About Us and Frequently Asked Questions
Established 2007 --- Shop Local. Support Locals.
MISSION: The mission of the Botetourt Farmers Market is to offer locally produced food and goods to the community, promote agritourism, and provide other agriculturally-related educational and charitable activities to Botetourt County.
1. How are we organized?
The market is a 501(c)3 non-profit operated by a Board of Directors. Our board consists of volunteer, non-paid and non-compensated positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Vendor Representative, and Community Representative. Our Market Manager commits 10-15 hours per week communicating with existing and potential vendors, handling market logistics, ensuring vendors follow all VDACS and VFMA rules, prepares the Saturday vendor layout map, and helps plan events. They receive a small stipend for their essential efforts that help the market run smoothly.
2. Who can sell at our market?
As a farmers market, we prioritize agricultural and food products. We allow artisan and craft vendors to set up as well. Just as other successful markets in our region avoid over-saturation, we too limit the number of similar products that can be sold to avoid over-saturation. This ensures existing vendors are successful at our market and are able to support their business and livelihoods.
3. Where do our products come from?
All of our products should be grown or created within 50-75 miles of the market, so you know you're truly buying local. Our vendors are your neighbors.
4. Do you take a percentage of the vendor sales?
No. Our vendors keep 100% of the earnings they make at our market. We collect set-up fees to sustain the market instead. Vendor fee explanations are broken down below:
- Season Pass Purchase Before April 1st: $150 for 30 market days - comes out to $5/day - includes holidays and festivals
- Season Pass Purchase After April 1st: $175 for 30 market days - comes out to $6/day - includes holidays and festivals
- Single Day Non-Festival Fee: $30
- Single Day Festival Fee: $50. Why so expensive? Because bands, stages, banners, and festival supplies are more expensive than a regular market day.
5. What do you do with the vendor fees you collect?
We use the vendor fees we collect to pay for regular operational costs:
- Monthly website fees
- Post office box
- Marketing costs (brochures and signage)
- Coupons for guests
- Insurance fees
- State business license
- Office of food and dairy license
- Market supplies: tents, safety cones, kids' activities, free giveaways for guests, tablecloths, paint, etc.
- Manager stipend
- Square Credit-to-Token transaction fees
- PayPal fees
6. Why don't we have a permanent structure?
We get this question a lot! As a 100% volunteer organization made of people who have other full time jobs, you can imagine how challenging it can be to dedicate the amount of time needed to develop proper business and strategic plans and fund raise effectively for a permanent structure. Our market operates independent of any town, city, or county, thus, we lack the infrastructure needed to move forward on these large projects right now. A permanent structure is our goal someday, but we are happy with the flexibility a pop-up market offers us for now!
7. What do your sponsors help pay for?
Our sponsors help fund expensive festival costs to make it free for the community:
- Mobile stage cost
- Band and sound system costs
- Banners and all signage
- Free tastings
- Free kids' activities
8. Do your vendors accept cash or credit card? SNAP/EBT or Senior Programs?
Many vendors accept cash AND credit card. If you run out of cash and encounter a vendor who doesn't accept credit card, visit the Botetourt Farmers Market Info tent to purchase tokens with your credit card that can be accepted by a vendor as cash. We do not yet accept SNAP/EBT. Layman Family Farms participates in a senior program.
9. What kind of businesses sponsor us?
We have many valuable partners in the community who help us provide local food. local products, and free festivals for you:
- Daleville Town Center
- Taphouse
- Tizzone
- Bank of Botetourt
- Farm Credit
- Mountain Thyme Honey & Gifts, LLC
- Sandra's Marking Company
- Vickie Field Realty
- Keeter Chiropractic
- Ruth Gray Realtors
- Henritze Dental
- State Farm Insurance, Agent Brent Hershey
- Waff Family Insurance
- UPS
- Titan America
- Craft Bee Company
- Lenk Orthodontics
- Rader Funeral Home
- Ace Hardware
10. Why are your festivals in Buchanan although you set up non-festival markets at the Daleville Town Center?
Daleville Town Center is a generous partner and we couldn't be happier setting up there! However, the 2023 season required flexibility, since there's construction going on at the Town Center. In order to accommodate the larger crowds, additional vendors, and band at the festivals, we're grateful to be allowed to set up at Buchanan Town Park for festivals (June Flower Fest, July Tomato Fest, and Honey Fest).
Our festival locations for 2024 are still TBD but we hope to keep them in Daleville if possible.