Market Governance

Spring is here and everybody is planting, planning, organizing, registering and all the things that are part of getting ready for the Farmers’ Market season. In the Southern part of the State, markets may already be open while here in Northern New York, we still have a few weeks to go.

With the build-up towards market opening, market governance is probably the last thing on everybody’s mind, but it’s not something we can ignore even though we are dealing with a thousand things that all have to be done right now.

As a member of a Board of Directors, I think one of the main responsibilities of a Board member is to know what is going on in the market. As you plan for the market, keep a little notebook with you to jot down thoughts and even fragments of thoughts about the Board and how it manages the market. Simple things can be noted, such as: 

1. this registration form is confusing to me so it probably is to another vendor.
2. why do I send license copies every year, can’t they keep them on file?
3. where can I find a copy of the rules that they want me to say I’ve read before I sign my name?

On another page in your notebook, title it Potential Board Memebers. As you go through the season, watch the interactions between vendors and customers. Vendors that are organized, have a top notch booth and interact well with customers may be potential board members. Write their names in your book so when it comes time to add to or replace exiting board members, you have names to suggest.

If you have customers on your Board, do the same with them. If they are regular customers, have a real interest in the market, and seem to have abilities and skills that will benefit the Board, write down their names.

Set up a page for committee ideas. Include ideas for committees that might help your Board. The different Federation blog topics are a good place to start organizing committees: public relations and promotion, market organization, vendor recruitment and community relations. Other committees you may consider are finance, personnel, event planning, farm/vendor inspection, and facilities. The number of committees you need depends on the size of your market. While you are at the market this season, keep an eye open for potential areas and topics where committees may make your Board more efficient.

Your little notebook can be a useful reminder of things you noticed at the market during the summer. It can include pages such as:

1. Great things that happened at the market.
2. Things we need to consider changing
3. Terrific ideas I probably won’t remember if I don’t write them down
4. People to recognize for outstanding service at our Annual Meeting
5. Other fantastic ideas

It’s amazing what a little silent observing of what’s going on at the market and making a note of it can do to help Board members improve the market during the off season.

So that’s it for this month. It’s time to get back to getting ready for the season. I think I’m only about 3 months behind where I think I should be at this time of year. That means, everything is running along about normal.

Please remember to write in your comments and suggestions for blog topics. It will help me make this blog a useful site for all market members. Until May flowers…