Apply to Be a Vendor
Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market exists for the sole purpose of promoting and supporting local, sustainable food production and consumption. Market spaces are reserved for local farmers, ranchers, or growers who sell what they grow, raise or produce on their farm and for local producers who make products featuring agricultural products from Lawrence and the surrounding area.
Schedule
Thursday Market
April – September
4:00 pm – 6:30 pm
October – March
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
3:00 P.M. Vendors may begin setting up (Hot Food Vendor can set up earlier)
Vendors are welcome to set up and make early sales.
3:30 P.M. Entrance into Market area is Closed.
Vendors should be in the market area by 3:30 pm. Vendor vehicles cannot enter the market area after 3:30 pm on market days.
3:45 P.M. Market entrances are barricaded.
All vendor vehicles must be out of the market area and parking lot. The parking lot spaces are reserved for patrons only. Vendor vehicles should not park on New Hampshire Street. Vendors may park in the designated spots in On the Rocks’ parking lot, in the alley across the street or in neighborhood driveways, as previously arranged by each vendor.
4:00 P.M. Market Officially Starts.
All vendors must be ready for business.
6:30 P.M. Market Officially Ends.
Barricades are removed and vendors may move vehicles. Vendors are asked to assist with the tear down and storage of market barricades, signs, and public market areas including seating area, chess tables and band stand.
Growing Practices
Although organic growing practices are not a required component of market participation, it is the intention of Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market to promote and increase sustainable food production and consumption in Douglas County and the surrounding area. For the most part, market patrons trust that our vendors grow sustainably with limited use of commercially produced inputs. It is our hope that market growers will adhere to the following standards whenever possible:
- Build and maintain healthy soils by applying farming practices that include rotating crops annually, using compost, cover crops, green manures, and reduced tillage;
- Serve the health of the soil, people and nature by rejecting the use of synthetic insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers;
- Reject the use of GMO’s, chemically treated seeds, or synthetic toxic materials;
- Treat farm animals humanely by providing access to free-range, fresh water, organic based biologically appropriate feed and rejecting the use of hormones and unnecessary antibiotics;
- Handle raw manure and soil amendments with care;
- Encourage distribution of unsold but edible food to people who need it;
- Work in cooperation with other local farmer’s to promote a more healthy and just regional food system;
- Transparently discuss growing practices with market patrons.
It is also our hope that market producers will source as many of their ingredients locally as possible from sustainable sources and create value added products and prepared foods with the health and well being of market patrons in mind.
Vendor Interest Form
Vendor Agreement
Vendors should also fill out and sign the Vendor Agreement below: