Orono Farmers' Market Rules - 1999
[Essentially unchanged for the 2000 season.]


The Market rules are to be followed by all those who participate in the
Orono Farmers' Market.

1. Membership Selection
	The following process was adopted in 1999.
	Membership application deadline is March 1, fee will be $35.00. 
Membership will be $50.00 after that date. Returning members in good
standing will be automatically reinstated providing their membership
forms are received by March 1, 1999.
	There is a numerical cap of 30 members.
	The Steering Committee also has the duties of membership selection. In
other words, the Steering Committee is the Membership Committee. The
membership selection process, including voting, however, is open to all
members. The yearly work of membership selection is the stated duty of
a core group but the process will be as democratic as the members wish
to make it.
	In March, the Secretary will send to all current members a list of
prospective applicants and the date, time and place of the meeting at
which the selections will be made. The selections will be based on what
best meets the needs of the market and its customers. The number of
available memberships each year will be 30 less the number of returning
members. The Secretary will notify the prospective applicants of their
status. 
	 The Membership Committee will decide whether applications received
after the deadline shall be voted on by the membership, a 2/3 vote being
necessary for acceptance. Late applications shall be considered on the
basis of value to the market.
	A completed membership form constitutes agreement to obey all rules and
by-laws of the association. Membership forms should be returned to: 
Pat Allen, RR-1, Box 4290, Unity, Me. 04988.
Deadline for joining the Market is March 1, 1999.

2. Location and times
	The market will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on
Saturday beginning May 15, 1999 and ending Oct. 30, 1999. The market
will be open 2:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays beginning July 6, 1999
and ending Oct. 26, 1999. The market will be held on the Steam Plant
parking lot, College Ave., University of Maine, Orono.

3. Dues
	Annual, regular: a non-refundable dues of $35.00 is payable with your
membership form. Prospective members should pay their dues when they
have been notified of their selection. Checks should be made payable to
Orono Farmers' Market and mailed to: Pat Allen, RR-1, Box 4290, Unity 
04988. Daily dues are $5.00 per Tues. and $5.00 per Sat. and are
payable to the Market Manager at the beginning of each market day.

4. Processed foods, scales
	Handicrafts are not allowed at this market. However, yarn, dried
flowers, and other intermediate products are permissible. The Steering
Committee will decide the eligibility of borderline or 'gray area'”
products on a case by case basis, but members are encouraged to honor
the spirit of the market as primarily oriented toward homegrown and
processed food. All producers of home-processed items such as maple
syrup, honey, jams, jellies, relishes, and home-canned goods are
required by law to obtain the proper licenses from the Department of
Agriculture. A State scale inspector may visit the market during the
season to check the accuracy of your scales.

5. No Buy Rule
	In order to ensure the freshest and highest quality produce at the
farmers' market, and to assure the customers they are dealing directly
with the farmers, members must sell only products they make or grow
themselves. This is very important at the Orono Farmers' Market. 
Buying products for resale at the market will not be allowed, except
from another member attending the market that day. Items offered for
sale must be fresh and of the highest quality. Emergency clause: If a
member is unable to make it to market, another member may sell the
products of the absent member. This may only happen three times during
a season and the identity of the absent member must be made clear to the
customer.
	Farm visits by member volunteers will be made as needed to ensure a
member's production of what is being offered for sale. Every new member
will have a farm visit. Also, one third of the membership will be
visited each year to build neighborliness and to keep up to date with
members changing and expanding products.

6. Products
	If a secondary product becomes primary, you must have permission from
the Steering committee.

7. Signs
	All members must display signs that display their name and address in a
prominent manner every day they are at the market.

8. Setting up at Market
	All displays should be neat and tasteful. Only one vehicle per member
is allowed to be set up at a time. Maintenance by members of a clear
walkway for customers to move from one vendor to another without
obstruction is important and will be enforced by the Market Manager. 
Members must park their vehicles in a safe and space-efficient manner. 
Generally it works best to have enough space between your setup and the
next member's so that the customers do not become confused as to whose
goods are whose.

9. Presentation
	Members must present themselves in an appropriate manner, dress and
state of cleanliness. Shirts must be worn. Members should behave in a
cooperative manner with other members. Consumption of alcoholic
beverages by members at the market is prohibited. No hawking or calling
out to attract buyers to your goods is permitted.


10. Picking up
	It is a condition of our use of this site that the market will leave
the lot exactly as we find it each day. All trash generated by the
market must be cleaned up by the members.

11. Violations of the rules
	Upon receiving a complaint that a member has violated a rule, the
Chairperson shall appoint three members to investigate the complaint. 
If the majority of these members find that a violation has occurred, the
Steering Committee, a quorum of which shall be considered to be four of
its members, shall meet to consider the report of the investigation
committee. If the Steering Committee by a majority vote of those
present, find that a violation has taken place, it may cancel the
membership of the accused member. Any member subject to such action
will be notified and given an opportunity to answer the charge at the
meeting of the Steering Committee called to consider such charges.