Here the state has said that, in theory, home kitchens are okay and then kicked it to the town. But the waiting lists to get into a farmer's market is usually huge. I had a chef friend offer to try and help me skip the queue once, but like you all, the task of doing this every weekend is daunting, at least so long as I have a job and kids.

[BakerAunt]

Here is the link to the Forrager website:

http://forrager.com/laws/

[Author]

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