CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE ORDER FORM

Are you an avid gardener? Winter is the perfect time to sift through seed catalogs, plan your harvest, and dream of warmer weather. This year, the Alfred Farmers Market has collaborated with High Mowing Organic Seeds on a seed-sale fundraiser. Think “Girl Scout Cookies”, but instead with high quality, easy-to-grow seeds. Since 2012, The Alfred Farmer’s Market has been celebrating Alfred’s food, farms, families and fun. The Market is a nonprofit organization, and needs to fund-raise each year in order to balance their budget and continue providing an outlet for local farmers and artisans. If you’re already planning on purchasing seeds for the growing season, this opportunity is a great way to also give back to your community.

The 100% certified organic and Non-GMO Project Verified seeds are practical, useful, helpful and most importantly, hopeful as we all continue to strive for creating a positive and healthy planet. High Mowing Organic Seeds is a small grassroots Vermont-based company with an outstanding reputation that spans the nation. For every seed packet sold through the fundraiser, the Alfred Farmers Market is able to keep 50% of the profits. Each seed packet is $2.95, and there are 22 classic vegetables and three flowers to choose from. In addition to a wide selection of individual seed packets, High Mowing Seeds also offers a variety of thoughtfully curated boxed collections.

This year, the Market set the goal of selling 300 packets in the community with the deadline for orders by March 15, 2020. CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE ORDER FORM. Seeds for this fundraiser must be ordered through market personnel. Please email MarketManagerinAlfred@gmail.com or call 518-937-3234 to place an order.  With any purchase of $50 or more, Sasha Khodorkovskiy of Living Acres Farm in Alfred Station will give a free garden consultation. Don’t miss out on this easy, genuinely sustainable opportunity to show support for your local farmers market.

The Alfred Farmers Market (AFM), a “growers-only” market, is hiring a new part-time market manager for the upcoming 2019 season. The market runs from June-October, but the position would require input of hours ASAP for professional development, training, and to attend monthly board meetings to discuss the upcoming season. If you or someone you know is interested, please consider applying.

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter describing your interest and qualifications to marketmanagerinalfred@gmail.com.

The position is opened until filled. Applications will be reviewed as they are received.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS:

• Passion for local foods and a desire to strengthen the local food economy
• Knowledge of farming/gardening and when produce is in season is preferred
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to interact with a wide range of people
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds
• Reliable transportation
• Basic bookkeeping skills
• Ability to collect, manage, and analyze data
• Ability to enforce rules and regulations of the market
• Ability to manage conflict
• Strong organizational skills
• Basic computer skills and access to a computer
• Ability to communicate by email
• Punctuality, self-motivation and the ability to work independently

OVERVIEW:

The Alfred Farmers Market Board is seeking a part-time market manager for the upcoming 2019 season. Individuals with a passion for local foods and market experience are encouraged to apply. The Alfred Farmers Market is held on Sundays from 11 am – 3 pm at the Alfred Village Bandstand from June through October. The manager is responsible for attending all of the markets as well as committing hours to professional development and research on related farmers market topics. Compensation for market duties is $15/hour. It is estimated that the manager will work approximately 150 hours for the entire fiscal year. Stipend is capped at $1,800 per year.

Our market provides growers, producers and artisans the chance to sell their goods directly to the local community, while at the same time offering customers a fun and festive opportunity to support AFM vendors and receive a quality product. The market manager is the “face” of the market and is responsible for responding to vendors and customers. The job requires personal confidence and the ability to communicate effectively the rules and regulations of the AFM.

The Alfred Farmers Market is unique to Allegany County in that it is the only “grower-only” market. The AFM requires that vendors grow or produce all the products they sell at the AFM. No re-selling is allowed. Due to this requirement, it is essential for the market manager to understand the AFM rules and regulations to be able to enforce them properly.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manager must be available for regular contact via email throughout the duration of their employment
• Must be willing and able to work outdoors and to lift up to 25 pounds safely.

Duties-In season:

• Enroll vendors in the market-either through seasonal vendor agreements or as daily vendors
• Collect all stall fees owed, make accurate accounting, and give to AFM Treasurer to deposit into market account
• Arrive prior to market vendors and remain throughout the market day to:
  • Properly place vendors, including assigning daily vendors a space
  • Place market signs
  • Ensure all rules and regulations are adhered to
  • Ensure all state and county regulations are adhered to
  • Answer questions for vendors and consumers
  • Resolve disputes that arise
  • Maintain market grounds in a safe manner
  • Operate market managers booth
  • Operate market’s EBT program
• Enroll market and market farmers in the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)
• Act as a liaison to the AFM Board
• Communicate market policies, activities and rules to farmers, keeping them informed throughout the season
• Conduct periodic customer counts each market day to assess the level of growth in market usage.
• Assure the market site is clean once the market is closed and the vendors have left for the day
• Maintain database of farmers, vendors, their contact information, and any licenses or permits each vendor possesses based on the products they are selling
• Conduct farm inspections when necessary

Duties- off season:

• Vendor recruitment
• Professional development for market managers
• Work with market board to plan for market growth and development

The Alfred Farmers Market will be opening on June 16th this year, almost a month ahead of our usual opening date!

Are you interested in vending? If so, check out our 2019 vendor application and our updates 2019 rules and regulations!

We look forward to seeing you all in the upcoming months!

Click here to view the Alfred Farmers Market’s 2018 Annual Report. We had an excellent year and are looking for another great season in 2019!

Can’t Wait!

Dear Alfred Farmer Market family,
The 2017 season was a time of innovation, a time of change, and a time of growth for the Alfred Market. There were many beautiful moments that occurred throughout the season, and I would like to go over the season’s highlights. Click here to view our 2017 Annual Report!
We continuously learn from previous years in order to give our market customers the best possible experience. Our goal is to connect producers and consumers, and make the market a place that is conducive to a sustainable food system here in Allegany County.
– Cassandra Bull, Market President