DOWNTOWN
HELENA BID
225 Cruse Avenue
Helena, MT 59601
Phone: (406) 447-1535
Fax: (406) 447-1533
info@downtownhelena.com

Executive Director
BID/DHI/HPC
Jim McHugh

Office Coordinator
Erica Dana

Helena Farmers' Market Inc. is a non-profit corporation formed in 1974 to provide a mechanism for an ongoing seasonal farmers' market. Fees collected are used for insurance, licenses, advertising, market manager wages, etc. Sellers are expected to abide by the following rules. Any violation may result in immediate suspension of selling privileges.

1. Only Montana agricultural products and hand crafted items produced or manufactured by the vendors, baked goods, jams and jellies, etc. may be sold at the Helena Farmers' Market. Any items produced outside of the State of Montana will require prior approval by the Board of Directors and the Market Manager before being sold.

2. Vendors are not to arrive at the market place on Saturday before 7:00a.m. and must clean up their area and leave as soon as possible after the market closes at 1:00 p.m.

3. Non-reserved vendors must check in the market manager prior to entering or setting up their space. All non-reserved vendors must pay $10.00 for 10 feet of space or $20.00 for 20 feet of space or 10% of sales, which ever is greater. The initial $10/$20 deposit must be paid IN ADVANCE OF ENTERING THE MARKET and the additional 10% collected by the Market Manager at the end of the selling day. EXAMPLES: If a $10 deposit was made and the vendor sold $0 to $100, or a $20 deposit was made and the vendor sold $0 to $200 no other fee is required. However, if the vendor making the $10 deposit sold over $100 worth of merchandise and the vendor making the $20 deposit sold over $200, then the vendor will be required to pay the Market Manager an additional 10% of the amount over $100 or $200 at the end of the market.

Reserved vendors must prepay a non-refundable fee prior to June 1st and are entitled to a seasonal, reserved space each market day. The vendor will retain the same location through out the season. The fees for reserved spaces are as follows: $225 for 10 feet; $375 for 20 feet; $525 for 30 feet and $625 for 40 feet.

If a reserved space is not occupied by 8:00 a.m. on Saturday market day, the Market Manager may reassign that space for the day to another vendor. However, if the reserved vendor knows in advance that he/she will arrive at the market later than 8:00 a.m. he/she MUST call the Market Manager at 202-1886 or Helen Kittel at 442-0605 prior to 8:00 a.m. and request that the manager kept his/her space open for him/her due to late arrival. If the reserved vendor knows he will not be present on a certain market day, please contact the Market Manager of Helen Kittel prior to 8:00 a.m. of that day so that the space can be assigned to another vendor without waiting for the 8:00 a.m. deadline.

The Saturday market is held on Fuller Avenue and opens for business at 9:00 a.m. and closes at 1:00 p.m. Set up time is 7:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.

The Wednesday market opens for business at 4:00 p.m. and closes at 6:30 p.m. Set up time is between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. There is no market fees for Wednesday markets. Check the Alive @ Five ad in the Wednesday edition of the Independent Record for the location of Wednesday markets.

4.. Vehicles are not allowed to remain in the market area. Vendors may drive their vehicle into the market area, unload your products, tables, etc., AND IMMEDIATELY REMOVE YOUR VEHICLE FROM THE MARKET AREA BEFORE SETTING UP YOUR STAND. ALL VEHICLES MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE MARKET AREA BY 8:45 A.M. You may bring your products into the market area in a small trailer, leave the trailer in the market area, but remove your vehicle. The trailer must be small enough that if you set up along side of it, the total width is not over 10 feet from the curb. Refrigerated trucks and trucks requiring electric scales, etc. will be allowed to remain in the market area, but must be assigned a space at either end of the market area for the market day. VENDORS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES INTO THE MARKET AREA AT THE END OF MARKET UNTIL THE MARKET CLOSES AT 1:00 P.M. VENDORS MUST HAVE ALL OF THEIR REMAINING PRODUCT PACKED, STACKED AND TABLES TORE DOWN BEFORE BRINGING ON THEIR VEHICLE. ENTER THE MARKET AREA FROM THE SOUTH ENTRANCE ONLY. DO NOT PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHEN LOADING; LEAVE ROOM FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE TO BE ABLE TO PASS YOU ON ONE SIDE. If a vendor needs to leave the market early and needs to load their tables, etc., into their vehicle, they must get permission from the Market Manager prior to set up and will be assigned a space for the day at either end of the market in order to be able to load their vehicle without bringing it into the market. Early departing from the inside area (not ends) requires the vendor to hand carry all remaining product, tables, etc. to their vehicle. The 20 foot fire lane must be kept open before, during and after market hours; from the time the road closure signs are put up and until they are taken down.

5. All produce should be fresh and clean. Produce being sold must not be in contact with the ground. Non-edible products are exempt from this provision.

6. All vendors must: a) plainly display an 8 1/2 inch x 11 inch card (or larger) with their NAME, CITY, STATE and ZIP CODE; b) provide all sales equipment and; c) establish product pricing. Weight scales are permitted if scales used are certified by the State Division of Weights and Measures and the inspection seal attached to the scale. The scales must be positioned in your selling area so that the customer has actual visual contact with the scale and can read the weight of their purchase. The vendor must also have a price per pound of each item plainly listed.

7.SAMPLES: In order to comply with the State of Montana and Lewis and Clark County Health Department rules and regulations, samples of cut fruit or produce, unwrapped sliced baked goods, unsealed preserves or other cut unwrapped or unsealed food products will not be allowed. See rule 12 below on violations. Samples of whole fruit or vegetables is allowed but must be in their whole form. Example: a whole peach. Samples of baked goods or candies is allowed if the sample is wrapped. Example: a whole cookie or a wrapped slice of banana bread. Jam preserves, salsa, syrup, etc. samples must be in a vacuum sealed jar and the entire sealed jar given as the sample.

8. RESTRICTED PRODUCT RULES
a) HONEY SALES: Only honey produced from hives licensed by the Montana Department of Agriculture may be sold. Honey must be processed in accordance with State and County Health Department rules and regulations. Plastic or metal containers are suggested.
b) EGGS: Seller must abide by the Montana Department of Agriculture and the Lewis & Clark County Health Department's rules and regulations.
c) BAKED GOODS, CANDIES and PRESERVES: May be sold at Helena Farmers' Market (Sections 50-50-102, 50-50-103 and 50-50-202, MCA enacted by the 1995 Montana Legislature). All such items must be labeled with ingredients, and preparer's name and address neatly printed and legible on each container or individually wrapped item. It is the responsibility of the individual seller to ensure that such products are fresh and of the highest quality. The individual seller must provide the Market Manager with a list of all food items they will be selling at each market.
d) FOOD OTHER PROCESSED FOODS, FISH, and MEATS: Only State of Montana Licensed Food Purveyors are permitted to sell these products at the Market provided such license or copy thereof, is posted at their selling area.
e)NURSERY STOCK: Please see the attachment regarding the selling of nursery stock.
f)ORGANIC PRODUCE/FOOD: Please see the attachment regarding the selling of produce or food items labeled or marked "organic".
g)SALE OF ANIMALS: All animals being sold (i.e. rabbits, chickens, pups, etc.) MUST be confined . Sellers are not allowed to bring their pets to the market.

9. The sale of locally produced handcrafted items is encouraged. No sale of garage sale or flea market items is permitted at the Helena Farmers' Market.

10. City of Helena and Lewis and Clark County and State of Montana Ordinances are enforced.

11. Any activity that may jeopardize the status of the Helena Farmers' Market as a non-profit corporation is prohibited. Handouts, petition drives or solicitations by anyone is not permitted within the blocked off market area but is allowed outside of the market area, either at the south or north end of Fuller Avenue.

12. Vendors not complying with any of the above market rules, state and county health department laws, fire lane codes, etc shall receive a written notice from the market manager for each violation. Upon receiving the third written violation notice during the market season, the vendor will be allowed a hearing before the Board of Directors and may be expelled from the market for the season.

13. The Helena Farmers Market is not responsible for any breakage or loss of any vendors product. The vendor must obtain their own private insurance if they want their product covered by insurance.

YOUR COOPERATION AND PARTICIPATION IN THE HELENA FARMERS' MARKET IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

For further questions contact Mike Burke, Market Manager, 202-1886, Wayne O'Brien, President 449-7446 Ext 301, or Helen Kittel, Vice President 442-0605.