From Field to Market: The Challenges and Realities of Small-Scale Farming

Each weekend, farmers markets across the country come to life—bustling with seasonal produce, handmade goods, and conversations between growers and buyers. These markets are a valuable point of connection in our food system, offering access to fresh, local food and giving small farmers a platform to sell directly to their communities. Yet behind every stand is a demanding and often precarious reality.

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The Lone Road: Farming Without Intermediaries

Small-scale farmers who sell directly to consumers often wear more hats than they have hands for: grower, accountant, marketer, logistics manager, and stall operator. According to the USDA, over 40,000 vendors participate in the more than 8,700 farmers markets across the U.S. today. Many of these vendors are solo or family-run operations—dedicated, but stretched thin.

While this approach can lead to greater control over pricing and customer relationships, it also places the entire burden of production, logistics, and marketing on the individual or family running the farm. From coordinating harvest schedules to transporting goods and setting up at market, the workload is substantial and constant.

Participating in farmers markets is often just one part of a much broader daily routine. Farmers typically begin their work before dawn and continue well past sunset, especially during peak growing season. The added responsibilities of market preparation and customer engagement can stretch already limited time and resources.

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The Financial Realities of Small Farms

Running a small farm isn’t cheap. Seed, equipment maintenance, animal feed, labor, water—these are just the basics. Many small farmers operate on thin margins, vulnerable to weather, pests, and unpredictable demand. The National Young Farmers Coalition estimates that land access, student loan debt, and lack of healthcare are among the top challenges faced by new farmers. Many survive year-to-year, not knowing if they'll make enough to replant come spring.

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And while farmers markets are sometimes romanticized as the pinnacle of local food, it should not be ignored that setting up a stall isn’t always easy or inexpensive. Markets may charge booth fees ranging from $10 to over $100 per day, depending on location. Farmers often pay these costs upfront, regardless of how much they sell.

Making It Through the Off-Season

Most farmers markets are seasonal, with a majority operating primarily in spring through early fall. To maintain cash flow in the off-season, many small farmers diversify their operations. This might include producing value-added goods like preserves, soaps, or herbal products, launching CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs, or selling to local restaurants and co-ops.

Others explore agri-tourism or educational services—offering workshops, farm stays, or seasonal events to supplement income. In many cases, family members take off-farm employment during the winter months to support the farm’s sustainability. The reality is that most small farms survive through patchworks of revenue, not a single steady stream.

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Still Choosing the Harder Path—for a Reason

Despite the challenges, many small farmers remain committed to selling directly to consumers. Farmers markets provide more than a sales outlet—they foster trust, transparency, and local economic resilience. The produce sold is often grown within 100 miles of the market, meaning fewer miles travelled and a deeper connection between food, place, and people.

Understanding the effort and investment behind each market stall helps us appreciate the value of supporting local producers: every sale contributes not only to their livelihood but to the vitality of regional food systems.

So, let’s choose the harder path ourselves, taking some time out of the weekend to go to a farmers market instead of picking up industrially grown vegetables from a convenient grocery store. We will be closer to our communities and enjoy the highest quality of produce we can provide to our families.

Did you know? The main challenge to raising farmers markets attendance is simply forgetting[1] that they are an option. Bring your family and friends and remind them of the great experience of community of which they are missing out!

[1] Witzling, L., Shaw, B. R., & Wolnik, D.(2025). U.S. farmers market attendance and experiences: Descriptive results from a national survey.Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 14(1), 227–249. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2025.141.017