September 23rd · 24th · 25th Big Horn Resort · Billings, Montana
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Become A Vendor
Selling at the Livingston Farmers Market
Join us every Wednesday from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm
June 5th through September 18th, 2024
At Miles Park Band Shell
Fresh foods from local farmers and ranchers
Diverse offerings by local artisans and crafters
Local prepared food and beverage vendors
Over the years, many vendors have started and ultimately found their success at the Livingston Farmers Market. For many, the market has served as an incubator, allowing them to get exposure and test their products in the market. The market is a place for established vendors to continue building relationships with their customers by interacting with them week after week. And let’s not forget the opportunity for kids to test out their entrepreneurial feet! What a treat!
Check out the info and documents below to join us this year!
Preference will be given to returning vendors who have completed the annual survey found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7JH7DH5
Since 2002, WSE has provided a space to strengthen community connections and open market opportunities for our local producers and artisans through the Livingston Farmers Market. Over the years, vendors from throughout Montana and the West have utilized the market to increase awareness of their business and customer base.
WSE fuels the local rural economy by keeping shopping dollars local and attracting nearly 1 out of 10 Livingston community members to the market each week as well as countless visitors.
Downloadable forms available below this section
Applications will be opening on March 1st for the 2024 season.
(Please note that due to high demand, acceptance is always at the discretion of the Market Manager.)
Vendors must read and abide by all Vendor Rules and Regulations as well as any state food regulations available below.
The online Vendor Registration Form is linked below. All vendors must submit an application before selling at the market. Adult vendors must receive approval before attending, while youth booths will be accepted on-site.
Once approved, you can either mail your payment in or bring it to the WSE Headquarters booth the day of set up. You only need to complete this form once per summer, but you must sign in at our booth every week you vend BEFORE you set up to get your booth assignment.
Please note, the City of Livingston may require vendors doing business within the city limits to have a City Business License. This will be clarified in the near future.
2024 booth fees range from $15 to $60 for weekly vendors, from $216 to $864 for season vendors, and $5 a week for youth booths.
Please visit the link below to register. Registration opens March 1st.
WSE’s Headquarters booth is open for registration and sign-in from 2:00 to 4:15 PM on market day. All vendors must be set up and ready to sell when the market opens to the public at 4:30 PM.
All vendors must sign in PRIOR to set up and weekly vendors will be given their booth assignment at that time.
Season vendors are the only vendors who may reserve a spot since they pay for
the season in advance. After that, booth spaces are given out on a first-come, first-served basis. The market manager reserves the right to pre-assign booth spaces and may switch locations if one weekly vendor arrives earlier than another and wishes to change.
Power is available on a limited basis. Please contact the Market Manager prior to market day if you need power.
All food vendors must be familiar with the Montana Local Food Choice Act and the DPHHS Farmers' Market Guidelines for food sales (see links below). Liability insurance is required for all vendors selling food, except for home-bakers. Contact the Scott Konley at the Park County Health Department via (406) 222-4145 or skonley@parkcounty.org to inquire if your product requires a temporary food permit.
We are often looking for additional prepared food vendors, but you must contact us before attending a market as we have limited space. Please read the Prepared Food Regulations below to see if you meet all the requirements. (PLEASE NOTE: compostable takeout ware is required for all prepared food vendors. See Zero Waste info below.) So that everyone can succeed, we ask that you email your menu & information to us for consideration so that we do not have too many duplicates.
Anyone selling food needs to follow the Farmers' Market Guidelines (below) put out by Montana's DPHHS Food & Consumer Safety Section. If you need to be licensed or have any questions about these guidelines, you may contact Scott Konley, the Park County Sanitarian, at (406) 222-4145 skonley@parkcounty.org.
We strive to be a zero-waste market and require all prepared food and beverage vendors to use compostable take-out ware. Please check out the Rules & Regulations below. We try to coordinate a bulk order at the beginning of the season to help keep this expense down for vendors.
Through requiring compostable ware of vendors and providing a Zero Waste station where volunteers educate patrons on what is compostable, recyclable, or actual trash, we have successfully reduced our market waste by 85%!
We love supporting our local youth and encourage young entrepreneurs to try selling at the market! Youth booth spaces are accepted on a weekly basis, but spaces are limited.
To sell at the market, please read the guidelines on the link to the Youth Booth Registration below. We appreciate this registration be completed by the Monday before the market, though a few may be accepted on a walk-up basis.
At the Livingston Farmers Market, we administer and support three different nutritional programs--the Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program (SFMNP) for low-income seniors via the Community Food & Agriculture Coalition (CFAC), the Healthy Families Program via the Livingston Food Resource Center (LFRC), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with Double SNAP. These programs help individuals and families in need to get fresh, healthy food they might otherwise not be able to afford. All are a great way to support the families in our community, and we encourage all qualifying vendors to participate!
SFMNP vouchers may be used to purchase Montana-grown fruits, vegetables, raw honey, and herbs. It is a very simple process to start accepting SFMNP coupons.
Please contact James Keys at james@missoulacfac.org or (406)926-1625. There are typically a couple of training dates available in the spring. Vendors bring vouchers to the headquarters booth at the end of the market or the beginning of the next market for reimbursement.
The LFRC Healthy Families Program does not require registration, and tokens may be used to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, raw honey, herbs, eggs, and meat. SNAP tokens may be used to purchase all products as you would use an EBT card in a grocery store while Double SNAP tokens may only be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Vendors bring all tokens to the LFRC Healthy Families tent for reimbursement.
See Token Guideline flyer (attached).
The first row of parking next to the park in the Civic Center’s parking lot is reserved for customers. We have many seniors who require close access, not to mention that if customers cannot find decent parking, they often get frustrated and leave.
We allow vendors to use that space as a loading zone, but require that they move before the market starts at 4:30 PM. Please let us know if you need your vehicle with you and we will do our best to assign a space that will allow that.
If you are a musician who is interested in performing at our market please check out the music flyer below to learn more. Inquiries and demos may be sent to the Farmers Market Manager for consideration.
As a 501c3 nonprofit, we are always in need of sponsors. Sponsoring the market is a great opportunity to link your organization's name with the Livingston Farmers Market. Sponsorship opportunity details may be found via the green button above. Please reach out if you are interested in helping build community while promoting your business!
This is a huge, fun, community event and we always need volunteers! Because we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, volunteer hours qualify for high school community service hours too. Anyone interested in volunteering, please email our Farmers Market Manager below to sign up. We can guarantee a free meal and good time will be had by all!
The market will be held outside rain or shine. Fees are non-refundable after the market opens to the public. Since our area commonly has afternoon thunderstorms, be prepared for any weather.
If you are using a canopy please bring something to weigh your canopy down (cinderblocks or gallon jugs of sand or water) for the safety of all our customers!
We are an outdoor market and masks are not required, but we encourage vulnerable patrons to distance themselves as is comfortable for them and their personal health concerns. There are hand washing stations available near the restrooms and many vendors have sanitizer available at their booths.
Please note that we are only accepting farmers, ranchers, and extremely unique handmade items at this time—other categories are full.
Shannan Mascari
Farmers Market Manager
406.222.0730 ext. 1
smascari@wsestaff.org
* We reserve the right to decline participation by any individual or group for any reason.
Jessica Harvey Lilley was raised in Park County and attended MSU Billings. She began her career in finance and lending. She is passionate about making a positive impact on the community where she is raising her children. This led her to get involved with several local nonprofits, where she gained knowledge and experience in nonprofit accounting and programs. She looks forward to continuing to support the community through the Livingston Farmers Market.
Jessica is helping with Shannan with all things Livingston Farmers Market! From setting up and manning the booth to helping with planning and administration, volunteer recruitment, and more, Jessica is Shannan’s very important right-hand gal!
Chelsea Phipps is an Eastern Montana native and ranches with her husband and two children just outside of Jordan, MT. Chelsea is passionate about the connection between the health of the land, animals, and humans.
Chelsea is joining us as a Rancher Recruiter where her primary focus will be to educate and assist with onboarding eligible operations for the carbon program in partnership with Native. Chelsea will be traveling around the eastern part of Montana, working with ranchers on grazing plans toward this effort!
Adele Stenson and her husband Kip ranch with her parents just west of Wibaux, Montana. They raise commercial cattle and irrigated hay, and their three adult daughters come home to help out when they can.
Adele works as a Rancher Coordinator where she assists ranchers with the Native grassland carbon program, grazing planning and programming, and communications.
The Stenson’s were first introduced to WSE a few years ago when they began to explore the Native carbon program. The first WSE workshop they attended turned out to be their first step toward learning all they could about regenerative agriculture. Since then they have signed a contract with Native which is helping them improve their grazing program through a little fencing and a lot of water development; started raising worms for vermicast; and implemented several changes that they hope will lead to healthier land, wildlife, livestock, and bank accounts.
Holly Fretwell is president of Montana Connections, LLC where she does economic conservation consulting and hospitality management, is co-owner of the Jammin Jackalope camping and cabins, and is a research fellow at PERC, the Property and Environment Research Center. For nearly three decades Fretwell’s research has focused on public lands policy, private conservation, property rights, and markets. Her passion is helping others understand how free markets and trade can help enhance conservation and environmental quality.
Fretwell holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in resource economics from Montana State University. An educator at heart, Fretwell taught economics at Montana State University for 15 years, provided tools and curriculum for high school teachers to motivate economic thinkers, and has authored two books.
Dr. Joel Henry enjoys the complexity at the intersection of law, business, and technology, given he earned two computer science degrees from Montana State University, a Ph.D. in computer science from Virginia Tech, a J.D. at the University of Montana, and started his own software company.
Joel is one of a handful of people in the US with both a PhD in computer science and a JD. He is one of the leading experts in Montana, and nationwide, on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology law. A significant area of his practice also includes complex, cutting-edge legal matters around new technologies, including artificial intelligence, GDPR, and other data privacy laws, IT security, and data breaches. He also serves as an expert witness on litigation matters involving technology issues, electronic discovery, and digital forensics.
In his free time, Joel enjoys brewing beer, casting flies, tracking elk, floating rivers, backpacking, and hiking, but only when he isn’t spending time with his family.
Lauren Dillon received her B.S. in Visual Communications from the University of California, Davis. Lauren became passionate about working with missional companies that dared to challenge the status quo after a few years spent working for Patagonia. In 2012 Lauren seized an opportunity to move to Wyoming and consequently spent eight years working seasonally across the West as a photographer–each year becoming more interested in the intersection of ranching and conservation. Lauren made her way to Montana in 2017 to manage the guest program at J Bar L Ranch–a regenerative, grass-fed beef operation and one of WSE’s partners–where she quickly became fascinated by learning about soil health ranch’s land management and conservation projects. Lauren is excited to continue supporting land stewardship and regenerative producers through her work on the Communications and Farmers’ Market teams.
Matt Skoglund is the founder and owner of North Bridger Bison, a bison ranch rooted in Regenerative Agriculture principles located in Montana’s Shields Valley. Prior to starting North Bridger Bison, Matt was the Director of the Northern Rockies Office for the Natural Resources Defense Council, where he worked on various conservation issues in Montana and the Northern Rockies for a decade. Matt is a graduate of Middlebury College and the University of Illinois College of Law. He is passionate about food and ranching, and he loves to hunt, garden, cook, and forage for morel mushrooms in the spring. Matt and his wife, Sarah, have two young kids, Otto and Greta.
Mark Ledger has been a member of the board since 2005, having served as Chair twice during that time. Professionally, Mark’s career has involved international finance, business counseling and private equity. Having spent all of his high school summers as a hand on a family cattle ranch in Big Timber, he has long standing ties in the area and retains a personal interest in agricultural and environmental sustainability. Mark serves on the boards of multiple non-profits, including land trusts, inner-city homelessness, urban micro-finance and a foundation dedicated to underserved populations. He and his wife, Ann, live in Pennsylvania and have two children and four grandsons.
Alex Blake is a regenerative rancher from Big Timber and a producer coordinator
for WSE. He lives and works on the ranch and tree nursery his parents started in 1973 on a foundation of deep appreciation for the natural environment. Alex holds a Master’s in Agribusiness from Texas A&M University but has gotten most of his agrarian education from hands-on experience on farms and ranches in places as diverse as Kenya and Argentina. He enjoys being a part of the progressive rancher support network in south-central Montana and draws inspiration from those who are constantly challenging old ranching paradigms. He was an artillery Captain in the United States Marine Corps and is a proud husband and father to a two-year-old daughter.
Chris Mehus, born, raised, and educated in Montana, has always maintained a joint passion for agriculture and the outdoors. He has applied his degrees in Wildlife Biology and Range Science to assist and advocate for ranchers who have a strong conservation ethic. After 10 years of direct ranching in Southern Montana putting his education to practice in numerous areas of grazing management and planning, Chris spent many years working in rural business, economic, and financial planning giving him unique insight into the workings of a ranch business to understand economic drivers and incentives that make ranching with nature a more profitable operating model than typical conventional practices. He is an outspoken advocate for the Ranching For Profit, Integrity Soils, Holistic Management International, and related schools of thought and how they can be applied to create a thriving ranch business while creating healthy, functioning ecological systems with rich soil and diverse wildlife populations.
Shannan Mascari joined the Western Sustainability Exchange (WSE) team in 2019 as Office Administrator and Farmers Market Manager. Mascari attended Chico State University in Chico, California prior to moving to Montana in 1996. Upon moving here, she became a certified nursing assistant, caring for the elderly, before moving on to an administrative position with a wetlands restoration company. There, her hard work and dedication earned her the title of Vice President of Operations. She has over 18 years of administrative and managerial experience.
Mascari’s passion for taking care of the planet and the people who inhabit it is a perfect fit for WSE and the Farmers Market program. She and her husband, Jason, have three children and can often be found at soccer games, enjoying the great outdoors, or simply relaxing at their home on the Yellowstone River.
Lauren Dillon received her B.S. in Visual Communications from the University of California, Davis. Lauren became passionate about working with missional companies that dared to challenge the status quo after a few years spent working for Patagonia. In 2012 Lauren seized an opportunity to move to Wyoming and consequently spent eight years working seasonally across the West as a photographer–each year becoming more interested in the intersection of ranching and conservation. Lauren made her way to Montana in 2017 to manage the guest program at J Bar L Ranch–a regenerative, grass-fed beef operation and one of WSE’s partners–where she quickly became fascinated by learning about soil health ranch’s land management and conservation projects. Lauren is excited to continue supporting land stewardship and regenerative producers through her work on the Communications and Farmers’ Market teams.
Lill Erickson has deep conviction to protect the incomparable landscape, wildlife, and way of life of the rural West, especially Montana. In 1994 Lill founded Western Sustainability Exchange to do just that. Leading up to it’s conception, Lill was an organizer for conservation nonprofits throughout the west, caretaker of a cattle ranch bordering Yellowstone National Park, and an advisor to a national committee to craft a strategy to promote agricultural sustainability.
These experiences gave her the prowess to implement regenerative agriculture practices and develop market-based conservation strategies to ensure a healthy, long standing, and profitable relationship between nature and innovative land stewards.
Lill loves her community of Livingston, spending as much time as work allows adventuring with friends in nature, and caring for and cavorting with her two dogs and two cats.
Rebecca Kurnick is a research scientist at Edaphix where she works to support healthy landscapes by mitigating undesirable species from a soil health lens. She has a background in local food systems and degrees in Soil Science and Agricultural Education from MSU. Rebecca discovered her passion for healthy soil and working landscapes through her work on farms and ranches in Maine and Montana. She enjoys helping people understand why it’s important to support the farmers and ranchers who contribute to functioning ecosystems. Rebecca and her husband Ryan enjoy hauling their two young children around the mountains on rafts, bikes, and skis teaching them about the places they love.
Malou Anderson-Ramierz resides on her family ranch in Tom Miner Basin, Montana, where she and her husband Dre live and work while raising their two daughters, Esme and Hasell. Aside from working on the ranch and learning about holistic management systems, she has psychology, social work, and equine-assisted therapies background. Malou enjoys working in community-building and land-based practices. Helping people and communities reconnect to themselves through restoring landscapes, coexisting with wildlife, and creating strong and thriving communities for both human and the more-than-human. When she’s not on the ranch or tending to kiddos, animals, or listening to lands, she loves exploring newfound communities- both urban and rural, reading, riding her horse, and sitting next to the ocean.
Carrie Balkcom is the Executive Director of the American Grassfed Association. AGA is the National multi-species entity organized to protect and promote Grassfed and pasture-based farmers and ranchers.
AGA is the leader in pasture-based production and the oldest grass-fed certification in the United States. AGA certifies ruminants and dairy.
Carrie grew up on a Florida cattle ranch and has stayed connected to the agriculture and livestock industry. She has spoken, presented, or coordinated numerous regional and national conferences; and is well known in agricultural, culinary, and sustainable agricultural circles.
Andrew Anderson is originally from Tom Miner Basin, where his family ranch is located. Currently, he manages J Bar L Ranches in the Centennial Valley and Melville, MT. His wife Hilary and four children have worked on the J Bar L for 13 years, helping to manage cow/calf, yearling, and grass-fed beef enterprises. They feel incredibly fortunate to ranch in wild and complex ecosystems and continually strive to learn how to preserve these unique places’ health, diversity, and integrity.
Dylan Hoffman is the Director of Sustainability for Yellowstone National Park Lodges. He oversees park-wide environmental efforts, compliance issues, and programs to curb the park’s contribution to climate change. In addition to his passion for helping to protect our environment, Dylan enjoys recreating in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem – including floating our local rivers, Nordic and backcountry skiing, hunting, or waving around a fly rod. Dylan lives in Gardiner, MT, with his partner, Erin, and their two little girls, Steely and Merrick.
Brittany Masters is the co-founder of Go Roam Free, a regenerative bison ranch and food business. As a first-generation rancher, Brittany brings her brand marketing and strong business sense to the world of sustainable animal agriculture. Brittany is passionate about developing brands and premium health products. Brittany spent 9 years as a Marketing Director at the Boeing Company, where she focused on reviving the Boeing brand and serving as a brand consultant to airline customers. During that time, she launched a startup food brand in the Middle East and finished her MBA at Seattle Pacific University. As WSE’s Secretary, Brittany hopes to help family-scale ranches transition to regenerative agriculture while improving their profitability in order to preserve the best of the west.
Roger Indreland, together with his wife Betsy, own and manages Indreland Angus, north of Big Timber, Montana. Roger is a third-generation rancher with a Farm & Ranch Management degree from Montana State University and forty-four years in the registered Angus business. Roger has found his niche in the grass-fed bull business, hosting an annual bull sale each December.
For over thirty years, Roger and Betsy have regenerated the landscape by placing value in building soil health and increasing biodiversity to complement Mother Nature’s system. As Roger says, “Our soil is the key to our success, so decisions are made with that in mind.”
In 2020, the Sweet Grass Chamber of Commerce honored them as “Ag Persons of the Year” and were nominated in 2021 as “Tow Rope Heroes” by the Northern Ag Network
TBD
Colin McClure is a proud Bobcat Fan and a 3rd generation graduate from Montana State University in Soil and Water Science. As a 4th generation Montana descendant with ties to active farming and ranching operations in the Flathead as well as central Montana, Colin was raised in and around agriculture. Colin is strongly rooted in both traditional and regenerative agricultural practices focusing on improving the livelihood of all Montanans.
Holly Stoltz’s greatest passion has always been helping people in the agricultural community. Throughout her career, she has revitalized a small-town newspaper, promoted businesses and organizations with her screen printing and embroidery business, actively mentored area business start-ups, and supported the 4-H program as club organization leader and activist.
Montana ranch-raised and marrying into a family ranch, agriculture has always been a part of her life. Because of this, her degree in marketing, writing experience, and seeing the need to shift away from traditional ag practices, Holly has become a vocal supporter of regenerative agriculture as the only way to secure this legacy for future generations.
Tyrrell Hibbard enjoyed an upbringing in agriculture and conservation and today serves as a producer coordinator and senior advisor for WSE. Tyrrell is a rancher by day and distiller by night. He manages a seasonal custom grazing operation on his family’s multi-generational ranchland on the Continental Divide west of Helena. He also owns and operates Gulch Distillers in downtown Helena, producing award-winning spirits from Montana grains and fruits. When not actively engaged in agriculture or adding value to agricultural products, Tyrrell pursues conservation goals through WSE and Prickly Pear Land Trust. He serves on the board of directors. Tyrrell earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Duke University. He lives in Helena with his wife and two daughters.