Upcoming Craft Show and Marketing Workshops

The Harvest Craft Fair on Saturday, Oct. 18th at the Holy Ghost Academy in Tupper Lake attracts more people each year. Among the 30 exhibitors, all of which sell handmade works, are Jake and Robert Reiss of www.Aromasgalore.com who say they are very pleased with the show. They have attended since the first year in 2005. For applications or more information contact Suzanne Sherwood 518.359-3821 or Linda Perrigo 58.359-2585 (h) 518.359-3241 (w).

For those of you wishing to seriously reexamine your marketing strategies, consider signing up for the "Marketing for Profit" course to learn about business planning, e-commerce, financing and website development. Northern Adirondack Trading Cooperative has partnered with Cornell Cooperative Extension to provide the courses online so you can attend the class sitting at your own home computer.
The first session starts Oct. 25, out of Hogansburg, and is in partnership with the Mohawk Indian Tribe Economic Development. The second one, starting in early January 2009, is in partnership with the Essex County Cornell Cooperative Extension out of Westport. Each one last 16 to 20 weeks with evening classes held on Monday and Wednesday. I'll be speaking about regional branding at the January 5th class in Westport.
Contact Ruby Sprowls, Northern Adirondack Trading Cooperative, www.natconline.org for more info and to sign up.

Wild Center's First Farmers' Market Great Success
Yesterday I visited the Wild Center in Tupper Lake to visit their first farmers' market. The large ad promoting the market which I had seen at least twice in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise had a great old time woodcut print of a farmer. Many people who come to the Wild Center already lean towards buying local, being green, respecting nature so buying from local producers at the market is a perfect addition to the overall experience.
One vendor, Ellen Beberman from Vermontville and a contact person for this market (go to www.Adirondackfarmersmarket.com and click on Paul Smiths to get her contact info), had totally sold out of her fresh produce by 3 pm. Another vendor, David Tomberlin, Well Dressed Foods, from Tupper Lake, was beaming. The tent in which the four vendors were in had been packed, shoulder to shoulder, before.
Chefs did presentations under the tent and the Wild Center did theme tours. Their green initiative tour was enjoyed by some 25 people; green sedum roof, largest solar panel roof in the park, outdoor compost toilet, eco-pavers for half the parking lot, and more.
Jane Desotelle, Underwood Herbs, Chateaugay, even during the quiet moment when I was there, always had someone in her booth. She had the laminated Made in the Adirondack North Country Product Sold Here sign (www.AdkNCcrafts.com/Products.php) prominently displayed in her booth.
Suzanne N. Rinas, Apiary-Honey Products, Chestertown, sold some honey while I was there.
The Wild Center welcomes more vendors with fresh produce and value added food products to their upcoming Sept. 11 and Oct. 2 markets (1-4pm). They will also host markets in Jan., Feb., and March '09 and plan to have weekly markets in summer 2009. Booth prices are very reasonable and there may even be, during the first year, reimbursement for mileage. It is easy to walk to the tent from the parking lot. The one sandwich board sign at the parking lot was all that was needed. It is not necessary to pay admission to the Wild Center to attend the market. Kerri Ziemann Kziemann@wildcenter.org is the Wild Center contact for the markets.

News From Well-Dressed Foods
For all you shopowners who see David at Buyer Days (April 8-9, 2009), the product line which has been selling the best for him recently is the Spicy Asian Peanut Sauce - A unique Adirondack-Asian fusion.
David is pleasantly surprised at the business he is doing in the shop he opened up in downtown Tupper Lake simply because it was in front of his production and shipping location. The Keene Valley market has not been doing as well for him this summer as it did last summer. The Lake Placid one continues to do well.