Can I sell my items at the Market?
The Lexington Farmers Market is a producer-only market. That means you must make, bake, or grow it in order to sell it. We have two kinds of vendors: (1) Farmers/Producers and (2) Crafters.
Please read this page in its entirety. If you still have questions, please contact Market Manager Bobbi Potter Pinto at 336-287-6017 or bpotterpinto@gmail.com.
For Farmers/Producers
FARMERS/PRODUCERS must be certified by an agent from the Davidson County Cooperative Extension Service. This certification ensures that our farmers are growing their produce, animals, and items locally in Davidson or a surrounding county. Contact extension agent Sam Boring at stboring@ncsu.edu or 336.242.2091. If you live outside Davidson County, your county's extension agent may perform the certification and give a copy to Davidson County's agent.
To sell at the Market, you must grow 50% of what you sell from May 1 - June 15, 100% of what you sell from June 16 - September 1, and 50% from September 2 - Closing. During the 50% times, products acquired from other farms must still come from Davidson County or counties adjoining Davidson County and must be labeled as such. Any exceptions (e.g. NC mountain apples or coastal peaches) must be approved in advance by the board of directors.
Once your Farm Certification is approved, this form will be shared with the Market Manager. We must have the certification before the first day you vend at the Farmers Market.
PRODUCERS of BAKED GOODS and PRESERVES do not require Cooperative Extension certification but must operate out of a certified home-based kitchen approved by the NC Department of Agriculture.
Most everything produced by local growers can be sold including vegetables, fruits, plants, eggs, meats, honey, cut or dried flowers, and firewood. Baked goods, preserves, pickles, relishes, jams and jellies made by the seller may also be sold at the market.
Please note: No low-acid canned foods such as green beans, corn, peas, carrots, etc. may be sold. In addition, no canned tomato products may be sold.
All products produced under certification such as organic, licensed meat, poultry, or dairy products or products requiring kitchen inspection, such as baked goods or preserves, must display certification or license and have a copy on file with the market manager.
For Crafters/Artisans
CRAFTERS must be approved by the Lexington Farmers Market Association Craft Committee. All crafts must be handcrafted by the vendor selling them. A portion of the craft should originate from the farm of the crafter and be of top quality. No craft items may be pre-fabricated and should instead reflect a level of experience and dedication to a specific craft.
Submit your Crafter Application here and then pay a $5 non-refundable application fee at PayPal.
Crafts should be considered old-fashioned handmade farm crafts such as hand-sewn, knitted or crocheted items, hand-spun yarns, hand-carved wood items, furniture, handmade baskets, natural wreaths, forged items, hand-dipped candles, handmade soaps, handmade pottery, etc. It will be at the discretion of the Craft Committee to allow items not identified above if the committee unanimously agrees that the items are in keeping with the overall presentation of goods represented at the market.
Please note that multi-level marketing company products (e.g. Scentsy, Arbonne, doTERRA, Rodan + Fields, Pampered Chef) are not allowed.
Please note that FARMERS/PRODUCERS may also sell crafts in their booth, but they must be hand-crafted by the vendor selling them and should not exceed 30% of the products offered for sale.
For additional details for both FARMERS/PRODUCERS and CRAFTERS, please see our Rules and Regulations.
How much does it cost to sell at the Market?
Vendor fees vary depending on whether you are a member of the Lexington Farmers Market Association or not. Memberships, which are $60 annually, provide a significant discount. Memberships must be purchased by June 30 and include a listing on our vendor page and the ability to participate in the Pre-Order Drive-Thru program, even if you are not vending inside the Depot that week.
2021 Member Rates: $15 per Saturday
2021 Non-Member Rate: $25 per Saturday
The November Harvest and December Holiday Markets are $35 each for non-season pass holders.
Season passes provide an even deeper discount. 2021 Season Passes range from $125 for an edge space to $160 for a corner space. This is the equivalent of only $4-6 dollars per Saturday, May through October, plus the two additional markets in November and December. Season pass holders may also leave their tables/displays in place for the entire market season, whereas daily renters must break down their booths each Saturday.
Please note we are not selling Center aisle booths at this time to allow for adequate social distancing of customers.
Crafters, you must also pay the one-time $5 Crafters Application Fee the first time you apply to sell at the market.
See our Rules & Regulations for additional details.
What is included with my booth rental?
The Lexington Farmers Market is housed in a historic train depot. It is fully covered, with bay doors down the length of both sides. The doors are typically open, providing an airy, outdoor feeling, but will occasionally be closed if it's very windy. We also have several industrial fans to keep the air moving on hot days.
2021 Depot Map with Booth Spaces (PDF)
The depot has two bathrooms on site, as well as a small cafe seating area. We often have live music and special events throughout the year.
The exact size of your booth space depends on which space you rent. For example, edge spaces are 12' feet wide and 9' deep, with 12' feet of exposure for customers. Corner spaces are 9' wide by 9' feet deep, with two sides of exposure, for a total of 18' feet facing customers.
You are responsible for providing tables, chairs, certified scales, etc. You may rent tables for $5 per day and certified scales for $10 per day.
Electricity is available if needed at no extra charge. When making your reservations, please let the Market Manager know if you need power.
Availability and assigned locations for daily booth rentals are at the sole discretion of the Market Manager.
***If you want a season pass, we strongly recommended that you attend the Spring Membership Meeting in March. Season Passes often sell out at this meeting. However, weekly rentals remain available throughout the season.***
Do I need an NC Department of Revenue Sales Tax Certificate?
It depends what you are selling. If you are selling farm items you grew, you do not need certification. Vendors offering value-added products (e.g. baked goods, jams & jellies, crafts) or produce they have purchased for resale must be registered with the NC Department of Revenue, and their DOR certificate must be displayed in their market stall.