Manistique Farmers Market

Happy April 16th!

The Manistique Farmers’ Market is just 37 days away from opening for the 2012 Market Season. We still have room for some new farmers/vendors. To be a seller at the Manistique Farmers’ Market, you have to meet certain criteria:

• Locally Grown Foods: Vendors must reside in and grow/manufacture/harvest at least 75% of their product in Schoolcraft County or in the bordering counties of Luce, Alger, Mackinac, and Delta.
• No more than 25% of the products sold by any vendor can be from other Upper Peninsula counties, Lower Peninsula counties, or Wisconsin counties which immediately border the UP of Michigan. The 25% products must either not be grown in the five-county area or not be in direct competition with local products for sale by other vendors at the Market. (at the Market Master’s discretion, the 75%/25% rule may be modified for vendors with products grown or raised in other Michigan counties or the Wisconsin counties that border the UP that are high demand/low quantity products at the MFM or are not grown in the Upper Peninsula. Vendors who live in the MFM five county area will be given priority and must clearly state which county the products are from)
• If you are selling any type of processed food, you must either abide by the Cottage Food Industry Law of the State of Michigan or attach a copy of your commercial food-processing licenses as applicable, to your application. All Cottage Food Products must fall in the allowable categories and contain the appropriate labeling as described by the State of Michigan.
• The Manistique Farmers’ Market (MFM) will continue to be a Farm and Food Market only. With farm/food vendors allowed to sell no more than 10% of their products in the “non-farm/non-food” category. Farm and Food includes locally grown (as defined earlier):
  • Vegetables, fruits, and other food produce (such as grains)
  • flower bouquets
  • nursery plants
  • honey
  • maple syrup
  • eggs
  • meats/fish
  • approved cottage industry food products such as breads and jams

If you’re interested in being a vendor at the 2012 Manistique Farmers’ Market, please open the MFM 2012 Handbook and complete the Vendor Agreement. If you have any questions, please use the contact us form on this page. The deadline for vendor applications is May 1st. There will be a class on April 25th from 3-5pm at the Manistique High School (Community Room) about Cottage Foods, Department of Agriculture rules for food samples at Farmers’ Markets, and other information about the 2012 season. There is no cost for the class, but registration is required (use the contact us form).