Here are some frequently asked questions:
- Are there membership fees?
- Will I have to buy vegetables I don't want?
- How do I order?
- When do I pay?
- When and Where do I pick up my order?
- Why Support Locally Grown?
- How can I sell through this market?
- What if I don't pick up my order?
- What is the Vendor Fee and the Customer Surcharge?
- What Happens if my check bounces?
And here are some answers:
Are there membership fees?
No! There are no annual membership fees of any kind for customers.
Will I have to buy vegetables I don't want?
Unlike some co-ops, buying clubs, or CSAs where everyone gets the same box of stuff (and you may not know what you’re getting until you get it), with Locally Grown you get to order what you want, in the quantities you want, from the vendors you want. The weekly email lists the products available that week, and you can browse the items on this website before you place your order.
How do I order?
Each Tuesday evening, a list of available products is sent to all of our registered customers by e-mail. Customers must place their order for the week no later than Saturday at 9:00 p.m. Orders can be placed here on our website.
When do I pay?
We accept cash or checks when you pick up your order. Checks can be made out to Miami County Locally Grown.
Because we may have to adjust your total at pick-up (to account for items that were unexpectedly unavailable), we do not accept advance payment on the website.
There are also extra items available for sale at pick-up that you may want to add on to your total.
When and Where do I pick up my order?
From 4:00-6:00pm on Tuesdays, customers pick-up their products at First Place Christian Center at 16 W. Franklin Street in Troy, Ohio
Why Support Locally Grown?
Enhance your local economy: By purchasing produce and other items from local growers you are providing stability to your local economy through the support of local businesses.
Save natural resources: Buying locally makes you an invaluable link in the process of saving resources such as fossil fuels and packaging materials. Also, we are right here in your community so the expense of transportation and delivery is kept to a minimum.
Provide learning opportunities: Locally Grown supporters provide member growers the means to help educate our community about the importance of sustainable agriculture.
Supporting a way of life: The number of small farms in the United States has decreased dramatically in the last decade. Please help us preserve an honest and worthy means of making a living.
We believe that small, diverse, family-owned farms contribute to society’s overall health.
How can I sell through this market?
First create a customer account, and read about the unique nature of Miami County Locally Grown throughout our website.
Please understand, acceptance as a vendor with our market is neither guaranteed nor immediate. It is critical for the success of all vendors that we maintain a balanced selection of offered products.
We take the Local in Miami County Locally Grown very seriously, and are here to support local family farms and small businesses. All vendors live and operate within a 30 mile radius of our pickup location, 16 W. Franklin Street in Troy, just SW of the downtown square.
10% of vendor sales go to support our operating expenses and help keep the market sustainable.
Just as at a traditional farmers market, you do get to set your own prices and list your items as you wish with pictures and descriptions, although we do have base prices for certain popular produce items in particular. While pricing may be competitive, you must be considerate of our other current vendors with similar products. Undercutting our long-time vendors will not be accepted.
We ask all potential vendors to shop the market twice prior to being considered as a new vendor. Experience our structure and become a vested part of our operation!
The market manager schedules a site visit to the operation of each vendor prior to their approval on the market.
Vendors also commit to a minimum of 12 volunteer hours annually to help out with the Market – typically this means running the cash box and helping set up/tear down from 1:30-6:30pm on two Tuesdays of your choice.
First step? Contact the market manager at miamicountylocallygrown@gmail.com if you are interested in being considered for the Market. Please provide your business information and an inventory list of what you’d be interested in selling with us, including a brief snapshot of your business… Do you set up at area farmers markets? How long have you been operating? Are you able to commit to our 1:00-3:00pm drop-off time for vendors? Etc.
REMEMBER: We are a grower’s only market – no reselling whatsoever!
What if I don't pick up my order?
We will call and email you a half hour before market ends, at the number listed on your customer account – please use your cell phone number if you have one, and personal email account instead of a work account.
We will leave a message if you don’t answer and will try a final time before we pack up to go home.
ANY ORDERS NOT PICKED UP BY THE END OF MARKET WILL BE DONATED TO THE FIRST PLACE FOOD PANTRY! We do not have a means to keep items until next week, or deliver them to you.
If we were able to make contact with you by phone, we may be able to work out an arrangement.
You are responsible for paying for the items you custom-ordered. The growers harvested specifically for you, and even more importantly, we paid the growers on your behalf when they brought your products to the market. We’ll charge your account, and that amount will be added to your next order.
The market does understand that unforeseeable circumstances may arise, but please – YOU MUST let the market manager know, at (937)524-6413, or miamicountylocallygrown@gmail.com, of any delays or problems with arriving at pick-up on time! We cannot hold over any orders, as we only have access to the First Place facility on Tuesdays and cannot leave behind any products.
What is the Vendor Fee and the Customer Surcharge?
10% of each vendor’s sales are retained by the market to help cover our expenses.
A 3% surcharge is added to each customer’s order to also help us pay the bills – particularly since we pay 3% of our total sales to cover our software and webmaster fees.
We rely on our vendors and customers to help sustain the market and see us progress and expand into the future!
What Happens if my check bounces?
We charge a $25 fee for any checks that we are unable to deposit due to insufficient funds, and will also place a hold on your account until you are able to repay both your initial order amount and the $25 fee.