Farmers' markets' vendors are as diverse as their offerings; they do it for many reasons, Wall Street Journal reports

Trevor Adams of Night Heron Bread scores and bakes bread in his
garage baking space. (Photo by Cayce Clifford, Wall Street Journal)

Farmers' markets' vendors come with produce, bread, jam and most importantly, all things farm fresh. Elizabeth Garone of The Wall Street Journal examines four vendors in California, one of the most popular states for the markets. She finds out why people do it, how much money they make and why it can be a loving struggle. Here are two:

Night Heron Bread started after the pandemic hit, and with income from their local farmers markets' sales, the business is keeping a family going. "Trevor Adams wanted to keep his baking job in San Francisco, but a congenital heart condition, combined with the bakery's tight working quarters, made it impossible to feel safe. . . . He took what he thought would be a temporary leave of absence. Meanwhile, he and his wife, Robin Adams, a garden educator, brainstormed ways to keep the family afloat. . . . At first, he sold his signature sourdough country loaf to friends and family and offered a subscription service that customers could use. . . . They aimed to land a coveted Saturday spot at the farmers market in their home, Alameda. . . . Night Heron Bread—named after a local bird—finally made it to market last year."

Like any farm effort, weather plays a part. "On days with good weather, they load up 125 loaves of bread to sell at $10 to $13 each, plus 50 baguettes at $5. . . . cookies and jars of jam," Garone explains. "Revenue from a Saturday market is usually between $1,600 and $1,800; expenses run around $400 to $500. . . . That leaves about $1,200 profit per market, according to R. Adams." Rainy days require a different strategy. R. Adams told Garone, "If it's pouring consistently for hours. . . . We'll fulfill our pre-orders and have customers pick them up at our house."

A combination of incomes, which includes Robin Adams's full-time job, has helped make Night Heron Bread successful, Garone reports. R. Adams told her, "There's something kind of wildly satisfying about showing up, working hard and driving away with an empty van. . . . A sunny day at the market is everything: the fast pace, enthusiasm for the products you're putting out there."

Joe Schirmer owner of Dirty Girl Produce
(Photo by Cayce Clifford, Wall Street Journal)

Dirty Girl Produce offers a look at a career of farm-to-table through farmers markets. "Owner Joe Schirmer is a farmers-market veteran. . . . He bought his own farm in 1999 in Watsonville, 90 miles from San Francisco. The 40-acre operation grows everything from beans and broccoli to strawberries and tomatoes." Schirmer told Garone, "People go to the farmers market for the best produce, and our model is quality. We know how to make everything look extra pretty and get it to the farmers market when it's fresh when it's just picked."

Finances are unpredictable. "In 2022, the farm did $74,000 in sales at the smallest market and $500,000 at the largest, according to Mr. Schirmer. In all, he took in roughly $1,000,000, 60% of which was direct off-the-table sales at the farmers markets," Garone writes." But after expenses—the biggest of which is labor—the company posted a net loss of $60,000. . . . There are many reasons for the losses, according to Mr. Schirmer, among them pandemic-related issues, a labor shortage and drought."

Still, he loves what he does. "Schirmer says that some of his best friends are other growers he has met at the markets," reports Garone, quoting him: "It's a pretty good vibe. If you forget a scale or you forget bags or weights or a tent or an umbrella . . . people share and help you out. . . . I love farming; I just wish the economic reality of it wasn't what it is."