Growing vegetables and fruit for the farmers market can be very profitable.  I would visit any market I planned on setting up my produce in for several weeks in a row prior to placing my own produce there.  This lets you judge the crowd that visits to buy the produce.  Not only that, but you can also see what others are selling.  Usually if you have the same line of produce others have you are almost guaranteed success.  I would also try to introduce a new vegetable ever week or so. 

Vegetables must be fresh and clean to sell to others.  If you have bug or bird bites on them, do not sell them to others.  Wash produce well and it is a good idea to carry ice water with you and a spray bottle.  You can keep your produce looking great by spraying them through out the day with the ice water.  Just do not over do it.  Arrange your produce in a good display.  For instance carrots next to greens are very effective as is tomatoes next to greens.

 

The roadside sales are good too if you can find a busy street or intersection where people can pull off of the road with ease to shop.  But let me stress that you must have traffic in both roadside or farmers markets to make a go of it in selling.  So scout the locations carefully.

 

You will probably find the best stalls at the farmers markets are already taken by long time vendors.  Do not despair over this.  Set up in the best location you can get, and stay in the same space every week unless a better location becomes available.  When you find a good spot do not move, stay there.  People will get used to you and become regulars at your booth.  Do not cut prices trying to get more sales.  This only makes other vendors angry with you but it is also harder for you to raise your prices later on when you may need to.  The only time I would advise cutting prices is just prior to the market closing and you need to get rid of left over produce.  You could run a thirty minute sale at that time.

 

There are very simple rules to running a good stand. 

(1) Have great produce.  If you see bad produce and the customer does not, take the bad one out and replace it with good produce.  You will have a customer for life.

(2) Keep it clean and fresh looking.

(3) Be honest in weight and measures.  Give a little extra.  Never less.

(4) Be friendly.

(5) Open your stand on time and keep it open until closing time.

 

Telling them what is good to grow is really hard since they live in Canada.  Here we found out that onions, cabbage, lettuce, all sold real well in winter and early spring.  Then in the late spring and summer we sold tomatoes, squash of all kinds, cream peas and beans.  We replanted in mid to late August to sell more of the same in the fall.  But here we grow a garden all year round.  I do not think they can do it there.

Herbs of all kinds are really great sellers.  Especially if you can get them to market still fresh.  If not then herb vinegars and dried herbs are also good sellers.  They would have to check the local ordinances to see if selling this type of produce is allowed.  This is such a vast subject, I would recommend if they want to sell herbs, to buy a book for herbs grown in their area.  Local restaurants are a great place to sell herbs and produce.  Most restaurants love to feature locally grown produce in their dishes.  But you must have a steady supply for this market.

With an area as large as they have to grow produce, they should be able to make several thousand dollars per year over their costs.  Remember two things.  Compost and raised beds.

Hope this helps.