I contacted the city about selling SCD legal baked goods at the Farmers Market. I figured there probably wasn't much of a need in this area for sugar free / gluten free baked goods, but what the heck, right?
I just heard back from the woman at the chamber of commerce who handles all of that sort of thing. Turns out... she is gluten free / sugar free because of allergies! So, I was thinking "Ok... maybe."
Then she told me about all that you have to do. Commercial kitchen (she said many churches in the area rent them out to people), food handler license, health inspection, $25 weekly booth rental... and a waiting list that goes back to 2002. The commercial kitchen and license I can do. The waiting list, not so much.
I gave up on my idea.
She said she would send my the contract, and when I got the email she wrote - I hope everything works out because your goods are something that this community could really use!!!
So I called the health department. The guy is getting back to me, but the woman I talked to said that she thinks I need a seasonal license and that is $90.
If I went ahead and did everything I needed to in order to be legal, I could make a job out of it. There is a farmers market on Monday in Sanford, Tuesday & Thursday in Bay City, Wednesday and Saturday in Midland, and Friday in Saginaw.
What do you think? Should I look into it more and go for it?
As a side note: The woman I talked to is there every week because her mother runs the booth that I buy my herbs from - and has for the last 25 years. Maybe I could talk to her mom about offering a few things in her booth if no space opens up...
Update: The guy from the health department called me back. Turns out I have to go through the Department of Agriculture. Called the woman he said to and she was out, but the woman that answered the phone was a big help.
She confirmed the commercial kitchen thing, said that the license I need is $70 and said that the other woman will spend all the time I need helping me. She said that if I want to do Jams, I have to label them and the Michigan State University Extension office has a website that I can email them a list of what is in it and they will do a nutritional analysis for me so that the label is legal.
The other woman is going to call me back tomorrow.
2 comments:
We actually buy baked goods from the gluten free seller at our farmers market so there is most certainly a market for it (How large a market I am not sure!) I love the idea of doing something like that (or something else farmers market related.)
Another idea (though totally NOT in line with your diet!) Is this
http://www.pappardellespasta.com/content/sellpasta.php
a woman sells this pasta at our farmers market and at all of them in our city on different days and she can't keep the stuff in stock. She sells it for $3.50 1/2 lb if you can believe that! (and I've bought it a bunch of times for specialty salads or a small meal. 1/2 lb goes farther than you would think!) anyway all she needed was a scale and a tent! It is REALLY yummy too so if you don't have one in your area I would suggest this.
Well, after thinking about it I decided not to do it. There is no guarantee that I would get a spot each week, and it just seems like a lot of money to spend with no guarantee. I am kind of bummed, though. It sounded like it would be a lot of fun!
Post a Comment