The Oakland Community Garden @ New Hope Christian Church was built to serve families in need. We provide fresh food to the Lawrenceville Co-Op and to any person in our community who is in need. The Farmers Market is debuting in 2025 to further serve the Lawrenceville community by giving local farmers and crafters a secondary location to sell from as many are already involved with a market during the weekend. By providing a mid-week option for consumers to purchase farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, our local farmers will have less waste between markets.

Location and Hours of Operation
Where: Oakland Community Garden @ New Hope Christian Church, 1982 Old Norcross Road, Lawrenceville, GA 30044
When: Each Wednesday from 5 PM-8 PM May-September.

Products that can be sold
*Products that may be sold without a license include those food items that are exempt from the Georgia Food Act, which are not governed by additional State or Federal laws and regulations, but preference is given to vendors holding a Cottage Food License or Food Establishment License.
• Fresh produce
• Breads, pies, cakes and cookies
• Jams and jellies
• Honey
• Cut flowers and herb products requiring State licenses may be sold when a copy of the current license issued by the proper authority accompanies the application.
• Foods not listed above requiring a Food Sales Establishment License
• Eggs: Candling License is required. Dairy products: governed by the Georgia Dairy Law. Cheese producers need a Dairy Manufacturers License.
• Organic products: growers with organic certification
• Low acid/acidified foods (canned vegetables, pickles, salsa, etc.): State license from the Georgia Department of Agriculture and completion of Better Process Control School
• Meats: governed by Georgia Meat Compliance Law
• Live plants Labeling Requirements

No items sold at the market may be bought commercially, re-branded and resold at the market.

All baked goods and processed products are to be labeled in compliance with all applicable federal and state regulations and must include:
• The common name of the food
• Net weight
• A list of all ingredients using the common name of each ingredient
• The name, address and phone number of the person who made the item
• Allergen information

Who can sell:
• The Oakland Community Garden Farmers Market management will give booth preference to those vendors selling fresh produce and food items. The market will maintain a 60 to 40 percent ratio of whole food/plant vendors to prepared food vendors.
• Produce re-sellers will be allowed at the discretion of the market manager.
• A limited number of craft vendors may be approved to participate in the market. Crafts must be handmade, sold by the product creator and have a clear food and/or garden relationship. To ensure the quality of the crafts offered, vendors will be asked to submit a photo of their craft with their application.
• Vendors who can participate the entire season will be given preference.
• At the discretion of the Committee, one local non-profit civic, church or school group per week may participate in the market at no cost as long as they are selling products that do not compete with those sold by a paying vendor.
If the group wants to sell products that compete with a paying vendor, the standard booth fee will apply.
• Only those items listed on a vendor’s application may be sold. If a vendor wishes to add an item, e-mail approval must be received from the market manager or representative prior to offering that item for sale. The market manager, or representative, is the final arbiter on the suitability of an item offered for sale.
• To ensure a good diversity of products, the committee may find it necessary to limit participation of vendors who sell like items. However, no vendor is guaranteed of being the sole purveyor of an item.
• The Oakland Community Garden Farmers Market management reserves the right to inspect the premises where products are grown or processed at any time during the market season.
• Only vendors who have paid the required booth fee may sell. All vendors must have a current application on file, including a copy of any required license(s) and a signed hold harmless clause.
• The market focuses on food and food related items.
• Vendors sell at the invitation of the market committee. The committee reserves the right to revoke a vendor’s approval at any time.

Market Booth Spaces and Fees
• Farmers, growers and food businesses will be assigned a space at $10 per space per week.
• Assigned spaces will be large enough to accommodate a 10’ x 10’ tent. Please make sure to select the appropriate amount of space on your application
• Booth rental fees must be paid in advance for the month. A discount will be given to those paying for the entire market season (20-21 weeks).

• Invoices will be sent to approved applicants once all required documentation has been received.

• No refunds will be given on paid fees. 

• All vendors, including groups permitted to participate at no charge, must have an approved application and Hold Harmless Clause on file. The application must include a current copy of any required license(s). Once a vendor’s application is submitted, participation dates will be confirmed.

• To ensure effective management of the market, vendors may only participate on confirmed dates. Any change of dates must be confirmed in advance in email to the market manager or representative.

• Parking, Booth Assignment, Advertising, and Other

• Unless specifically authorized by the Oakland Community Garden, all vendor vehicles must be parked on the far side of the church
• Vendors should prominently display their name and city on their tent or at the point of sale so customers can easily see with whom they are dealing.
Vendors must also display a copy of any license required for food items they sell as we do have occasional visits from regulatory agencies.
• The OCGFM staff will assign all vendors a space upon arrival. Care will be taken to avoid having like product vendors side by side.
The general policy of OCGFM will be to keep vendors in the same space for the entire season but we reserve the right to change vendor location under special circumstances.
• A seller’s area is to remain clean and barrier free. Littering of any type is prohibited. Spaces must be left completely clean of all trash.
Unsold goods, trash, etc. are to be properly disposed of or hauled away by the vendor at the end of each market. Vendors who have a large amount of trash or heavy trash to dispose of should take it to the dumpster. Any vendor not adhering to this rule will be barred from future participation in the market.
• No vendor may display flyers, posters, etc. outside of the rented booth space.
• No soliciting or political activities shall be permitted in the market area.
• The market management shall be permitted to photograph, film and/or record any areas of the market, including the vendors and/or their representatives and booths.
• All vendors must check-in with Market Staff at the by 4 PM

Cancellation of Market Due to Inclement Weather
*The market will be held rain or shine, but in the event of severe, violent weather, the market will be cancelled.
*Vendors should check their email or Oakland Community Garden Facebook page for information regarding cancellation.
*In the event of violent weather during the market, the market manager, or designated representative, may determine that the market shall close early. In that case, all vendors must cease selling and leave the market area immediately.
*No refund of fees will be given for a market cancelled due to inclement weather since this is a condition beyond the control of the OCG Farmers’ Market management.
*Tents, tables and/or chairs are provided by the vendor. Some tents are available for rent. If needed, this should be selected on your application
*Tents, umbrellas and tables may not extend into another vendor’s selling area.
*Vendors are responsible for their own site set up and breakdown. No tarps are permitted.
*Weights and/or sandbags are required for tents (20 pounds per tent leg), and vendors are responsible for securing their tents with no damage to the surrounding area or another vendor’s property.
*Vendors will be responsible for any injury or damages caused by their tents, umbrellas, tables and/or chairs.

Insurance
Market vendors are required to be responsible for their own personal, general and liability insurance. New Hope Christian Church must be reimbursed for any damage to church property by a market vendor. This includes damages to the grounds, sidewalks, buildings, vehicles, and any other property owned or provided by the New Hope Christian Church

Sales Tax
Market vendors are responsible for the collection and payment of sales tax.

Vendor Conduct
• Proper demeanor and high-quality customer service are expected on the part of the vendors at the OCG Farmers Market.
• All sellers are encouraged to be friendly, courteous, knowledgeable, and honest.
• Customer complaints will be investigated by the OCG Farmers Market management. Sellers who are the subject of consistent complaints may be asked to discontinue selling at the market with no refund of fees.
• If selling by weight, the seller is responsible for having Georgia Department of Agriculture approved scales for weighing of produce.
All produce sold by volume must also conform to the weight standards for that volume as established by the Georgia Department of Agriculture for weights and measures.
• Vendors should furnish clean packaging or containers for customers, such as paper or plastic bags or boxes. All baked goods are to be wrapped or boxed.
• Vendors are expected to have adequate money for change. The market cannot provide change.
• A vendor or knowledgeable representative must be present at the booth at all times.
• Children under the age of 16 may not sell items unless an adult over the age of 21 is present who is knowledgeable regarding the product(s) being sold.
• Vendors who bring children to the market must supervise them at all times and not allow the children to run around the market area. Children are not allowed to touch items in other vendor’s booths.
• Vendors are expected to dress appropriately for working with the public. Shirts and shoes are required.
• Vendors are not to use tobacco products in the sales area.
• Vendors are not to bring pets, leashed or otherwise, except service animals.
• Vendors are not to play music that is loud enough to disturb other market vendors or customers.
• Vendor complaints and disputes must be submitted to market management in writing and shall give adequate information setting forth in detail the allegation and shall be signed by the complainant.

The following will result in immediate and permanent expulsion of a vendor from the market and no refund of fees will be given:
• Fraudulent, dishonest or deceptive merchandising or packaging
• Use of profane, abusive, threatening or harassing language
• Threatening behavior, the threat of violence, vandalism
• Possession of a firearm, weapon or fireworks
• Gambling
• Consumption of or being under the influence of alcohol
• Use of illegal drugs or possession of drug paraphernalia

Promotions of the Market
The Oakland Community Garden Farmers Market Committee will make efforts to promote the market by maintaining the market website (www.oaklandcommunitygarden.org), providing information to other websites that list local farmers’ markets, sending news releases to local newspapers,
maintaining the market Facebook page (www.facebook.com/OaklandCommunityGarden), maintaining the market Instagram page (#oaklandcommunitygarden),
and distributing brochures to local businesses.

Questions?
Contact
• Ruth Hardy (Market Manager) 678-231-9505
• or email: ServiceThroughGardening@gmail.com