Orono Farmers' Market
Job Descriptions

At the very bottom of this page is a key to the folks who actually wrote the job descriptions. Whoever provided each job description is indicated at the end of each description, like this...   -tr

STRUCTURAL JOBS (as defined by the by-laws)

• Serve in the absence of the Treasurer.
• Review and approve the Treasurer's report prior ot the Annual Meeting.

• Collect weekly stall fees from market manager(s).
• Receive and pay approved market bills.
• Present Treasurer's report to the Annual Meeting.
• Collect and deposit Annual Application fees.
• Balance the market checkbook.

OPERATIONAL JOBS (created by the Steering Committee to aid in the operation of the market. Many of these jobs can be done by more than one person, so even if you see someone already doing a job, perhaps the market could use another person doing it also.)

• Send out (via email and snailmail) the applications for a given year.
• Recieve applications.
• Notify new applicants of membership meeting (including date, time, location)
• Notify both new applicants and provisional members of their acceptance or rejection from the market
• Send all application and membership moneys to the treasure
• Check if all liscense come in with applications
• Make a masterlist of membership and distribute it to membership
• Send new member contact and product info to the webweaver and brochure producer.

Spring.

Planning: At a general meeting: ask how many should be printed (usually 1,500 - 2,000) and when the brochures should be ready (usually a week before market opens); determine how you will get the information from returning and new member applications (usually getting original applications—not photocopies—in the mail works); ask what the brochure color should be for this year (usually changing colors through a five year rotation means no one will get confused with previous year's brochures). Get a copy of the Orono Market logo as a digital file (see Caitlin Hunter or Tom Roberts). Determine the opening and closing dates for the Tuesday and Saturday markets.

Production: It is far easier to create a complex document like a brochure with desktop publishing software than with a word processor, although a sphisticated word processor could be used. If you have last year's brochure on file, use it to update the information to the current year; otherwise copy all the application information into the brochure: name, farm name, address, phone, cell phone, email, website, season, attending Tuesday and/or Saturday, and farm and crop description (usually on back of application!). You may have to edit long-winded descriptions if space is tight. Print a master copy on legal size white paper, one sheet for the front and one sheet for the back, and bring it to a reputable photocopy shop or printer. Be sure to indicate the color paper wanted, the number to print, and that they should be folded, and get a date they will be ready (can be up to a week). Printing cost should be around 11-12¢ apiece for 1,500-2,000 brochures (2006 prices) or between $160 and $220. Do not print brochures on goldenrod, red, dark green or fluorescent colors, as they make the print hard to read. You will probably have to pay in advance, so either pay the invoice yourself and get reimbursed or get a blank check from the Treasurer. Be sure the Treasurer gets the invoice, which should have the date, check number, amount and your name written on it.

Distribution: At the printer you will get a bushel-sized box with the about 40 lbs. of brochures in it. Check one from the inside to be sure they were't printed with the back upside down—it happens!&mdash and that the general print quality is good. If they have defects, you can get them re-printed for free, but this will cause a delay in getting the brochures. Once you have the brochures, be sure to bring them to market the first day market is open and give everyone at least a one-inch stack, or more if they want or if they plan to do local distribution. If a brochure distribution person wants to do distribution before market opens, determine how to get some brochures to them. Keep the box in your market vehicle so you can give out more when other members start to come to market—each market day be aware of which members are is just starting to come to market. Several times during the season walk the market with bundles of brochures and ask if anyone needs more. Brochure demand will be highest in May and June, then will increase again in the fall as customers begin to wonder when the market will end.   -tr

Winter, Spring.

Since a large part of the website maintenance is updating the member directory, the web weaver needs to determine how to get the information from returning and new member applications (usually getting original applications—not photocopies, you need the backs—in the mail works). If you have a previous member directory, use it to update the information to the current year; otherwise copy all the application information into a current member directory page: name, farm name, address, phone, cell phone, email, website, season, attending Tuesday and/or Saturday, and farm and crop description (usually on back of application!). This requires the same sort of information about new and returning members that the brochure producer does. See Brochure Production: Planning and Production sections. Unlike the brochure production, there is no particular publication date for the website, so information can be added as soon as it becomes known.

The website consists of a home page, which has a SHOPPERS section and a MEMBERS section. The SHOPPERS section has links to a Member Directory, a Past Member Directory, a Crop Calendar, and has external links to the Winter Market web page, a page of more market photos, the Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets web site, and an email link for subscribing to the email newsletter. The MEMBERS section has links to the Market Rules, a Rules-ByLaws-Application packet, the Farm Check Sheet, and a Documents Page of member-related documents. The Home Page and the current and past member directories are by far the most picture-intensive.

The Documents Page is a publically accessible repository for digital versions of various market documents, including both established documents and developing documents. It has Basic Documents section with copies of the By Laws, the Market Rules, the Farm Check Sheet, the Market Application, the Item Eligibility List, the Jobs List, and Jobs Descriptions. A second section has meeting agendas and minutes. A third section is made up of various other documents such as satellite photos of the Steam Plant parking lot and Mill Street parking lot, the Crop Calendar, pictures of the Winter Market from March 2006, and a link to a promotional piece at the Saco Farmers' Market website.

Maintaining the ownership of the domain name (www.oronofarmersmarket.org) and enough web hosting space (about 300 mb, or half a CD's worth) to hold the website are two other parts of the job that require a little attention every year or two. Generally creation of new pages and editing existing ones is made much easier by familiarity with html coding for writing and editing pages, and ftp protocols for uploading pages and images. Familiarity with photo editing software is necessary to alter digital camera photos (or photo scans) for web use.   -tr

All Year.

It does take a fair amount of time to create and maintain the mailing list, write and send out the email newsletter, and I enjoy doing it. It would be very helpful if market members would let me know what they have available during the season, let me know if they plan to be at market or will miss it, etc., so I don't need to spend time chasing down this information. You can send me an email at meadowsweet@prexar.com or call me at 338-1265, or, during the regular season, just tell me if I'm at market. Thanks to those who have kept me up to date with their products and schedules - the customers really appreciate this newsletter, and it is my impression that it has really enhanced the feeling of community in our farmers market. They also particularly like reading newsy bits about our farms, so if you are doing something new or different, or have had some interesting event or activity at your farm, please let me know, and I'll include it.-pr