Powder Springs Farmers Market 4488 Pineview Drive Powder Springs, Georgia 30127 Open Thursday Afternoons June 4th through Sept/Oct. 2009 4:00pm to 8:00pm Located next to City Hall in the Community Development Building Parking Lot that faces Marietta St. Powder Springs Farmers Market Information and Operating Rules Purpose: Support and promote small farmers and growers, local craftspeople and purveyors of traditional foods, by providing a community-based market where they can sell their goods directly to customers, and a place that will provide alternative shopping and an opportunity to reconnect with those living around us in beautiful downtown Powder Springs, and to encourage residents to buy smart, to buy healthy, and to buy local. The Powder Springs Farmer's Market is a combined effort of the City of Powder Springs, the local Merchants, and the resident farmers. Buying local helps everyone. General Rules and Regulations In an effort to promote local support for farmers/growers and merchants in Powder Springs, the Powder Springs Farmer's Market will operate as a grower/harvester only market starting June 2009. Vendors will be required to farm the fruits and vegetables they sell. "Vendor" will be defined as the producer and or harvester of goods sold and will include the spouse, siblings, children, parents and employees of the applicant who assist in the cultivation, production and/or harvesting of goods to be sold. Going to the Farmer's Market and purchasing with the intent of reselling will no longer be an accepted practice. Approved growers that lease/own and operate legitimate local farms will be allowed to subsidize items not yet in season, though purchased items must not exceed 50% of the grower's marketable items for any given week. Any grower wishing to bring items to subsidize his stand must receive permission each week via phone or e-mail from the Market Coordinator or they will not be allowed to sell the items they purchase. Items not grown by vendors must be labeled as such and must still be Georgia grown. This will be strictly enforced. Please make sure your label is clear and large enough to be read easily (for example: tomatoes from the Atlanta Farmer's Market) In order to protect local growers, all farmers must report via e-mail by Wednesday evening the items they will be bringing to the market on Thursday. This way, no reseller will be allowed to bring purchased fruits and vegetables if another grower plans on bringing that item to the market. By starting the market in June, there will be only a limited supply from local growers, so this is why some reselling will occur. However, as the season progresses and local growers have an excess of fruits and vegetables, the policy of growers reselling will be held to an absolute minimum. The intent and purpose of these strict guidelines is to keep the Powder Springs Farmer's Market from becoming a brokerage house for resellers. Vendors intending to sell prepared and packaged foodstuffs for resale must provide a copy of their current Georgia Department of Agriculture Food Sales Establishment License. These vendors must attest to the fact that they grow or buy from local growers at least one major ingredient in their product. Baked goods are exempted from this regulation. Vendors who wish to sell eggs and/or dairy must provide a copy of their current Georgia Department of Agriculture certification. Home baked and processed food such as bread, jellies, jams, preserves, cakes, cookies & honey are welcome. We will follow the guidelines for Food Products Sold At Events Sponsored by Non-Profit Organizations set up by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Food Products will be considered exempt from the inspection and licensing required by the GA Food Act when sold at our market. All processed products should be labeled with:      1. The COMMON NAME of the food.      2. The NAME/ADDRESS/PHONE NUMBER of person who made the item.      3. A list of INGREDIENTS with the common name of each ingredient. Limited arts and crafts are permitted for sale at the market if they are made by the vendor who is selling them and if they are NOT made from a kit. Anyone who comes to participate in the market as a vendor or customer comes at their own risk. The market is not liable for an injury to person or property. No live animals can be sold at the market, but photos of animals for sale can be exhibited and information about them distributed. Vendors must sign the accident liability waiver form the first time they come. The form will be available at the market. Market Location The Market is located next to City Hall in the Community Development Building parking lot that faces Marietta St. The address of the building is 4488 Pineview Drive, Powder Springs, Georgia 30127. Market Schedule The market will operate from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursdays. Vendors may set up starting NO EARLIER than 2:30 p.m. on Market days. Selling will begin promptly at 4 p.m. and cease promptly at 8 p.m. The Market will be in operation rain or shine. Presence The strength of any farmers market is the presence of a number of vendors with a diversity of products. When you sell at a market, your customers need to be able to count on your regular presence. Registration Fee A $25.00 annual fee the first time you come to sell your products is required. The funds will be used for promotion of the market. You will receive a permit that must be visibly displayed every week you participate. Space Assignment Space will be generally defined as 10' x 10'. Vendors are responsible for setting up their space and keeping it clean. Canopies or umbrellas are allowed. Tables are suggested. Nothing will be displayed on the ground (with the exception of live plants). Nothing will extend in to the space of another vendor unless agreed upon by both parties. Cleanup All vendors will clean up their area at the end of each Market day. All vendors will be clear of the vending area by 9:00 p.m. Vendors will be responsible for the cleanliness of their space during market hours. All vendors will bring a broom and trash bags and keep their space free of debris. Vendors will not use the nearby public and private trash receptacles for disposal of produce boxes and unsold produce. All trash will be removed from the site by the vendor. If your space is not cleaned, you will incur a $25 fine. Pricing, Weights and Measures Each vendor will operate as an individual entity and, as such, each vendor is responsible for setting his/her own prices. Weights and measures are expected to be in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal rules and regulations. Labeling All vendors are expected to clearly label all products as necessary in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal rules and regulations. Health Regulations All vendors participating in the Market will comply with the sanitary rules and regulations of the County and State Health Departments. All food must be properly displayed, fresh and grown and/or prepared in accordance with all local, state and federal regulations. Miscellaneous No firearms. No alcoholic beverages. Non-profit organizations shall make application and pay the same rate as the other vendors on a per space basis. Complaints Complaints of any kind against any vendor shall be directed to the attention of the Market Coordinator. The Market Coordinator will seek to resolve the issue immediately and if the Market Coordinator is unable to do so, he/she will forward the complaint to the owners and Market Advisory Committee for investigation and resolution. The Market Coordinator and advisory committee shall have the right to warn and/or suspend a vendor based on the Market Coordinator's personal observation of a violation of the rules and regulations. The Market Coordinator and advisory committee reserves the right to revise the Market Rules and Regulations at any time with the approval of HDMAPS. Farmer's Market Advisory Committee Leah Hammond - Market Coordinator 3698 Velma Drive Powder Springs, GA 30127 678-567-1826 Andy Bray - Bray Family Farms Craig Tucker - Two Mule Farm Daniel Hammond - My Dad & Me Family Farm Ken Prevatt - HDMAPS Larry Evans - HDMAPS