Best Catt Fields White Podcasts (2025)

1
Ep 343: Farmer Jake Johannes | Defining Farmers Markets: Producers Take The Lead 36:13

6d ago36:13

36:13

Defining farmers markets starts with one common thread: the presence of farmers, selling to shoppers. From there all bets are off and protocols and structure can vary widely. This week we're looking back to a conversation with farmer Jake Johannes from the Sacred Sun Cooperative. He shares how the Brookside Farmers Market in Kansas City, Missouri i…

1
Ep 342: Erika Tebbens At InTents | Marketing Methods: E Is For Email 38:56

13d ago38:56

38:56

We’re wrapping up this month’s Marketing Methods series with a reminder that social media is just one way to create loyal shoppers for your farmers market operation, and not necessarily the best one. Nowadays rules and algorithms and reach seem to change daily, at the whim of the platforms. Email newsletters let you control your list and your timin…

1
Ep 341: Hit Refresh | Marketing Methods: Winning Websites 30:02

20d ago30:02

30:02

Is anyone else going all in on the Spring cleaning vibes? It’s a great time to do a refresh, or even just a review of your market business website. We’ve been saying this a lot lately, but we’ll say it again: have you made it easy for your customers to find you? Is your location front and center? Your website is an opportunity for you to tell poten…

1
Ep 340: Maine Markets Harvest Sales | Marketing Methods: Cooperation Counts 59:06

27d ago59:06

59:06

Marketing is just one of a market manager's or vendor's full time jobs. So a cooperative effort that benefits multiple markets is invaluable. Add in centralized sales of gift certificates redeemable region-wide and everyone will be harvesting a bumper crop of additional income. Maine Federation of Farmers Markets director Jimmy DeBiasi joined us la…

1
Ep 339: Platform News | Marketing Methods: Social Status 49:47

1M ago49:47

49:47

Once folks experience your farmers market or market business you know they'll be hooked. How you get them there the first time, and how you remind them to come back until they form a habit, that's the marketing magic. We're kicking off this month's Marketing Methods series with a look at which social media platforms will most effectively get the wo…

1
Ep 338: Sina War Does it All | Sharing Our Stories: Farmers Market Advocate 46:57

1M ago46:57

46:57

In the last of this month's series sharing farmers market stories, we catch up with Sina War about all the latest ways she's supporting our community. A multipotentialite, she's worn a lot of hats in our industry. She's been a hands-on farmers market manager and developed a food product made from peppers she grew herself. At the Minnesota Farmers M…

1
Ep 337: Live from InTents 2025 29:08

2M ago29:08

29:08

For our annual Live from InTents episode, Tent Talk producer Leandra Hays sat down earlier this month with almost 30 attendees of the hundreds at the national Farmers Market Conference in San Diego. They shared what keeps them going and what rewards them in the face of farmers market challenges. Tune in to hear all about it.…

1
Ep 336: Lisa Herlinger's Sweet Life | Sharing Our Stories: Food Makers 41:01

2M ago41:01

41:01

Lisa Herlinger is a trained chef turned entrepreneur who launched her gourmet ice cream sandwich company at the Portland Farmers Market back in 2004. More than two decades later, it's a thriving business with wholesale grocery and convenience store distribution, spreading joy and dominating frozen novelty aisles nationwide. Tune in to hear about Ru…

1
Ep 335: Michael Clark and Families Who Farm | Sharing Our Stories: Farmers 42:41

2M ago42:41

42:41

Michael Clark is a third generation family farmer who grew up working at farmers markets and on the farm. Over the years JR (for Joe Rodriguez) Organics, his family's business, has expanded to include more than a dozen weekly farmers markets, a robust CSA program and wholesale customers. Mike manages sales and production and still works at several …

1
Ep 334: Basket Case | Recruit & Retain: Shoppers 28:17

3M ago28:17

28:17

Wrapping up our Recruit and Retain series, we come back to what makes it all come together: shoppers. Remember, we heard from Corinna Smith earlier this month that increasing market attendance is great, but what’s critical is how many of those attendees are buying something at the market. Are they filling those shopping bags and baskets? Then retai…

1
Ep 333: Food Intentions | Recruit & Retain: Market Vendors 45:01

3M ago45:01

45:01

Every farmers market manager knows that curating a well-balanced market is both an art and a science. Whether you’re running a seasoned market or developing a brand new event, recruiting and vetting vendors that fit the needs of your individual community is key. Keeping things balanced so that everyone profits is essential. Maintaining long-term, m…

1
Ep 332: Grow Time | Recruit & Retain: Market Farmers 35:21

3M ago35:21

35:21

By any reasonable definition, it's not a farmers market without farmers. Uniquely positioned to foster relationships between consumers and the people that grow their food, farmers markets help farmers thrive financially and feel encouraged and supported by their communities. Let farmers know about the advantages of selling direct, make them feel va…

1
Ep 331: Finding Your Keepers | Recruit & Retain: Your Market Team 44:32

3M ago44:32

44:32

The team that helps you sell vegetables or granola at your farmers market booth makes all the difference in your income. The staff that sets up and manages the market makes the job productive and satisfying or just a whole lot of work. Learning to recruit the right people will make your market business more successful and just more fun. Creating sy…

1
Ep 330: Better Together | How To: Nurture Community Connections 38:19

3M ago38:19

38:19

Where do you start to develop and maintain relationships with your farmers maket's neighboring residents and businesses? Start with outreach, then add big portions of listening and cooperation. Working together will make your community happier and your market more successful. Listen in for how-to tips including: Taking your team on a local field tr…

1
Ep 329: Good Form | How To: Manage Market Applications 1:00:30

4M ago1:00:30

1:00:30

There's no one right way to manage vendor applications for your farmers market. Some managers prefer simple inquiry emails before a detailed form. Some market management platforms integrate applications with online maps and vendor profiles. We all need to know business names and exactly what will be sold. An origin story makes an application more i…

1
Ep 328: By The Numbers | How To: Share Your Market Data 29:30

4M ago29:30

29:30

How many eggs did Apricot Lane Farms collect in 2024? Eighty three thousand five hundred ninety seven. How do we know that? Because they posted a clever graphic that said so. What does that make us think about their farm? They must be hardworking farmers and have some happy chickens. Use numbers to share your farm, business or farmers market accomp…

1
Ep 327: Log Polling | How To: Track Your Market Day 34:36

4M ago34:36

34:36

Farmers Market Day logbooks can store valuable information, customer requests and market history. Whether you use them to track attendance or sales, complaints or comedy, they can be helpful and interesting if you both maintain and read them. Listen in for tips to decide what to include and how to format your market log, based on the Farmers Market…

1
Ep 326: Start the New Year with Good InTENTions 1:49

4M ago1:49

1:49

And just like that another year of farmers markets is coming to a close. We’re ringing in this new year quietly. 2024 has been full of meaningful connections, community-building and so many conferences. In the coming weeks we’ll be sharing our inTENTions for 2025, tips and how-tos, and new ways to connect. We're cooking up some exciting new things,…

1
Ep 325: Happy Holidays 3:32

5M ago3:32

3:32

Whether you’re observing a holiday this week or not, remember that you are a gift to your communities every week of the year. We hope you find time to rest and enjoy the fruits of your labors. Wishing happy holidays to all who celebrate and peace to one and all.By Farmers Markets Pros

1
Ep 324: Holiday Gifting 32:11

5M ago32:11

32:11

The season for holiday gifting is here! Whether you're a market manager, farmer or vendor, we have great tips for remembering all the people who have supported you this year. It really is the thought that counts so if gifts aren't in the budget we suggest other ways to acknowledge the people you appreciate. Grab your list, check it twice and listen…

1
Ep 323: Give and Let Give 20:58

5M ago20:58

20:58

For some folks making year-end donations is a tax strategy. Others just feel generous this time of year. It's a perfect time to bolster your farmers market's fundraising efforts and finish the year with a balanced budget. Even though your core market business is hopefully self sustaining, many market organizations also provide educational programs …

1
Ep 322: The Fourth P: Be a Farmers Market Pro 40:04

5M ago40:04

40:04

We've been talking about the 4 Ps for market success since we started our Vendor-101 class almost 15 years ago. Product, packaging or presentation, personality and today's focus: Professionalism. Farmers markets are a shopping environment where one vendor's actions and attitudes can affect a lot of people's businesses. Be a most valuable farmer or …

1
Ep 321: James Grevious: Rebel Courses 44:12

6M ago44:12

44:12

This week we caught up with James Grevious of Rebel Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado. Since he last joined us on Tent Talk, he’s been addressing challenges around establishing a consistent location and a sustainable business model. Staying rebellious, he continues to create neighborhood food security with a hyper local farmers market. Along with tod…

1
Ep 320: Youth in the Booth 29:04

6M ago29:04

29:04

Inviting young people to vend at your farmers market can foster a new generation of market entrepreneurs and delight your community. Sure, there are challenges. It can be a trick to be sure that kids meet permit requirements. Their grown up is probably going to have to sign for insurance. Figure it all out and watch as family and friends come out t…

1
Ep 319: Staff Evaluations 30:23

6M ago30:23

30:23

Whether you're a farmer, maker or market manager, if you have a team, providing them with feedback will make their work life and yours better. It doesn't have to be awkward or uncomfortable to discuss workplace performance. (OK, sometimes it can be.) If you've provided employees with expectations and the tools to meet them, this is just a checkup. …

1
Ep 318: Kasi Haire: Making Fundraising Delicious 34:45

6M ago34:45

34:45

What could be a more fitting fundraiser for a market organization than a dinner featuring local chefs and farm fresh ingredients? Organizing a farm to table dinner or a cultural food festival is a little different than coordinating a farmers market. Kasi Haire of Nolensville Farmers Market in Tennessee assures us that much of the skill set is the s…

1
Ep 317: Fee Here Now: Collecting Market Rent 55:17

6M ago55:17

55:17

Bookkeeping is yet another of the many hats that farmers market managers wear. There are so many formulas for setting space rent at markets and, especially post-Covid, a whole variety of ways to manage calculating and actually collecting those fees. Do you use a market management program with built in invoicing? Are you adding up percentages of sal…

1
Ep 316: Jessica Mullen: Learn, Teach, and Grow 47:07

7M ago47:07

47:07

How do you learn and grow in your farmers market career? We met Jessica Mullen of South Carolina's Travelers Rest Farmers Market when she traveled to San Diego for InTents, the national Farmers Market conference. In this episode of Tent Talk, Jessica shares what she finds valuable about InTents and other conferences and networking with other market…

1
Ep 315: Conference Look Ahead 25:32

7M ago25:32

25:32

What's new and exciting, and what's comforting and familiar about InTents, the multinational Farmers Market Conference? Join us for a quick look ahead to what's in store in March 2025. What's NEW: 2025 Theme: Speak Up for Farmers Markets! Brand new venue with rooms and meeting spaces under one roof Central location with shops and restaurants and th…

1
Ep 314: Peter Henry: Easing Farmers' Labor Pains 58:21

7M ago58:21

58:21

While working for a cheese maker at New York City farmers markets, Peter Henry started thinking about ways producers could expand their reach and increase efficiencies. Now, Ten by Ten Logistics serves more than a dozen farmers at markets throughout New York. Peter continues to explore and refine systems of transporting goods to market, managing in…

1
Ep 313: Ask The Pros! 39:36

7M ago39:36

39:36

It's another Ask the Pros episode this week, with a mix of topics based on listener questions. We always find that discussing one person's question helps others that are pondering some variation of the same thing. If we don't necessarily have THE answer, we have ideas and experience and those might inspire your handy solution. There's nothing quite…

1
Ep 312: 4th Quarter Team Work 26:27

8M ago26:27

26:27

The fourth quarter rolls around every year, but somehow we often forget what to do to prepare for it. Listen in as we chat about moving past the September slump. We're looking forward and making plans to make the upcoming season more productive and less stressful. How are you getting ahead of things? Reminding farmers and vendors that this cycle ha…

1
Ep 311: Every Week or Once a Year: Patricia and Brett Keller on Event Management Skills 40:40

8M ago40:40

40:40

Managing a farmers market is just like managing a craft fair or fall festival, right? Yes. And no. There are similarities and there are big differences between coordinating vendors on a weekly basis and once a year. When experienced annual event managers Patricia and Brett Keller took over a local farmers market after the sudden departure of its fo…

1
Ep 310: Transforming Communities: The Power and Potential of Farmers Markets with Catt Fields-White 46:54

8M ago46:54

46:54

This week we're sharing something a little bit different: a podcast episode where Catt Fields White is the featured guest. Enjoy this conversation from the Fresh Take podcast about the importance of supporting local farmers, small businesses and of course farmers' markets. If Catt doesn't convince you over the next 45 minutes that farmers markets w…

1
Ep 309: Giving Away The Farm: Market Discounts And Donations 41:29

8M ago41:29

41:29

Market participants are a generous bunch, so how do you make sure your farmers and vendors don't give away the farm, so to speak? Freebies and discounts that are shared with market managers, staff and fellow vendors are fun. Still, some guidelines are important. Gifts from the market to your community's worthy causes are the same. Keeping your hear…

1
Ep 308: Ashley Colpaart: Prepping Partnership: Farmers Markets and Shared Kitchens 41:57

9M ago41:57

41:57

When The Food Corridor offered a Shared Kitchen-101 workshop at the 2023 InTents Conference, it was a sell out. It's no wonder. In a survey of food businesses operating out of shared kitchens, farmers markets were the most commonly used sales channels, with over 50% responding that they sell at one or more farmers markets. A shortage of kitchens ul…

1
Ep 307: Jimmy DeBiasi: Harvesting Maine's Bumper Crop 59:15

9M ago59:15

59:15

Selling farmers market gift certificates are a great way to help dedicated customers introduce friends, relatives and associates to the world of fresher food and local community. Now kick that idea up 350,000 notches. Maine Federation of Farmers Markets proactively sells employers on using market dollars as part of their workplace wellness programs…

1
Ep 306: Free Speech at Farmers Markets with Wendy Chen and Lihlani Nelson 54:32

9M ago54:32

54:32

With election season upon us, managing free speech issues at farmers markets is top of mind. This week we're chatting with Wendy Chen, of the Center for Agricultural and Food Systems at Vermont Law School for a quick update on court decisions that might affect how you manage free speech at your market. And we're spotlighting an episode originally b…

1
Ep 305: Farmers Market Week Update 31:36

9M ago31:36

31:36

We know you're busy this week. Us too! Catt's on the road speaking at conferences and visiting Midwest markets. Brijet's rocking National Farmers Market Week in San Diego. You're doing the same, right? So take just a minute and tune in while we chat with Erica Meadows of the Mt Washington Farmers Market in Kentucky. They gained the most votes in Am…

1
Ep 304: Ask the Pros! 44:23

10M ago44:23

44:23

We have a mixed bag of topics in this month's Ask the Pros episode. With hot weather advisories, fires and floods becoming more common, we've been getting a lot of questions about when closing a market is justified. Weather or not, farmers need to move their produce so it's not a decision managers take lightly. We're chatting about that and a varie…

1
Ep 303: Report From Rome: World Farmers Market Coalition 42:53

10M ago42:53

42:53

Join us for a report from Catt's trip to the World Farmers Market Coalition's second General Assembly, in Rome, Italy this month. Delegates from some 70 countries and organizations gathered, representing hundreds of farmers markets and policy making bodies. They heard about the international coalition's current projects and contributed to its visio…

1
Ep 302: InTents Conference Request For Proposals Announcement 51:54

10M ago51:54

51:54

We're about to share so much news about 2025's InTents: the National Farmers Market Conference. Today, we're starting with the announcement that the Request for Proposals opens in just a few days. We're adding a special farmer and vendor track in 2025, so possibilities abound. Are you ready to share your expertise about a topic with market managers…

1
Ep 301: Wendy Chen: Volunteering to Keep it Legal 41:59

10M ago41:59

41:59

Volunteers are the lifeblood of many farmers markets and we know that even market managers are sometimes labeled as volunteers. That labor of love is admirable. Is it legal? That depends, and it's complicated. Wendy Chen joined us at InTents, the National Farmers Market Conference earlier this year. Her work at the Center for Agricultural and Food …

1
Ep 300: Celebrating 300 Episodes of Tent Talk 37:27

10M ago37:27

37:27

It's hard to believe that we've produced 300 episodes of Tent Talk, the farmers market podcast, since we started almost five years ago. You'd think we might run out of things to talk about, but nope! There are so many ideas to explore, questions to ponder, and issues to delve into. We love creating opportunities for market businesses and operations…

1
Ep 299: Market Interns: Eat, Work, Learn! 31:35

11M ago31:35

31:35

Call it internship, apprenticeship or learning by doing, it's all about training the next generation of farmers, foodmakers and market managers on the job. On this week's episode we talk about how interns can help your market and ways to make those programs beneficial for both sides. A true internship provides education and that takes effort. Deter…

1
Ep 298: Nino Budabin McQuown: National Farmers Market Week Prep 27:49

11M ago27:49

27:49

It's the 25th anniversary of National Farmers Market Week. Get ready to get ready with the Farmers Market Coalition Toolkit, it's available now. Get ahead of the game with early press releases and outreach to your local policy makers. Order your temporary I Love Farmers Market tattoos. Plan a celebration and don't forget to slip in a little educati…

1
Ep 297: Sagdrina Brown Jalal: Juneteenth is Just a Beginning 41:22

11M ago41:22

41:22

Juneteenth is coming up, are you ready? With the mid-week holiday coming up, we're seeing observances and events scheduled this coming weekend also the following Saturday and Sunday, June 22nd and 23rd, in addition to June 19th itself. Sagdrina Brown Jalal joined us last year to discuss how to honor that day at our markets. This year we'll be ampli…

1
Ep 296: Vendor Story: Not Your Nonna's Sauce Co. 51:21

11M ago51:21

51:21

We love a good vendor story almost as much as we love Not Your Nonna's nut-free pesto, full of locally grown basil. Adrianna Zizzo operates her pasta sauce business in six farmers markets a week. Her fledgling business weathered pandemic protocols shortly after she launched. This summer her business is celebrating its five year anniversary. Devoted…

1
Ep 295: David Thayer: America's Farmers Market Celebration 2024 40:17

12M ago40:17

40:17

It's a celebration, it's a contest, it's two exciting things at once and it kicks off this coming weekend. American Farmland Trust has operated America's Farmers Market Celebration for 16 years now. It offers a great chance to make your market more visible and engage your shoppers. The cash prizes are an added bonus. This year's contest is shorter …

1
Ep 294: Welcome Back to Tent Talk 41:40

12M ago41:40

41:40

We’re baaaaack! Did you miss us? After our short recording hiatus, listen in to find out where we’ve been and where we’re growing next.🌱 It’s been a busy spring, and we’ve got a lot cookin’ over here. Follow along as we answer burning questions, including: How Catt and Brijet keep it real (hint: still schlepping barricades) The location for 2025's …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Catt Fields White Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide