Have you found some techniques work better than others when displaying your produce? Do you have any tips on keeping fragile items fresh even as the day warms up and insects start to gather? Please share your tips and photos (beware of the size limit) here.

Here are some things that help when displaying produce: think color, categories, balanced space, easily accessible, cleanliness, and most importantly SIGNS.

Yes, by allmeans, SIGNS. Can't tell you how many people walk away when they don't know what they're looking at. Some will always ask of course, but others are more shy...especially if when we're busy. So, don't let them drift off without knowing what they're missing!

I love it when farmers have the little signs that describe the flavors and textures of the different varieties of fruits and vegetables. This is particularly helpful when it comes to apples and tomatoes. I love talking to the vendors about the differences, but the sad reality is that there are often never enough vendors at a popular stall overwhelmed by customers.

for sure signs, I do some heirloom veggies and plants and I run some info cards off the computer with history of the product. People seem to really like that.

I don't think you can over merchandise, I see the people walk up to the display that has creative thought even though they might have the fewer product to sell before they walk up to the one with veggies lined up on an uncovered table.

And I think you have to present yourself well too. Clean and neat, I have T Shirts with my logo on them - don't always wear them but always try to look better than having just crawled out of bed (which most of the time I have!)

Ours is an outdoor market so some type of canopy helps - especially if you're on blacktop. I use a lot of coolers when it gets really warm to help keep things from wilting, I will also spritz things off and on with cold water. Once in a while I attend an all day market so I'm very careful about what I take, otherwise its a morning or late afternoon one.

I was at Wal Marts today and saw what they called a personal air conditioner, it was small and bascially works like a fan that blows over ice. It was on sale for 11.00 so I bought one and will try it out next week at the farm market - see if it will keep the stuff that wilts fresher longer.

Forgot to add it runs off your car battery or D batteries