Market FAQ

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Is the market open despite the weather?

Yes, our markets are open year-round, rain or shine! If for any reason the market has to close, it will be posted on our Instagram.

How do I become a vendor?

The process to become a vendor at TFM markets starts on our website here. On this page you will find vendor category information, pricing, market rules, and more. 

I applied to be a vendor, how can I check in on my application?

Please send an email to info@texasfarmersmarket.org to inquire about your application status. Please note that due to our very small team and the number of inquiries we receive, it can take some time for our team to respond.

Are you taking compost at the market?

Compost drop-off is available at Bell only.  On Saturdays you can drop your compost off at TFM Bell at the info booth from 9am-1pm.  Due to logistical issues, composting is still on hold at Mueller until further notice, but we are raising funds to bring it back. Find more info here.

Can my band play at the market?

We currently have live music at our Bell market on Saturdays from 9am-1pm, and at our Mueller market on Sundays form 10am-2pm on special occasions. Please send an email with your band’s information and samples of your music to marketing@texasfarmersmarket.org. We will be in touch if it is a good fit for our markets!*

*Please note that due to the small size of our team and number of inquiries we receive, it can take some time for us to get back to you.

How can I see what vendors are attending the market this weekend?

We post a list of attending vendors and our market layouts every Friday on our website at this link. You can also sign up for our weekly newsletter that goes out on Fridays with a link to the list.

Where can I find info about your current vendors and what they sell?

You can find a list of current vendors at TFM at Bell here and TFM at Mueller here.

What produce will be at the market this weekend?

Every Friday we post a list of the seasonal produce our farmers are bringing on our website and social media. Follow us on Instagram and on Facebook (TFM at Bell, TFM at Mueller)

What is in season at the market right now?

You can find a list of monthly seasonal produce on our website here.

Can I pre-order from vendors?

Yes, many of our vendors take pre-orders for pick-up at the market. You can find information on pre-ordering (if available) in our vendor directories (Bell Vendors, Mueller Vendors), on each vendor page. If you don’t see any information for a certain vendor, we recommend checking with the vendors in person or online to see if it is an option.

Why aren’t there more farmers?

Welcoming new farmers and ranchers to our markets is always a priority. Unfortunately, as urban areas grow, farmland is not only lost, but what remains is becoming increasingly expensive – which in turn, makes it harder for young farmers to join the vocation as older farmers retire. Ensuring that more young people can enter the field is very important and something we encourage shoppers to advocate for, especially when they are dismayed by the fact that local market vendor makeup is not 100% agricultural producers. In addition, farmers and ranchers are also facing increasingly extreme weather circumstances like the recent freezes in winter and extreme heat/draught this summer, which can dramatically affect their crops. Please visit this page to read content we published in National Farmers’ Market Week 2022 to educate and inform our shoppers further about these issues.

Do you have a map of where vendors are located?

Yes, we post our market layouts every week on Fridays on our website at this link. You can also scan the QR code at our information booth at the markets. If you can’t find a specific vendor, you can always ask our team at the info booth and someone will point you in the right direction!

Who sells eggs?

At Bell, the following vendors sell chicken eggs: Flintrock Hill Farm, Humble Rooster, Smith & Smith Farms, and Southern Star Farms. In addition, Belle Vie sells duck eggs and Munkebo Farm sells quail eggs, and occasionally has goose and chicken eggs.

At Mueller, the following vendors sell chicken eggs: Hackamore Ranch, Shirttail Creek Farm, Southern Star Farms, Smith & Smith Farms, & True Bird Farm. In addition, Belle Vie sells duck eggs and Munkebo Farm sells quail eggs, and occasionally has goose and chicken eggs.

Do you have any organic farmers?

We do have some certified organic farmers, including Lone Star Lettuce Growers (Bell & Mueller). In addition, while not certified organic Belle Vie Farm & Kitchen (Bell and Mueller) and True Bird Farm (Mueller) only feed their animals certified organic feed. However the majority of our farmers do also use organic farming methods but just aren’t technically certified, as the process can be expensive for smaller farmers. Our team inspects all farmers and ranchers to ensure that they meet our market sustainability guidelines, which you can read about here. 

Why did the Mueller market move?

The Branch Park Pavilion has been in construction for about 8 years, with the intention of providing a permanent location for the Mueller market. The Mueller development has plans to sell the Browning Hangar, so this move has been in the works for quite some time and we are so grateful to have this beautiful new space dedicated to local food and farming!

The Pavilion at Branch Park is more centrally accessible to Mueller residents and district parking garages and provides an indoor and outdoor cover for market vendors and attendees. The pavilion features  19,800+ square feet of gathering space; loading/unloading area to accommodate booths, tents, and stages; three walls of floor-to-ceiling glass, bi-folding “garage-style” overhead doors to provide a covered, yet open-air atmosphere; overhead ceiling fans to help with summer-time open air comfort; heating and cooling for closed venue climate control; concessions facilities and two sets of unisex restrooms with common area washing stations. 

Why did the Lakeline market move to Bell?

The decision to move our Saturday market to The Bell District was made for the long term benefit of our vendors and shoppers. Short term benefits include being a more centralized location in Cedar Park, as well as increased shade, greenery, and seating areas for shoppers to sit and eat while enjoying live music. In the future, The Bell District is set to include residences, retail, restaurants, and more, encouraging families to make a full day of their visit by shopping at the market, enjoying the park and library, and supporting local retail and fine dining establishments. The new market location presents a more sustainable, long term opportunity for our market to grow and draw increased foot traffic, leading to more success for our market vendors. TFM also looks forward to being able to partner with other surrounding businesses like the new Cedar Park Library, for market programming to enhance our shoppers’ experience. For more FAQs about TFM at Bell click here.

Where do I park at the Mueller market? Do you validate parking?

There are three paid garages as well as street parking (free on Sundays). Please refer to our parking map on the Mueller website page here. TFM does not validate parking, but most businesses on Aldrich Street do (Find more information on the parking garages here).

Is the Pavilion available for rent?

The building is available to rent for events here.

Is the farmers market wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the markets at both Bell and Mueller are wheelchair accessible. The Mueller Pavilion was designed to meet ADA and Texas Accessibility Standards. Since the Mueller market can get a bit crowded, we typically recommend visiting early, or during the last hour or so when it is less crowded.

Click to view a map of wheelchair accessible parking at Bell.

Where are the bathrooms?

At the Bell market there are porta potties, or you can use the restrooms inside the mall if it is open.

At Mueller there are 3 gender inclusive restroom areas inside the Pavilion – Two on the left-hand side of the building and a family restroom in the back-right corner of the building. There is also a park restroom in Elizabeth Branch Park, near the corner of Philomena and Ruiz.

How can I make a donation to the market?

You can donate at the market at our info booth, or on our website here.

What is the Ag Producer Support Fund and how can I donate?

TFM’s Ag Producer Support Fund is the grant-making arm of Texas Farmers’ Market created in order to support farmers, ranchers and all producer vendors during times of medical, environmental or other crisis. The TFM Ag Producer Support Fund is available for qualified applicants who experience an accident, illness or devastating crop or animal loss. You can make a donation here.

How can I buy a tote bag or other merch?

You can buy tote bags, hats, water bottles, and stickers at the info booth at the market, or on our website here.

What are you doing to support BIPOC vendors and community members?

We fully believe that being actively anti-racist is critical to our work at the farmers’ market and we take it very seriously. Internally, our core leadership team members have taken anti-racism training and have worked with the City of Austin’s equity office on anti-racism work specifically rooted in Austin’s racist history in regards to food access. We also work to partner with community groups to welcome both new vendors and shoppers of color to our markets. We are members of the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce, Asian Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and LGBTQ Chamber.  Due to generous community backing of the Texas Farmers’ Market (TFM) Ag Producer Support Fund, TFM is expanding the fund to include a scholarship for new Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) farmers who would like to become vendors at our farmers’ markets. 

We are always looking to expand our approach to making our markets as welcoming and anti-racist as possible, so if you have seen other farmers’ markets do something that you feel ours could benefit from, please do reach out, we always love and are open to suggestions. Find our contact info here.