North Square Farmers Market • Chambersburg, PA
2014 Market Guidelines

Chambersburg’sonly open-air farmers market, we pride ourselves in supporting healthy living while promoting
local and sustainable growers, local talent, and local entrepreneurs. Our mission is to provide convenient access to superior quality, local produce and products in a family-friendly, positive community atmosphere.

  1. Participation: Vendors selling produce, plants and food goods must also produce such items. Farms must be located within a 50 mile radius of Chambersburg, PA. It is our intent to disallow practices such as the buying and reselling of commercially available goods and goods available in bulk, such as at an auction. [See c. Resale Items]
  1. Bakers and Secondary producers of preserved or prepared foods must make all products from scratch and use local ingredients when available.
  2. Value-added products: A value-added product is any raw product altered by the producer in order to increase its worth like jams, jellies, canned goods, etc. List value-added items on the vendor application.
  3. Resale Items are permitted as it benefits the market as a whole, does not cause competition with a regular vendor, and must meet the following requirements:

1)Producer of the resale item must be located within 50 miles of the vendor’s farm, for a total radius not to exceed 100 miles from Chambersburg.

2)Requests to resell items should be submitted on the vendor application, or directly to the market coordinator prior to market day.

3)All resold items must be accompanied by signage indicating the product’s origin (i.e. “Shippensburg”).

4)Total volume of resale items may not exceed 25% of a vendor’s stand.

  1. Cooperative stands: A cooperative stand consists of 2-3 farms, operating under one name while sharing a stand at market. Applications and market signage must clearly state the nature of the cooperative, as well as the cooperative’s market name. Each farm must carry liability insurance as stated in Item 5.
  2. Community Vendors are non-profit organizations invited to participate at NSFM in order to boost market traffic and publicity while advertising their community-minded cause. Community vendors must:

1)Not sell at market. If opting to sell, the Day Vendor fee of $25 per market day will apply.

2)Be approved by the NSFM Committee.

3)Make no more than 1 market appearance per month.

4)Adhere to all NSFM vendor rules and regulations.

  1. Market Operation: The 2014 NSFM Market Season will run 22 weeks, from May 24th – October 18th. Market days are Saturday mornings, 8am – 12noon, rain or shine. On the second Saturday of each month, market hours will be extended from 8am – 1pm (See 2nd Saturday Events). Major market days (Chambersfest and Applefest) will have extended hours of 8am-3pm (See Major Market Days). The market is held at 50 North Main Street in downtown Chambersburg (the lot located behind KingStreetChurch, closest to Main St, adjacent to ‘Light it Up’).
  2. Set Up - Vendors are assigned two numbered parking lot spaces. Set up begins as early as 6:30am, though most vendors arrive around 7am. Vendor vehicles unload first, then park in lots adjacent to the market area.
  3. Major Market Days are exceptional sales days for our vendors and great advertising for vendors and the market as a whole. NSFM is open from 8am – 3pm on two Chambersburg festival event days during the season. Vendors are encouraged to stay until 3pm, but are not required. If unable to stay, the vendor’s stand will be placed towards the back of the market for that market day due to safety reasons. Day Vendors are NOT permitted on major market days.
  • Old Market Day/Chambersfest – July 19th, 2014
  • Applefest (last day of NSFM season) –October 18th, 2014
  1. 2nd Saturday Events – On the second Saturday of each month, the market holds a special/sponsored event. Hours will be extended until 1pm. Day vendors are encouraged.
  2. June 14th – TBD
  3. July 12th – TBD
  4. August 9th – Kids’ Vendor Day
  5. September 13th – Dog Day
  6. October 11th – Pumpkinpalooza
  1. Commitment and Attendance: Vendors are expected to fulfill their commitment made at the beginning of the market season. Empty stands adversely affect fellow vendors and the market as a whole. In the event of absence, the market reserves the right to adjust vendor placement as appropriate.
  2. If a vendor is unable to attend market, he/she must call the market coordinator with as much advanced notice as possible. It is expected that vendors will make every attempt to garner an employee/replacement to man their stand prior to calling in an absence.
  3. Vendors must have a minimum of 80% attendance. [Full season = 4 absences; half season = 2 absences.]
  4. Vendors must be set up and ready to sell at 8am, with no sales prior to 8am.
  5. Vendors must stay set up until 12noon/1pm, even if having sold out of inventory. This is a safety issue. Exceptions must be approved by the Market Management.
  1. Fees: Once application is accepted, fees are non-refundable. Vendors may not participate at market until payment, applicable licensing, and proof of insurance are received. Rates for the 2014 market season follow:
  • Full Season Vendor (22 weeks): $50, plus 5% commission on daily sales
  • Half Season Vendor (11 weeks): $35, plus 5% commission on daily sales
  • Day Vendor (not accepted on Old Market Day or Applefest): $25, flat fee*

* Day Vendors who choose to apply to become regular vendors, and are approved by the market committee, will have their day vendor fee credited to their regular vendor fee and the 5% commission will apply.

Commissions - NSFM operates on the basis of trust and in the spirit of community. Unlike some farmers markets, we do not count receipts or ask for commissions on the spot. Even so, timely and accurate sales reporting and commission payment are essential to the operation of the market. Commissions are paid once per month. A convenient monthly market envelope will be given to each vendor at the start of the month to help track daily sales and to remit commission at the month’s end.

  1. Insurance: Accepted applicants must submit proof of liability insurance* prior to their first market day, listing the following party as additionally insured and providing a copy of the insurance certificate.
  • North Square Farmers Market, 50 North Main Street, Chambersburg, PA17201

*Vendors unwilling or unable to garner insurance may sign a Hold Harmless Agreement..

  1. Hold Harmless Clause: All authorized vendors/businesses/corporations participating in NSFM shall be individually and severally responsible to NSFM for any loss, personal injury, deaths, and/or any other damage that may occur as a result of the vendors’ negligence or that of its servants, agents and employees, and all vendors hereby agree to indemnify and save NSFM harmless from any loss, cost, damages, and other expenses, including attorneys’ fees, suffered or incurred by NSFM by reason of the vendors’ negligence or that of its servants, agents and employees; provided that the vendors shall not be responsible nor required to indemnify NSFM for negligence of NSFM, its servants, agents and employees.
  2. Safety: Canopies and shade structures must be weighted and secured appropriately. In the event of severe weather, canopies must be lowered. Keep aisles and walkways clear at all times. And though we are a family-friendly market and greatly encourage vendors to come as a family, it’s important that market children are not inadvertently impeding sales of other vendors and that their toys/equipment are used in open space, away from customers, and stored out of traffic areas.
  3. Unloading: Vendors are to unload, then park vehicles in one of the surrounding lots outside of the market area. Please do not begin setting up your stand prior to vehicle parking. Vendor maps are provided prior to market day.
  4. Regulatory Compliance: Vendors must comply with all Chambersburg Borough, state, and federal regulations that apply to their business. These include, but are not limited to:
  • Pesticide licensing and their safe use,
  • Approval of weigh scales by the area weights and measures officer,
  • Organic certification* for products claimed as such
  • State sales tax collected as required, and
  • Health and labeling regulations that apply to preserves, honey, cider, baked goods, canned goods, eggs, dairy products, etc.
  • All applicable state and local licensing.

*The term organic may be used only for those products that are certified organic by an approved certification program. Producers using such methods but lacking certification may use other terms such as ‘chemical-free,’ where appropriate.

Please provide PDA and/or USDA license or registration to keep on file. Prepared food vendors may need a ServSafe Certification ( or (800) 765-2122, ext. 6703). Direct questions to: Chambersburg’s Commonwealth Code and Inspection Services (CCIS) at 717-262-0081. It is each individual vendor’s responsibility to be aware of, and in full compliance with, applicable regulations. Licenses and certifications are to be displayed and visible at all times.

  1. Signage: Vendors must clearly display the name and location of their farm on a sign at their stand. Pricing signs must be visible for all products being sold. If a vendor is approved to resell, the town of origin must be indicated.
  2. Vendor Restroom: Vendors have been kindly offered access to the restrooms at ‘Light it Up’ as well as at C&C Coffee. We can show them our thanks with our patronage to their establishments.
  3. Cleanliness: Vendors must use common cleanliness practices such as general sanitation, clean personal appearance, handwashing, covering samples, providing trash receptacles for samples, and keeping stands neat and tidy during market. All waste and garbage must be removed at the end of the market day.
  4. Food Storage – All food, ice, food handling utensils and food-related items must be stored off the ground. All food-related items must be transported, stored and served using food-grade containers, utensils and equipment.
  5. Perishable Items – Keep all refrigerated/perishable items such as dairy products, eggs and meat at 41 degrees or less during transport, storage and display.
  6. Produce – Sell only uncut fruits and vegetables of the highest quality and freshness. Produce offered as samples should be provided with toothpicks and kept covered to avoid contamination. Mist greens that are susceptible to wilting throughout the day to maintain freshness.
  7. Site Visits: All vendors shall allow NSFM representatives to visit their farm and/or production facilities. A vendor’s submission of an application constitutes the vendor’s consent to such site visits.
  8. Compliance with Market Rules: Market guidelines are in place to maintain a safe and positive atmosphere. Failure to comply with the rules listed here compromises the integrity of the market and will result in the following actions:
  9. First offense – verbal warning
  10. Second offense – written notice
  11. Repeated offenses or offenses deemed extreme by market management will result in action by the NSFM Committee, and will be at the discretion of the Committee in regards to the offense, which may include, but is not limited to, space assignment changes, suspension and/or permanent removal from market. The NSFM Committee has the right to supersede any and all of the above steps based on the severity of the infraction.
  1. Application and Approval Process: New and returning vendors must apply to the market under one of the following categories based on their primary commodities and be approved by the NSFM Committee. Approval is based on space availability and demand for the products being offered.

Vendor Categories:

Vegetables/Fruits • Meat/Fish • Dairy • Baked Goods• Cut Flowers/Live Plants
Artisan Craft • Specialty/Gourmet • Prepared Food • Other

  1. New vendors should submit applications at least 3 weeks prior to their intended start date.
  2. Given compliance with all market rules from the previous year and given that the nature of the products being sold has not dramatically shifted, returning vendors are automatically approved for the next market season, but still must resubmit their application and accompanying documents. Returning vendors are asked to give notification of intent for the following year on the last day of the regular market season.
  3. The market reserves the right to choose its vendors so as to enhance the quality and variety of goods offered, to protect the interests of other vendors, and to benefit the market as a whole.
  1. Promotions: NSFM promotes vendors via market brochure, website, and social media.
  2. Creative Marketing - Vendors are encouraged to offer weekly promotions, sales, coupons, and the like.
  3. Mid-week marketing – We promote our vendors’ products prior to market day. If a vendor is interested, contact the Market Coordinator on Wednesday with either a list of that week’s market items (produce vendors) or with a featured item. Images, descriptions, recipes, etc. are welcome but not required.
  4. Vendors may be asked, on occasion, to donate merchandise for the purpose of promotions or as a thank you to entertainers or volunteers. Though not required, participation is appreciated.
  1. Professionalism – It is expected that vendors behave in a professional manner. This includes, but is not limited to, the appearance of stands, vendor's approach-ability, all proper licensing and signage displayed, punctuality, cleaning up one’s area during market and upon leaving, proper customer service and ability to work with market staff and vendors.
  2. Wooden Nickel Participation: All eligible vendors must participate in our EBT/Debit wooden nickel program. Guidelines and reimbursement procedures will be provided.
  3. Eco-friendly: Please reflect the market’s initiative to be ‘green.’ When preparing for this market season, please choose recyclable storage/bagging materials, opting for paper over plastic and avoiding Styrofoam.
  4. NSFM reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to revise market guidelines. Any revisions would be made in the best interest of the market and with fair notice.

By placing my initials in this box, I am acknowledging that I have read and agree to the rules, terms and policies outlined in these Market Guidelines.

Vendor Signature ______Date ______