346. Running a Year-Round Farm Market with Emma de Long

A Note from Michael:

The Thriving Farmer Podcast is currently on pause as we navigate a busy season on the farm. While we're taking this break, we're excited to share Farm in Focus, a special series of short, focused conversations recorded earlier this year. These bite-sized episodes highlight practical insights from farmers and experts across the industry. We hope they're helpful and encouraging as you continue your farming journey.

What does it really take to run a small, year-round local market?

In this Farm in Focus episode, Michael sits down with Emma de Long of Kneehigh Farm to talk about the creation and day-to-day operation of Red Dog Market, a year-round local food market in Pennsylvania.

Emma shares how Red Dog Market grew out of increased demand during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has evolved into a community-centered outlet for her farm and other local producers. From staffing and sourcing to signage, POS systems, and regulatory considerations, Emma offers a candid look at the realities behind keeping fresh food accessible all year long.

Whether you're considering opening a farm store, expanding into retail, or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes work of local food markets, this episode offers practical, grounded insights from someone doing it every day.

 

In this episode, you'll hear about:

The Origin of Red Dog Market
• How COVID-19 accelerated demand for local food access [02:42]
• Why Kneehigh Farm serves as the market's anchor vendor [02:42]

Market Operations & Staffing
• Running a year-round market with a small, focused team [08:32]
• The role of a dedicated market manager and daily task division [08:32]
• Why maintaining fresh produce is "a puzzle every day" [14:39]

Sourcing & Vendor Relationships
• How Emma vets vendors—especially for meat and dairy products [12:25]
• The importance of building strong relationships with local producers [05:34]
• Balancing product variety with quality and consistency [12:25]

Systems, Marketing & Logistics
• The complexities of using POS systems for a small, hybrid market model [14:39]
• Effective signage and in-person marketing strategies [16:51]
• Leveraging existing farm share and CSA memberships to build traffic [16:51]

Advice for Aspiring Market Owners
• Why starting slow and understanding your costs is critical [16:51]
• Regulatory considerations every market owner should be aware of
• How community engagement shapes long-term success [20:40]

Bio:

Emma de Long is a farmer, educator, and fiber advocate based in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She founded Kneehigh Farm in 2013 and has since grown a diverse mix of vegetables, dye plants, and fiber crops. Since 2019, Emma has cultivated indigo for natural pigment extraction, and in 2020 she co-founded the Pennsylvania Flax Project, an initiative dedicated to rebuilding regional flax processing infrastructure. Kneehigh Farm operates as a 100% women-run operation, and in 2021 Emma opened Red Dog Market, a year-round outlet for farm goods and local products.

Links:

👩🏻‍🌾 Visit Kneehigh Farm's website: Kneehigh Farm
📷 Instagram: @kneehighfarm
👍 Facebook: @kneehighfarmCSA
🌾 Visit Red Dog Market's website: Red Dog Market
📷 Red Dog Market Instagram: @reddogmarketpa
👍 Red Dog Market Facebook: @reddogmarketpa

 

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