Written by: Kenzie

**All photos in this post were taken by our super talented friend Taylor of Red Bird Studios. She is getting into the photography game and is already producing such amazing work!! Be sure to check her out for product photography and family/couples sessions. She is a fantastic human and a stunning photographer.

Callie and I recently participated in a farmer’s market in Downtown Conroe for her company Local Pines and it got me thinking that not enough people know about these! I love a good farmer’s market, let me tell you, and I also love selling at them. However, I do feel like they could be frequented by more people if only these was an easy way to find out about them.

I wanted to share a list of nearby farmer’s markets that I like to go to and also some tips for selling at markets for vendors. I’m sure there are people out there that are much more about farmer’s markets than I do and I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment here or on out Instagram and let’s get chatting.

My favorite (somewhat) local markets

Main Street Market in Downtown Conroe
- This one is only a few blocks from our house and happened every Saturday from 10am-2pm. We’ve sold here twice now and been by many more times to shop and they have a good variety of product vendors as well as food trucks and drink stands (the lemonade guy is the best!)
Grogan’s Mill in the Woodlands Village Center
- I love this market because they have quite a few actual farmers here selling fresh produce, eggs, and meats (I feel like the whole farmer thing gets kind of forgotten at a lot of “farmer’s” markets). There are also crafts, product, food, and dog vendors here so there’s pretty much something for everyone! You can sign up for their weekly newsletter on their website to keep you updated on who will be selling each Saturday.
Farmer’s Market on Tamina in Magnolia
- This is a well-established market and has everything from produce, meats, and eggs to baked goods to handcrafted beauty products to unique artisan goods. There are also several brick and mortar stores for shopping and eating including one of my personal favorites, The Toffee Cellar which sells baked goods and - you guessed it - homemade toffee. The farmer’s market also serves up a specialty cocktail each and every week that is complimentary for market goers.
Tomball Farmer’s Market
- I don’t make it out to the Tomball market as often as I’d like since it is a bit of a drive from Conroe, but their market is big! They have a great selection of farmers, artisans, and food vendors every Saturday from 9am-1pm. Plus, the market is smack dab in the middle of Tomball’s Main Street which has lots of great local stores and antique shops for strolling along and shopping. If you make the trip, I highly recommend Buttercup Bakery, Bramble & Bee (a florist and gift shop), Terrarium, and ReBar Cafe or Denovo (has a drive through) for coffee.

Tips for Selling at Markets

Advertise yourself!
- Sometimes, the market organizers are really good at promoting their market and vendors and bringing people to the markets. Other times, not so much. Be shameless in you Instagram game and really push where you’ll be selling and what times and bring your people to you!
Think about your setup
- Depending on what you sell, your setup may be as simple as setting out a table and putting your produce on top. However, I find it best to stand out in a creative way whenever possible. People love a cute market stand and are more likely to come into your booth to look when it looks exciting from the outside. Think about your display pieces, creating height, and even bringing extra decor and embellishments when possible.
- For our last market, Callie created a scene with a mantle, Christmas stockings, and a cozy vintage chair with antique books and fresh flowers as decor. We got a lot of compliments on it!
Lastly, it’s all about your branding.
- It is best if people know what you sell before they even step into your booth. Be sure to have a sign that can stand out front or a large banner with your name and describing what you sell in a few short words if it isn’t immediately obvious.
- Bring lots of business cards! Sometimes, people come to markets when they aren’t completely ready to buy, but that doesn’t mean they won’t buy from you at a later time. Encourage market-goers to take a business card with them or to follow you on Instagram (Callie puts out a QR code that is easily scanned on any smart phone).
- Be sure your booth overall has a cohesive look or style and isn’t too much to take in for shoppers. In other words, have a full booth but keep it simple - don’t overwhelm the buyers!

I hope this post helps encourage everyone to consider farmer’s markets in the future if you don’t already! They’re a great reason to get out of the house and enjoy the weather while shopping small and supporting local business. Also, if you are a shopper at a market, please know that it is almost always a good idea to share any goodies you find while shopping - vendors will definitely appreciate it!

If you find yourself with nothing to do on a Saturday morning, get out there and shop markets!