Dartmouth Farmers’ Market
2024 Rules
St. Mary’s Parish Center Lawn
789 Dartmouth St., Dartmouth, MA 02748
June 5-October 30th Wednesdays 3pm-7pm (3pm-6pm beginning October 2)
789 Dartmouth St., Dartmouth, MA 02748
June 5-October 30th Wednesdays 3pm-7pm (3pm-6pm beginning October 2)
The Dartmouth Farmers' Market (DFM) is a gathering place for our community centered around locally grown, raised and crafted food, goods, and art. DFM strives to support and promote local agriculture and artisans, and to be a gathering place with a positive and inclusive atmosphere with respect for all.
Market Hours: The market is open every Friday from 12-5 pm, June 6 – October 31, 2025. All vendors must arrive early enough to market to be ready to sell when the market opens and must stay to the close of the market. The market opens with the ring of a bell, and vendors may not sell anything prior to the ringing of the opening bell. The market has a soft closing, meaning vendors may still sell to customers while packing up, but packing up must start at 5pm. Vendors may not leave the market early (even if they are sold out), without the permission of the Market Manager.
Attendance: Please give the Market Manager (Sarah Alves) at least 24 hours advance notice for necessary absences. Exceptions may be made for emergencies. There are no market fee refunds for cancellations.
Sarah can be reached at (781) 258-7621 (call or text) or [email protected].
Permits and licensing: All vendors selling food products must comply with state and local Board of Health (BOH) regulations and must obtain a permit from the Town of Dartmouth Health Department upon acceptance to the DFM. Unprocessed farm products including vegetables, fruit, honey, maple syrup and eggs are exempt from getting a permit from the BOH. It is the responsibility of each vendor to ensure they have all of the applicable federal, state and local licenses, sales permits, and sales tax information. All relevant permits are to be kept on hand at the market and copies should be sent to the market manager ([email protected]). Vendors with documentation not current will not be permitted to set-up.
Liability Insurance: All vendors must carry their own general liability insurance (1M/occurance, 2M General Aggregate) and must list Dartmouth Farmers’ Market as additionally insured. Please email or send the Market Manager ([email protected]) your certificate of insurance with the market listed as additionally insured. The insurance purchased by DFM does not protect individual vendors, and DFM and St. Mary’s Church will assume no liability for loss or injury caused by products sold by any vendor. If you are not currently insured we recommend Artisans, Crafters, and Tradesman (www.actinsurance.com) or Simply Business (simplybusiness.com) or Next Insurance (www.nextinsurance.com).
Market Fees - All market fees must be paid in full no later than May 15, 2024. Vendors attending on a weekly basis must pay their fee before the start of each market. Failure to pay on time will lead to suspension from the market until payment is received. Hardship payment plans may be accepted with the approval of the Market Manager provided the vendor contacts management prior to the due date.
The fee for the full season (22 weeks; June - October) is $330 per 10' x 10' space. You can also sign up for a half season (10 weeks, e.g., biweekly or select Wednesdays) at $185 for the half season. If you wish to attend individual markets, the fee is $28/market. There are no refunds for canceled markets (due to weather) or markets that you miss. An invoice will be emailed once we receive your vendor application. A non-refundable 50% deposit is due upon receipt. Your vendor spot will not be confirmed until we receive your deposit. Payments can be made online via card or e-check. Checks returned for insufficient funds will be charged a $35 fee.
Signage/Labels: Each vendor space shall be identified with the farm or business name, and all prices clearly marked for each item. Ingredient lists for products should be available and all bakers and food producers should list allergens. Any items sourced from another farm/producer should be properly labeled with the farm/business name and location (see sourcing rules below).
Product Sourcing: DFM is a producer only market. Vendors must produce or grow the majority of what they are selling. Any product bought for resale must be locally grown/produced (we define local as Massachusetts and Rhode Island) and you must label the product with the name and location of the source (farm/producer). An example is if you sell strawberries from another farm you need to label the strawberries with the name and location of that farm, so consumers know where the product actually comes from. This is not only a requirement of DFM, but is required by the Food Safety Modernization Act, which is enforced by MDAR in collaboration with the FDA. DFM does NOT allow produce bought in from wholesalers. You can only resale produce bought from the farm that grew that produce.
Items not commercially produced/available locally (i.e., olive oil) may be allowed at the market at the discretion of the Market Manager. Products from other New England states- NH, CT, ME, VT- will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please discuss with the Market Manager first for approval.
**Repeated failure to label food/products that are not grown or produced by a vendor or not having proper price and signage will result in a written warning. Buying and reselling food that is not locally grown (locally grown = grown in Massachusetts or Rhode Island) will result in a written warning. If you receive 3 written warnings, you will not be allowed to return to the market for the season and you will not be refunded your remaining market fee.
Scales: Scales utilized at the market must be inspected and sealed annually by a Sealer of Weights and Measurements.
Assigned Space & Tents: Tents are required at all times for participation at the Dartmouth Farmers Market. Vendors must set up and stay within the confines of their allotted 10’ x 10’ space(s) except when otherwise directed by the Market Manager. A space will be assigned to each vendor at the beginning of the season; however, the market reserves the right to move a vendor from their assigned location for any reason. All vendors must secure their tent with weights/stakes with each leg being individually secured with at least 40 pounds per leg. In the event of dangerous high winds, the market manager may request that tents be taken down for safety reasons. Each vendor is responsible for setting up and breaking down their own tent and display. Each vendor is responsible for keeping their area clean and removing all trash at the end of the market.
Booth Sharing: Sharing booths is only allowed with permission of the Market Manager.
Extreme Weather: The Dartmouth Farmers’ Market is rain or shine and only cancels in extreme weather conditions. All vendors are expected to attend the market as usual unless notified by the market manager in advance of market opening. In the rare event of market cancellation vendors will be informed via email and/or text. Vendors cannot set up individually once a market has been officially canceled.
Indemnification: Upon submitting this application, Vendors agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Dartmouth Farmers’ Market and St. Mary’s Church, and their officers, agents and employees from and against all liabilities, loss, injuries, damages, and claims arising out of or related in any way to Vendor's participation in the Dartmouth Farmers’ Market.
Following the rules/Behavior: All vendors must follow the above stated rules and the directions of the Market Manager while at the market. Each vendor is expected to have a collegial relationship with all of our vendors and be courteous to the general public. DFM has ZERO tolerance for discrimination and/or harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, social status, mental or physical disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
If a problem should arise the Market Manager should be notified immediately so the situation is address appropriately. The market manager has the right to ask any vendor that does not abide by these rules to leave the market for that day and/or the remainder of the season if the infraction is not resolved.
Market Hours: The market is open every Friday from 12-5 pm, June 6 – October 31, 2025. All vendors must arrive early enough to market to be ready to sell when the market opens and must stay to the close of the market. The market opens with the ring of a bell, and vendors may not sell anything prior to the ringing of the opening bell. The market has a soft closing, meaning vendors may still sell to customers while packing up, but packing up must start at 5pm. Vendors may not leave the market early (even if they are sold out), without the permission of the Market Manager.
Attendance: Please give the Market Manager (Sarah Alves) at least 24 hours advance notice for necessary absences. Exceptions may be made for emergencies. There are no market fee refunds for cancellations.
Sarah can be reached at (781) 258-7621 (call or text) or [email protected].
Permits and licensing: All vendors selling food products must comply with state and local Board of Health (BOH) regulations and must obtain a permit from the Town of Dartmouth Health Department upon acceptance to the DFM. Unprocessed farm products including vegetables, fruit, honey, maple syrup and eggs are exempt from getting a permit from the BOH. It is the responsibility of each vendor to ensure they have all of the applicable federal, state and local licenses, sales permits, and sales tax information. All relevant permits are to be kept on hand at the market and copies should be sent to the market manager ([email protected]). Vendors with documentation not current will not be permitted to set-up.
Liability Insurance: All vendors must carry their own general liability insurance (1M/occurance, 2M General Aggregate) and must list Dartmouth Farmers’ Market as additionally insured. Please email or send the Market Manager ([email protected]) your certificate of insurance with the market listed as additionally insured. The insurance purchased by DFM does not protect individual vendors, and DFM and St. Mary’s Church will assume no liability for loss or injury caused by products sold by any vendor. If you are not currently insured we recommend Artisans, Crafters, and Tradesman (www.actinsurance.com) or Simply Business (simplybusiness.com) or Next Insurance (www.nextinsurance.com).
Market Fees - All market fees must be paid in full no later than May 15, 2024. Vendors attending on a weekly basis must pay their fee before the start of each market. Failure to pay on time will lead to suspension from the market until payment is received. Hardship payment plans may be accepted with the approval of the Market Manager provided the vendor contacts management prior to the due date.
The fee for the full season (22 weeks; June - October) is $330 per 10' x 10' space. You can also sign up for a half season (10 weeks, e.g., biweekly or select Wednesdays) at $185 for the half season. If you wish to attend individual markets, the fee is $28/market. There are no refunds for canceled markets (due to weather) or markets that you miss. An invoice will be emailed once we receive your vendor application. A non-refundable 50% deposit is due upon receipt. Your vendor spot will not be confirmed until we receive your deposit. Payments can be made online via card or e-check. Checks returned for insufficient funds will be charged a $35 fee.
Signage/Labels: Each vendor space shall be identified with the farm or business name, and all prices clearly marked for each item. Ingredient lists for products should be available and all bakers and food producers should list allergens. Any items sourced from another farm/producer should be properly labeled with the farm/business name and location (see sourcing rules below).
Product Sourcing: DFM is a producer only market. Vendors must produce or grow the majority of what they are selling. Any product bought for resale must be locally grown/produced (we define local as Massachusetts and Rhode Island) and you must label the product with the name and location of the source (farm/producer). An example is if you sell strawberries from another farm you need to label the strawberries with the name and location of that farm, so consumers know where the product actually comes from. This is not only a requirement of DFM, but is required by the Food Safety Modernization Act, which is enforced by MDAR in collaboration with the FDA. DFM does NOT allow produce bought in from wholesalers. You can only resale produce bought from the farm that grew that produce.
Items not commercially produced/available locally (i.e., olive oil) may be allowed at the market at the discretion of the Market Manager. Products from other New England states- NH, CT, ME, VT- will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please discuss with the Market Manager first for approval.
**Repeated failure to label food/products that are not grown or produced by a vendor or not having proper price and signage will result in a written warning. Buying and reselling food that is not locally grown (locally grown = grown in Massachusetts or Rhode Island) will result in a written warning. If you receive 3 written warnings, you will not be allowed to return to the market for the season and you will not be refunded your remaining market fee.
Scales: Scales utilized at the market must be inspected and sealed annually by a Sealer of Weights and Measurements.
Assigned Space & Tents: Tents are required at all times for participation at the Dartmouth Farmers Market. Vendors must set up and stay within the confines of their allotted 10’ x 10’ space(s) except when otherwise directed by the Market Manager. A space will be assigned to each vendor at the beginning of the season; however, the market reserves the right to move a vendor from their assigned location for any reason. All vendors must secure their tent with weights/stakes with each leg being individually secured with at least 40 pounds per leg. In the event of dangerous high winds, the market manager may request that tents be taken down for safety reasons. Each vendor is responsible for setting up and breaking down their own tent and display. Each vendor is responsible for keeping their area clean and removing all trash at the end of the market.
Booth Sharing: Sharing booths is only allowed with permission of the Market Manager.
Extreme Weather: The Dartmouth Farmers’ Market is rain or shine and only cancels in extreme weather conditions. All vendors are expected to attend the market as usual unless notified by the market manager in advance of market opening. In the rare event of market cancellation vendors will be informed via email and/or text. Vendors cannot set up individually once a market has been officially canceled.
Indemnification: Upon submitting this application, Vendors agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Dartmouth Farmers’ Market and St. Mary’s Church, and their officers, agents and employees from and against all liabilities, loss, injuries, damages, and claims arising out of or related in any way to Vendor's participation in the Dartmouth Farmers’ Market.
Following the rules/Behavior: All vendors must follow the above stated rules and the directions of the Market Manager while at the market. Each vendor is expected to have a collegial relationship with all of our vendors and be courteous to the general public. DFM has ZERO tolerance for discrimination and/or harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, social status, mental or physical disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
If a problem should arise the Market Manager should be notified immediately so the situation is address appropriately. The market manager has the right to ask any vendor that does not abide by these rules to leave the market for that day and/or the remainder of the season if the infraction is not resolved.
| 2024_market_rules.docx.pdf |