Why Your Farmers Market Finds Are Getting More Expensive

Yahoo

28-02-2025

On a typical summer weekend, Slow Farm near Ann Arbor, Michigan, bustles with activity. There are strawberry fields, asparagus patches, and rows of flowers that visitors can cut for their own bouquets.
Under a tent, owner Kim Bayer offers samples of heirloom tomatoes while a nearby fridge overflows with organic greens, carrots, and other produce. On days when the shop is unstaffed, customers select their vegetables and pay via Venmo or by leaving cash in a lockbox. But this year, those purchases come with a higher price tag. Slow Farm, like many growers nationwide, is grappling with surging costs for seeds, sprouting trays, and nearly everything needed to produce fruits and vegetables.
About 250 miles north, Emlia Acres, an organic farm in Harbor Springs, Michigan, faces the same financial squeeze. The farm grows a vibrant mix of amaranth, sunflowers, calendula, statice, and more, spread across two fields and a greenhouse.
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The price increases are stark. Liquid fertilizer that once cost $60 per case is now $82, says Cory Evans, who owns Emlia Acres with his wife, Jessica. He had budgeted $300 per pallet for soil but was stunned when he was quoted $550. 'When I saw the price, I said, 'Did you say the right one?'' he recalls.
It's not just soil and fertilizer. 'It's everything from jars and ribbon to wrapping paper, stickers, and propane,' Jessica Evans adds, noting the expenses tied to packaging and the heating of their greenhouse.
The hikes reflect a broader national trend. During the pandemic, demand for seeds skyrocketed by 50% to 200% above normal levels, according to the National Garden Bureau. Seed companies, which typically maintain surplus inventories in case of environmental issues, struggled to rebuild depleted inventory, pushing prices even higher. The strong interest in 2020 and 2021 wiped out stocks — with many companies having to start over to build up their supplies.
Bulbs and tubers have also surged in price. Gladiolus corms, once 17 cents each, now cost 27 cents. 'It doesn't sound like a lot, but we're buying thousands,' Cory says. That increase forced him to raise the price of gladiolus stems from $2 to $3 each.
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Overall, Emlia Acres is paying roughly 30% more for supplies in 2025. At Slow Farm, Bayer estimates her costs have risen by 30–40%.
The price hikes extend beyond individual farms. Farmers market revenue reached an estimated $1.4 billion in 2024, according to industry tracker IBIS World. Markets were able to withstand challenges during the pandemic, with their outdoor settings attracting safety-conscious shoppers who perceived them as safer than shopping inside grocery stores. But now, rising costs are testing both farmers and customers.
To offset expenses, farmers are getting resourceful. With commercial seed packets now costing $3.50 to $5.50 for just 100 seeds, Bayer scours online seed exchange boards, trading her excess seeds for varieties she needs. But that can be frustrating and not all swaps are successful. 'Some of the older varieties are not available,' she says. 'People don't recognize them enough to try them.'
Meanwhile, she's seen prices skyrocket for seed trays — which are used to start plants indoors and range in size from 50 to 120 holes, before they are moved out to fields. Bayer once paid 25 cents per tray; now they range from $1 to $10. 'It's something we have to buy,' she says.
Other small businesses are adjusting, too. Simon Colley, owner of Great Northern Pantry in Schroon Lake, New York, tries to 'keep prices as affordable as possible.' Instead of offering just a few types of pasties and hand pies like the one in Saratoga's Farmers Market, he expands his selection by offering a wide variety of flavors. 'If prices rise dramatically, I'll create another product with a higher margin to try and keep everything affordable across our offerings,' he explains.
Still, some price increases are unavoidable. Emlia Acres chose to phase in hikes gradually so customers wouldn't gasp. In 2024, it raised the price of a medium-sized bouquet by $5 to $25. This year, micro bouquets, which come in a small jar, is going up by $5 to $15. To create an additional revenue stream, the farm has also started hosting bouquet-making parties, where guests design their own mini arrangements. Jessica has led the classes at the Petoskey Public Library and offered it for bridal and baby showers.
Most customers have accepted the price increases, although some have been snarky. Some, like one passerby at the farmers market, have been blunt. 'One gentleman walked by, saw the price, and said, 'Do these cure cancer?'' Cory recalls.
Jessica acknowledges the challenge of competing with large retailers. 'When you're a small business, it's hard to compete with something somebody can buy at Walmart or a large grocer. In order to stay in business, you have to do what you have to do.'
Although she placed her material orders late last year and despite the uncertainty, Bayer is holding off on finalizing her 2025 prices, hoping inflation eases. 'I don't know what's going to happen,' she says.
Yet, Jessica remains optimistic saying that the uncertainty hasn't dissuaded her from farming. 'We're looking forward to our 2025 season and feel really fortunate that we're able to be farmers in this day and age. We get to do what we love — and how many people can say that
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