Trying to Move to BR - Need Advice on the Area

[Loralcb]

Yes, the one in Denham Springs is every Saturday. It is on Florida Blvd. in the parking lot of James Grill across from McDonald's.

[LABeekeeper]

Hello KJ,

The first Saturday of each month, there is a market in Clinton, LA at the court house. No vendor fees. I sell my local honey and beeswax candles there as well as do a couple other local beekeepers I know. It is a big event with all type of vendors (farmers, crafts, food, music, etc.). [font=Arial][SIZE=3] [/SIZE

Red Stick Market in Baton Rouge is a government organization and you have to pay fees complete with inspections of your operation to sell at their markets. In addition to the normal application and yearly membership fee, there is a daily vendor fee. You also must carry various types of insurance to sell from what I have read on their site and heard from vendors. Go to their website at: http://redstickfarmersmarket.org/main/
for applications and list of fees. They have the main market on Saturday in downtown BR, Thursday market on Perkins, and I think another one elsewhere. You must prior commit to sell at XX number of markets per month/year
A beekeeper friend of mine told me that to sell at the Denham Springs Farmers Market, part of your operation must be in Livingston Parish.

There are a number of other markets across Louisiana from during the week and on weekends. To find a list of farmer markets by state, go to Local Harvest: http://www.localharvest.org/. You can get a free listing or if you want establish an online store. I have been a member selling my honey and products since 2005. Great way to get nationwide customers
New Orleans
http://www.crescentcityfarmersmarket.org/

Gretna (NO metro)
http://www.gretnala.com/department/division.asp?fDD=1-52

A number of festivals in Louisiana invite vendors to sell at their events. Many have pretty hefty vendor fees. I have paid up to $250.00 just to sell at a one day event. Do searches on the internet to find them.

If you want to increase your products that you can sell, consider becoming a beekeeper. In Baton Rouge, you can keep colonies in your back yard. The number of colonies you can have depends on your lot size and distance to property lines/roads.

If producing local honey appeals to you, I can mentor you in beekeeping. As most beekeepers do not own large acreages of land, you can keep colonies on farms and open parcels owned by other folks and pay them honey for rent. There are also many small farmers that are receptive to having beekeepers run colonies on their farms for pollination, but cannot afford commercial pollination rentals.

Join the Louisiana State Beekeepers Association, http://www.labeekeepers.org/

In the Baton Rouge area, the Capital Area Beekeepers Association meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm at the Louisiana State Agriculture and Forestry Building at 5825 Florida Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70806. Membership in each is only $10.00 per year. Through the CABA you can purchase 3 pound packages of honeybees for $40.00 per package. PM me and I can provide you will all the info and equipment on beekeeping.