East Nashville Farmers’ Market Rules and Regulations

General Operations

Load-In

  • We operate every Tuesday, April-October, 3:30-6:30p, and November-December, 3:30-6p. Vendors will receive a market email each week prior to market with extra notes. Please to not respond via email, only market manager text or instagram messenger.

  • The market map is always available on our website or through our instagram profile link and is completed Tuesday morning, yet is subject to change up until the start of market.

  • Our address: 511 Woodland Street, Nashville, TN, 37206. Find us at the corner of 5th Street and Woodland Street in East Nashville across from the First Church of the Nazarene.

  • Load-in is every Tuesday from 2-3pm. Please unload your vehicle at your spot first, then park in our lot at the corner of 6th & Main Street behind the Holy Name Catholic Church, then walk back to set-up. This reduces traffic jams and allows other vendors to unload and have ample set up time as well. Tents may be put up for shading or rain covering products to unload into before setting up, and tent weights must always immediately go on the tents before unloading into or stepping away.

  • Be set-up and ready to sell by 3:15pm. All vehicles should be parked and out of the market footprint by 3:15pm. No one is allowed to drive onto the market footprint past 3:15pm, or before market end time, satellite cell time, regardless of what you see your neighbor do, as they may have special circumstances approved in advance, or not have looked at the time.

Location & Church Policies

  • We operate in an expansive church parking lot on asphalt, so be prepared for heat and a hard standing surface. Shaded spots for vendors are limited.

  • This market does not have wifi, electricity, running water, or restrooms onsite.

  • The Church does not allow alcohol, CBD, or tobacco products to be sold at the market, nor consumtion/use of these products onsite. No firearms allowed at the market or on church property. 

Market Day Checklist

  • BRING A WATER BOTTLE, A COOLER, AND SNACKS during the summer months! Maybe a rag to wet and wear around your neck. It gets very hot. Consider freezing water bottles the night before, wearing light colored natural fibers, open toe shoes, a mat to lay over the asphalt, and bringing a jug of water to help dissapate the heat from the asphalt.

  • TENT WEIGHTS ARE MANDATORY. Tents fly away with a breeze and can damage you, other people, and vehicles. Each vendor is required to weigh-down each tent leg with at least 30-pounds of weight. Canopy tent weights can be found online or at sporting good stores.

  • Have your electronics charged, have a portable phone charger, have an extra card reader.

  • We do not have wifi or electricity at the market, so you will need to supply your own. 

  • If you want to bring a generator, please talk with Leah about it first — we have a limited number of spaces that can accommodate a generator, so they must be pre approved and quiet.

  • Wear comfy, supportive shoes, wear sunscreen, and have a plan for if it starts raining, if the wind picks up, or if the sun is shooting down on you and your products. Be prepared!

Weather

Markets will be held rain or shine. It is a rare occurrence that weather genuinely becomes actively severe enough to cancel the market in advance. Often the weather changes throughout the day and even during the market and projected weather does not hit us, resulting in a busy and fruitful market day. If a storm comes during market, vendors are always encouraged to take care of themselves as they see fit. Our farmers with CSA pick ups, bakers, etc, are always welcome to the space regardless of what happens with weather so they may fulfill their community commitments. Having a rain and wind plan of a safer and more manageable set up is asked for days when storms may hit. The market’s early closing, late start, or rare cancellation will be communicated as soon as possible via email, text messages, and/or Instagram vendor message group.

Market Fees

  • Fees are scaled and based on your sales. For your first $300 in sales (anything from $1 to $299), your fee is $15. With every additional $100 in sales, we add an additional $5 to your fee. This is based on the honor system, and that accuracy continues to allow us to keep or fees low for you.

  • We accept cash and credit cards at the end of every market at our information booth after the market manager has passed out your sales sheets to fill out and has sat down. We can also invoice you if you like.

  • Please do not hand the market manager cash as they’re passing out sales sheets. Collection of fees begins at 6:15pm and ends at 6:45pm.

Market Opening and Closing

  • Vendors should be set up 15 minutes prior to the opening of each market. Vendors will not begin selling until the market officially opens—no early sales! In the past, early sales have promoted shoppers to arrive earlier and earlier, not allowing vendors proper time to get set up, and the expectation of other vendors to sell to them when they are not, often result in offense of the shoppers that they are not accommodating like others breaking rules. Let’s keep it non-confusing.

  • Each vendor is required to stop selling at the close of the market and have everything loaded for removal 30 minutes after market, and no later than one hour after the close of the market, max, per our lot lease.

  • Each vendor must leave his or her selling area clean and in orderly condition. All refuse and unsold goods must be removed from the market area by the vendor. All boxes and trash from each vendor must be removed and transported by the vendor. Onsite trash disposal is not provided. Vendors will be assessed a fee ($100.00-$5,000.00) for cleanup if the market has to clean up after you. Have a method and receptacle for things that blow away like wrappers and small cup.

  • In general, vendors are required to stay until the market closes even if they have sold all of their goods. The Market Manager must approve exceptions to this policy in advance.

  • If a vendors sells out before the close of the market, they may do a light breakdown, but leave a table, sign, and tent canopy until the close of market. They must alert their neighbors that they are sold out.

  • A Market representative is responsible for officially opening and closing the market each day.

Booth Space & Absences

  • Fines for failure to notify Market Managers of your absence may charged. Vendors who continually miss the market will forfeit their rights to their booth space.

  • Each vendor must supply their own tent, tent weights, tables, table cloths, chairs, signage, wifi, ways to accept credit cards or online payments, etc.

  • No subletting of a space is permitted. Booth space is not transferable. Booth spaces are not to be shared with other businesses.

  • You must only sell the items from your booth that have been approved on your market application. Any additional items not listed on your application must be approved by a market manager as we are careful to respect the capacity of shopper support for items other vendors may already be providing.

  • All vendors must have signage that clearly displays their business name and location, as well as available items with prices, etc.

Prohibited Items & Discouraged Representation

  • Smoking, alcoholic beverages, and firearms are not allowed at markets.

  • Refrain from making unfounded health & medical claims on your food & beverage product labels at the market. 

  • Refrain from political messaging on your market signage.

  • Clothing with curse words or encouraging drug use is not permitted.

Prohibited Behavior & Market Culture

  • The ENFM management works hard to keep our market culture a safe place for everyone and all minorities.

  • We aim for a supportive community and market culture. Instead of gossiping, rumors, and styles of communication that detract from a person having the chance to speak for themselves, make repairs, and grow, we ask for an open dialogue with others before speaking for and about them to others. Please share with the market maker before others so we may ask curious questions and help create the best approach for any situation.

  • Audible excessive profanity is prohibited at the ENFM.

  • Hateful speech and other offensive discourse that targets a group or an individual based on inherent characteristics—such as race, gender, sexual-orientation, religion, class, etc.— is prohibited.

Sanitation

  • All vendors must adhere to sanitary procedures for selling produce and value-added items. All vendors must dress appropriately. Shoes and shirts are required.

  • Vendors who provide samples and/or products that will result in waste material, such as cups, rinds, and corn cobs, must provide containers for waste disposal.

Pets, Children, and Other Dependents

  • Children, parents, and other dependents are welcome yet it is important that each vendor can still give their undivided attention to their customers. Children and other dependents should not be too distracting or disruptive.

  • Pets are not allowed to be brought to the market by vendors unless approved by the manager. 

Restrooms & Safety

  • We have no restrooms on-site at the ENFM, but the East Park Community Center allows us to use theirs. The entrance is located at the back of the building. *It is a half of a block away to walk.

  • Restrooms are also available at the gas station behind the market.

  • You will see members of our community in East Nashville who are experiencing homelessness and/or mental crises at our market sometimes. Please be respectful — these community members are often completely harmless, but can’t access the medications they need, and might become a distraction. PLEASE TEXT OR GRAB THE MARKET MANAGER OR HANK if you need help with anyone. We intently address these situations with dignity to all persons.

  • Please keep your electronics and valuables either on you or stowed-away and out of reach/sight from shoppers at all times.

  • PLEASE BRING WATER. We are on hot asphalt in the summer, and we want you all to stay hydrated and healthy.

SNAP

  • SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), formerly called food stamps, is a government program that helps people buy the food they need for healthy lives.

  • SNAP benefits are received on an EBT card, similar to a debit card, to buy groceries at local stores or farmers' markets.

  • All Vendors who sell items approved by the SNAP program are required to accept SNAP payments. Direct a SNAP card holder to the market info booth where they can run their card for wooden tokens (your card reader will not run a SNAP card.) Payments to vendors will be made in the form of wooden tokens with ENFM branding from customers. Those tokens get turned in with your sales sheet and the total will be subtracted from your market fees. If you received more tokens than your booth fee, you will be reimbursed in cash during booth payment.

Gleaning

Market Managers will organize a food gleaning to take place at the end of each Market day. An approved community group and/or non-profit will accept donations of food and distribute it to people in the community who need it.

Allowed Vendors and Products

Market Manager’s Discretion

Acceptance of vendors will be at the discretion of the Market Manager. Acceptance is based on quality of the product(s) and the relevance of the product(s) to the overall diversification and mission of the Market.

Producers Only

  • We are a “producer-only” market with a few exceptions for products that are not produced in our region such as imported olive oils, cheese, seafood, etc.

  • A producer is defined as the person who grows or makes the product. This may include the producer’s immediate family, partners, employees or a local cooperative.

  • Any false representation of product will be grounds for expulsion from the market. The producer’s name must be clearly displayed in each booth.

Locally Produced

We give preference to local farmers & producers. We also give preference to farmers and food entrepreneurs over art and craft at the ENFM, although we do accept some art and crafts.

Farmer Value-Added Products

Farmers may sell any farm products, including value-added products. At least one ingredient or material in any value-added good sold in a farm vendor’s booth must have been grown on the producer’s farm.

Inspection of Vendors

Market Manager Inspections

No wholesale brokers will be allowed. All market vendors should prepare for a site visit by the Market Manager during the growing season. Failure to allow a site-visit once given reasonable notice may be grounds to revoke your right to vend.

Health and Safety Regulations

It is the responsibility of each vendor to abide by all state and federal regulations which govern the sampling, production, labeling, or safety of the product the vendor offers for sale at the market. Failure to comply may result in forfeiture of the vendor’s booth. If you have any questions on this matter, please speak with the Market Manager, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Regulatory Services, or the Davidson County Health Department.

All processed foods must comply with all applicable state and federal health and safety regulations. A copy of the commercial kitchen certificate or domestic kitchen certificate must be displayed in the booth at all times. Proper labeling must be used as defined by the proper authority. Documentation of certified scales must be displayed in the booth. Proper labeling pertaining to organically grown produce must be displayed.

We receive regular inspections from the Health Department.

Insurance

All vendors must provide proof of general liability coverage at a minimum amount of $1,000,000.00 and name the market as an additional insured. A current certificate must accompany each vendor application & remain on file with the market.

Market Management

The Market Manager’s job is to coordinate all of the weekly activities and to implement the market’s policies. The Market Manager also acts as a conduit of information between the vendors, customers and community partners. The Market Manager has complete authority to interpret and implement policies at the market site.

Quality control is one of the most important factors at the market. Routine inspections may be conducted. If your product is found unfit to sell at the Market, the Market Manager may ask you to discontinue sales of this item immediately. Vendors who repeatedly attempt to sell unfit items or produce may be asked to leave the market.

Grievance Policy

Any Vendor or customer with complaints regarding policy or implementation of policy can request a meeting with the Market Manager and will be contacted in a timely manner to schedule a meeting.

Compliance

All complaints must be addressed in writing to the Market Manager so communication can be reviewed and accurately referenced.

Complaints against another vendor, must be accompanied by a $50 “good faith” check. The Market Manager will then conduct an investigation and/or farm inspection against the accused vendor. If the complaint is found to be valid, the $50 “good faith” check will be returned. If the complaint is found to be unfounded, the check will be forfeited and deposited in the market’s general funds with a letter of explanation sent to the complainant.

All other complaints will be reviewed by the Market Manager in an attempt to resolve the issue. If the manager is unable to resolve the complaint, then a written follow up may be made to the market’s governing body. The governing body will address the complaint at the next regularly scheduled meeting. If the complaint is of an immediate nature, the Market Manager may ask for a special convening of the market’s governing body to address the complaint. The decisions of the governing body are final.

The submission of application for admission to the market serves as the vendor’s agreement to abide by the rules of the market, as established by the market’s governing body and enforced by the Market Manager. Violations of the rules of the market may be grounds for warnings, dismissal from the market, or both.

• The first violation of the rules will result in a verbal warning by the Market Manager. Documentation of the warning will be kept on file by the Market Manager.

• The second violation of the rules will result in a written warning, given by the Market Manager. A copy of the letter will be kept on file by the Market Manager, along with any documentation of the violation. Additionally, the vendor will be barred from selling at the market for one week.

• The third violation of the rules will result in dismissal from the market.

At the discretion of the Market Manager, when a violation occurs that jeopardizes the health of a customer, another vendor, market management, or the overall health of the market, the manager may convene the market’s governing body to request a suspension of the compliance procedure and call for immediate dismissal from the market. The dismissal will require documented proof of an egregious violation. The vendor will be given an opportunity to review the documentation, prepare a defense, and appear before the governing body.

If after receiving a warning or suspension, a vendor is in disagreement with the Market Manager over the infraction, the vendor may make written application to the market governing body to be heard on the issue. Both the vendor and the Market Manager will appear before the governing body and present their sides of the issue. The decision of the governing body is final.