About the Lawrence Farmers’ Market

Our Story

Established in 1976, the Lawrence Farmers’ Market prides itself on the quality of our vendors and the products they sell at market. The LFM is a producer-only market which means all of the products available were grown, raised, made, and crafted by the individual in the booth. This encourages connection between consumer and producer, allowing the customer to feel comfortable asking how an item was made or grown knowing they will receive a knowledgeable answer. All of our vendors are located within 50 miles of Lawrence; shopping at the Lawrence Farmers’ Market reduces the carbon footprint of food production and supports the local economy.

Our Mission

The mission of the Lawrence Farmers Market is to provide children and adults in the Lawrence, KS area, with locally grown foods and farm products. This will be accomplished by improving access to local, healthy, affordable food through a direct farm-to-consumer marketing venue that will serve diverse populations, including those of low income.

Other goals that the Lawrence Farmers Market strives to achieve are increased education and support of Lawrence-area agriculture. The Lawrence Farmers Market believes that small, local farms are essential to the local economy and is committed to making economic and educational connections between Lawrence-area residents and local farmers.

Our Vendors

LFM is a producer-based market. A vendor must directly produce the majority of items offered on land the vendor owns or leases. A vendor may not purchase from wholesalers to resell at the Lawrence Farmers Market. All products must be grown or produced in Kansas, within 50 miles of Lawrence (the Board of Directors may, based on need, make exceptions to within 75 miles through a process of review and majority vote of the board).

Our Board of Directors

A Board of Directors manages the market under the LFM Bylaws. The Board is comprised of 6 Vendors, up to 5 Community representatives (elected by the market members), and 2 staff members (the Market Manager and Director of Development) as ex-officio (non-voting) members. Board members serve for 3 year periods and Vendor Members elect Directors at the Fall Annual Meeting any whose term of office has expired.

New Vendor Applications are accepted throughout the year and reviewed at the monthly Board meetings.

Monthly Board Meetings are on the first Monday of every month from 6:30-8:30pm, currently on Zoom, and open to the public. Please send an email to our Market Manager at lawrencefarmersmarket@gmail.com if you would like to attend a meeting.

Sarah Salzman, Chair

Vendor Member, Wild Alive Ferments

1st Term – Fall ‘21

wildaliveferments@gmail.com

Olivia Taylor-Puckett, Market Manager

Phil Holman-Hebert, Vice Chair

Vendor Member, Sweetlove Farm

1st Term – Fall ’21 (finishing past Director term)

phil@sweetlovefarm.com

Richard Taylor, Vendor Board Member

Jill Elmers, Treasurer

Vendor Member, Moon on the Meadow Farm

2nd Term – Fall ’22

jelmers@moononthemeadow.com

Olivia Taylor-Puckett, Market Manager

Jackie Stafford, Secretary

Community Member

1st Term – Fall ‘21

jackiestafford@sbcglobal.net

Elliot Pees, Vendor Member - KANbucha

Elliot Pees

Vendor Member, KANbucha

2nd Term – Fall ’22

elliotbp1@gmail.com

Lori Trojan

Vendor Member, Wild Ivy Herb Farm

1st Term – Fall ’21 (Finishing past Director term)

lbtrojan@gmail.com

Laurel Eastling

Vendor Member, Treeline Creations

1st Term – Summer ’24

laurelr1@gmail.com

Jim Guthrie

Community Member

1st Term – Fall ’21 (finishing past Director term)

jguthrie@ku.edu

Becky Harpstrite

Community Member

1st Term – Summer ’24

wildacresmedia@gmail.com

Open Seat

Community Member

Open Seat

Community Member

Our Staff

The Market Manager is responsible for on-site logistics at the farmers market. They are responsible for collecting stall fees, temporarily assigning the market day's floaters to stalls, managing vehicular traffic and parking, facilitating entertainers and community booths, and the on-site arbiter of any problems or disputes at-market. They are the liaison between the Board and the vendors and are responsible for all communications among and to the vendors. Want to become a vendor, play at market, or have your organization have a booth? Reach out to the Market Manager!

The Director of Development creates and executes a marketing plan for the season, facilitates and executes at-market programming, manages volunteers, and executes outreach in the community. They raise funds, find community sponsorships, and write grants for projects and at-market functions. The Director of Development leads the Long-Term Planning Committee, tasked with securing a new permanent location for the farmers market and acts as liaison between the Board and the community. Want to receive the customer newsletter, volunteer with the market, sponsor an activity, event, or project, become a regular donor, or be involved in the long-term visioning of the market? Reach out to the Director of Development!

Olivia Taylor-Puckett, Market Manager

Anna Skenadore

Market Manager

785-505-0117

lawrencefarmersmarket@gmail.com

Olivia Taylor-Puckett, Market Manager

Emily Lysen

Director of Development

785-550-4102

emily@lawrencefarmersmarket.org