360: Sara Matlin on Selling at Farmers Markets.
Building local food systems through community markets.
A native to the Phoenix Area, Sara is passionate about building community and supporting local businesses. Every Saturday you can find her running the downtown Phoenix Public Market managed through Community Food Connections, a nonprofit organization. This open-air market is open rain or shine, year-round. When she’s not busy coordinating vendors or taking farm tours, she’s hiking outdoors and exploring the small towns of the Southwest.
In This Podcast:
She was not planning to be a Farmers Market Manager, but that where Sara Matlin ended up and she is passionate about her community. She tells about the Phoenix Public Market and how it has grown to over 100 vendors. We also cover how growers can become vendors with their own booths and how they are supported by the market. There are also opportunities for backyard growers to sell without having their own booth.
Listen in and learn about:
- Stumbling into the role of Farmers Market Manager
- What happens behind the scenes of a farmers market
- The Phoenix Public Farmers Market origin story growing from 12 vendors
- A little about the 100+ vendors
- The café next door and how they work together
- Becoming a vendor in farmers markets
- How growers are supported
- The community exchange booth for smaller growers
- Consistency as a vendor
- The cost of being a vendor
- Seeing the impact in the neighborhood
- The challenges of running a farmers market
As well as:
Her failure – Thinking she understood all that growers were facing
Her success – The growth she’s supported in the market
Her drive – The people of her community
Her advice – Shop local, think local
Sara’s Book recommendations:
How to reach Sara:
At the Market – Central Avenue & Pierce Street
Website: phxpublicmarket.com
Facebook: @PhxPublicMarket
UrbanFarm.org/phxpublicmarket
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