[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.74″ background_color=”#ffffff” custom_padding=”||0px|” custom_padding_tablet=”||0px|” transparent_background=”off” padding_mobile=”on”][et_pb_row custom_padding=”||0px|” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” height=”110″ disabled_on=”on|on|on” admin_label=”Divider” _builder_version=”3.2″ hide_on_mobile=”on”]
[/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|on” admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#bcbcbc” text_letter_spacing=”2px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”||0px|” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” disabled=”on”]SCA FARMS
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Post Title” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_text_color=”#1d1d1d” text_font_size=”72″ text_font_size_tablet=”52″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” text_line_height=”1.1em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”660px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”18px||80px|” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]First Farmer’s Market and Lessons Learned
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”3.0.74″ background_color=”#f7f7f4″ custom_padding=”0px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” transparent_background=”off” padding_mobile=”on”][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”620px” custom_padding=”0px|||” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https://mljuscosrchy.i.optimole.com/2oZZbWI-B6SeYurE/w:auto/h:auto/q:mauto/http://scafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/scafarms045_20170725-e1507913398562.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” admin_label=”Author Image” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ border_width_all=”0px” border_color_all=”#457a0c” border_style_all=”solid” max_width=”100px” custom_margin=”-48px|||” use_border_color=”on” border_color=”#457a0c” border_style=”solid” animation=”off” sticky=”on”]
[/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Post Author” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_text_color=”#323232″ text_font_size=”18″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”14px||0px|” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]Stefan Holt, SCA Farmer
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Post Date” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#363636″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|||” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]15 June 2017
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”620px” custom_padding=”0px|||” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Post Excerpt – Intro Paragraph” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”24″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”620px” custom_margin=”40px||0px|” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]Our first Farmers’ Market! Woohoo! Boy, did we learn alot. Not only about the Fountain Inn Farmers’ Market but how different it is being on the other side of the produce buying experience. Wow! We learn so much from our customers and from the market staff.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_width_px=”830px” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ custom_padding=”50px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”17px|||” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https://mljuscosrchy.i.optimole.com/2oZZbWI-ehSlJKTD/w:auto/h:auto/q:mauto/http://scafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/scafarms002_yyyymmdd-date.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” admin_label=”Header Image” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” animation=”off” sticky=”on”]
[/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_divider color=”#aeaeac” admin_label=”Divider” _builder_version=”3.2″ custom_css_main_element=”width:130px;” hide_on_mobile=”off”]
[/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Header Title” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Serif||on||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”16″ text_line_height=”1em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”130px” custom_margin=”20px||0px|” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]First Farmers’ Market
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Picture SubTitle Date Stamp” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Serif||on||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”12″ text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”130px” custom_margin=”6px|||” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]Photo taken in Fountain Inn, SC May 2017
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”620px” custom_padding=”0px|||” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Main Post” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”20″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” text_line_height=”1.5em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”620px” custom_margin=”30px||0px|” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]
The Market
It wasn’t very difficult to get into the Fountain Inn Farmers’ Market. At first, I didn’t think I should participate. I’m a first year farmer. I am still figuring out my succession planting. Did I buy the right seeds? Will people even buy our produce? OMG! What the heck am I doing!? type questions fluttered through my head. When it came right down to it, I told myself to just go for it and don’t forget to solicit the help of your kids!
There were a few basic things I knew I was going to need (in addition to the actual produce.) I was going to need a few tables. Coolers. Pop-up tent. Balloons. and a few other marketing related items to make the table look full. That’s right “look full.” You see. I had not really prepared to be at the market so I didn’t back date my crop planning. So all that I had to bring at this market was a minimal amount of arugula, lettuce, and radishes. Yep, only enough to fit in two coolers. Thank goodness this was a very small market! As you can see from the pictures, not a big spread by any stretch. For SCA Farms, this was a blessing in disguise.
We quickly learned that some of the locals wanted to know more about us. How we planted. What we planted. And on and on. Although we didn’t sell much in produce (I believe it was less than a $100,) we benefited from being there in getting our story right.
Engaging with customers about who we were, what we grew and how we grew it. It gave me an opportunity to tell people about the process and allowed them to buy into not only the product but us as a farm and farmers. My kids were awesome! They not only picked up on what I was telling folks but started to say the same things to customers when I wasn’t there at the tent. Great experience for them and for me, in allowing them to run independently. If you ever wanted to test your kids ability to think on their feet, put them in an uncomfortable position in which they have no way out. No excuses. No running away. They have to perform. Pass or Fail. What a great life lesson.
Again, we didn’t make a lot of sales that day but we gained a lot of experience.
Lessons Learned
Some of the things we learned in attending the market.
Lesson One: Location is key!
Take a look here. This was not the spot we were intended to maintain but the staff in charge told us that someone else took our spot and she didn’t want to make them move. Not cool but second lesson learned.
Lesson Two: Get there early – so nobody takes your spot!
Lesson three: Know Foot Traffic Patterns – you have to know where people begin and where they end
This isn’t a big lesson because most markets are linear but in our case it made a huge difference. Here’s why.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”620px” custom_padding=”50px|||” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_divider color=”#aeaeac” admin_label=”Divider” _builder_version=”3.2″ hide_on_mobile=”off”]
[/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Post Main Quote” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”32″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” text_line_height=”1.3em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”900px” custom_margin=”16px||30px|” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]”Lesson Two: Get there early – so nobody takes your spot!”
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#aeaeac” admin_label=”Divider” _builder_version=”3.2″ hide_on_mobile=”off”]
[/et_pb_divider][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”780px” padding_mobile=”off” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”36″ text_font_size_tablet=”26″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||70px|” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]Want new articles before they get published?
Subscribe to our Awesome Newsletter.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_contact_form captcha=”off” admin_label=”Contact Form” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ border_radii=”on|0px|0px|0px|0px” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_bg_color=”#02b875″ button_border_width=”8″ button_border_color=”#02b875″ button_border_radius=”4″ button_use_icon=”default” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” input_border_radius=”0″ button_letter_spacing_hover=”0″][et_pb_contact_field field_id=”E-mail Address” field_title=”E-mail Address” field_background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” _builder_version=”3.16″ form_field_font=”PT Sans||||” form_field_text_color=”#adadab” form_field_font_size=”20″ form_field_font_size_tablet=”20″ form_field_font_size_phone=”20″ form_field_line_height=”1.4em” form_field_line_height_tablet=”1.4em” form_field_line_height_phone=”1.4em” border_radii=”on||||” border_width_all=”1″ border_color_all=”#adadab” border_style_all=”solid” custom_css_main_element=”height:64px;” use_border_color=”on” border_color=”#adadab” border_width=”1″ border_style=”solid” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”][/et_pb_contact_field][et_pb_contact_field field_id=”First Name” field_title=”First Name” field_background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” _builder_version=”3.16″ form_field_font=”PT Sans||||” form_field_text_color=”#adadab” form_field_font_size=”20″ form_field_font_size_tablet=”20″ form_field_font_size_phone=”20″ form_field_line_height=”1.4em” form_field_line_height_tablet=”1.4em” form_field_line_height_phone=”1.4em” border_radii=”on||||” border_width_all=”1″ border_color_all=”#adadab” border_style_all=”solid” custom_css_main_element=”height:64px;” use_border_color=”on” border_color=”#adadab” border_width=”1″ border_style=”solid” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”][/et_pb_contact_field][/et_pb_contact_form][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”3.0.74″ background_color=”#222222″ custom_padding=”0px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” transparent_background=”off” padding_mobile=”on”][et_pb_row make_fullwidth=”on” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ custom_padding=”40px|||” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” parallax_method_3=”off” admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https://mljuscosrchy.i.optimole.com/2oZZbWI-Q-rRXEKJ/w:auto/h:auto/q:mauto/http://scafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/scafarms022_20170725.jpg” url=”#” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” admin_label=”Farmers Market Image” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” animation=”off” sticky=”on”]
[/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Farmers Market Title” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#888888″ text_font_size=”12″ text_letter_spacing=”2px” text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”30px|||” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]FARMERS’ MARKET
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”24″ text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]Farmers Market info
and lessons learned
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https://mljuscosrchy.i.optimole.com/2oZZbWI-8XlikPZq/w:auto/h:auto/q:mauto/http://scafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/scafarms044_yyyymmdd-date.jpg” url=”#” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” admin_label=”Learn to Grow Image” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” animation=”off” sticky=”off”]
[/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Learn to Grow Title” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#888888″ text_font_size=”12″ text_letter_spacing=”2px” text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”30px|||” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]LEARN TO GROW
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”24″ text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]Starting a new Garden?
Tips and Proven Techniques
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https://mljuscosrchy.i.optimole.com/2oZZbWI-JJ_gtb-B/w:auto/h:auto/q:mauto/http://scafarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/scafarms007_yyyymmdd-date.jpg” url=”#” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” admin_label=”Produce Pick of the Week Image” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” animation=”off” sticky=”off”]
[/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Pick of the week title” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#888888″ text_font_size=”12″ text_letter_spacing=”2px” text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”30px|||” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]PICK OF THE WEEK
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”24″ text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]Healthy Produce Picks
and more!
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]