The Manager's Guide to Relationship-Building

This guide from the Management Center helps managers build more supportive and effective relationships with their employees, which can act as the foundation for a strong and resilient workplace. 2021.

Vendor Relations and Boundaries for Market Managers

This document from the Washington State Farmers Market Association provides tips for managers on developing and cultivating strong relationships with their vendors. It also discusses boundaries, teamwork, and dealing with conflict. 2016.

West Virginia Farmers Market Association Farmers Market Planning Toolkit

This toolkit walks users through the basics of creating a farmers market, including information on legal structures, governance, building a board of directors, and finding funding. 2023.

Employment Classification for Farmers Market Managers

This document from the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems helps market managers understand how to classify their employees and avoid the risk of violating federal and state employment and labor laws. 2023.

Manage My Market

This helpful online management software helps busy market managers streamline their workload by providing one place to manage vendor applications, accounting, licensing, and website tools. 2024.

NC Small Business Center Network (NCSBCN)

NCSBCN’s website provides information about services, resources, and trainings for market managers to learn business skills, including bookkeeping, marketing, and start-up assistance. Use the drop-down menu at the top of the “Training” page to find your local community college’s small business center and see what upcoming events they are hosting. No date.

Creating a Legacy Binder

The Center for Agriculture and Food Systems recommends that farmers market managers compile a binder or folder of historical and current information for easy reference. The binder should include governance and other important documents, market rules and policies, and daily-use documents with information like passwords, marketing materials, and the like. 2018.

How to Handle Customer Conflict Resolution Like a Boss

This brief article outlines 20 common customer service conflicts and provides solutions for each conflict. Number 9, about policy compliance conflicts, might be especially helpful for market managers trying to enforce pet policies. No date.

Creative Interventions Toolkit

This toolkit from Creative Interventions walks readers through the ways that regular people can stop interpersonal violence around them. While it’s mostly focused on domestic and family violence, there are lessons that can be applied to mitigating violence in workplaces, organizations, and communities at large. The companion workbook is available here. 2020.

Who to Call for Help When You Don't Want to Call the Cops

From VICE, this article guides readers through scenarios in which calling the police might not be the safest option, and provides resources for helpful alternatives. It is important to consider who might be most negatively affected and/or harmed if the police are called (ex: BIPOC, unhoused people, anyone experiencing a mental health crisis, etc). 2021.

5 Strategies for Conflict Resolution in the Workplace

In this article from Harvard Business School, you can learn five different tips for dealing with various conflict scenarios in and out of the workplace. 2023.

20 Ways to De-Escalate Emotional Situations

This article from Psychology Today illustrates twenty different tactics for de-escalating tense situations that can be very helpful for market managers attempting to resolve disputes with vendors or customers. 2023.

The Ultimate Guide to Volunteer Recruitment

This guide gives a list of 20 ways to recruit and retain volunteers, including using social media, partnering with local schools’ service organizations, and connecting with civic groups. 2024.

Volunteer Management: The Essential Guide

This article provides helpful information about volunteer management software, volunteer grant programs, and engagement strategies to promote volunteer retention. 2024.

Volunteers at Farmers Markets: Managing Legal Risks

This guide from the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit provides market managers with information about the difference between employees and volunteers, the legal risks associated with using volunteers, and the legal risks volunteers might face. 2024.