Stop by the Urban Harvest Greeter’s Booth to learn more about the market and our organization. Below are some resources we put together for first-time market shoppers or for those who just want to learn more.
Urban Harvest’s Majority Local Standard
Urban Harvest’s Farm Categories
Are you really open year-round, rain or shine?
We’ve been open every Saturday, rain or shine, 52 weeks a year from 8am-12pm for the past 17 years! We’ve been closed for Hurricane Ike and Christmas. Our farmers don’t stop growing, so we won’t stop being open for you and them.
How do I become a vendor?
Due to the volume of interest we receive, we have all vendors fill out a prospective vendor inquiry on our website. We check submissions almost daily and will reach out to you if we are interested. If you don’t hear back, chances are we might already have that type of vendor category filled, or we are out of space at the moment.
How much does a booth cost?
Vendors are invoiced monthly. The monthly fees range from $184 for farms and $239 per tent for value added vendors.
Do you accept craft vendors?
No, our mission is to support local agriculture and therefore we work exclusively with farmers and food vendors within a 180-mile radius of Houston.
Can I cook out of my home kitchen per the Cottage Food Law?
We love baked goods, but we have a long waitlist for them. We currently do not work with people baking from their home kitchens as a way to shorten to list. We encourage cottage food vendors to get their start at another market and reach out to us when they have a certified kitchen.
Do you allow reselling?
Absolutely not! We are a direct producers market that only works with producers directly growing and making their products and have a strict no-reselling policy that will result in immediate termination of participation. We also do not allow co-packaged products.
Is everything sold at the market certified Organic?
The markets main focus is to support local agriculture. While 75% of our vendors produce their products in a sustainable manner without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, many are not certified organic because they are small farms without the resources to get officially certified. Each farm vendor has a “growing practices” sheet clipped to their booth that defines how they are categorized. We have a mix of conventional, sustainable, certified naturally grown and certified organic vendors.
Is raw milk sold at your market?
No, in Texas raw milk can only be sold at the farm where it was produced provided they have a raw dairy license. There is legislation in the works to allow raw milk to be sold at farmers markets.
Can I bring my pet to the market?
Unfortunately, no. We love pets and work with several dog rescues on the perimeter of our market, but no pets except service animals are allowed within the market per the City of Houston Health Department Code. We encourage you to visit all the rescue pups at the entrance to the market every week to get your fix of cuteness.
Does the market accept WIC / EBT / SNAP / Lonestar Card?
We now accept SNAP benefits. We believe locally grown food should be available to all people.
Can I use my credit / debit card at the market?
Over 90% of our vendors take cards, but cash is still the preferred form of payment for most vendors.
Does the market have an ATM?
Yes, we have an ATM onsite every week located next to Grizzafi Coffee.
How do I become a sponsor?
Please send all inquiries about sponsoring the market to info@urbanharvest.org. We have a sponsorship packet and enjoy working with outside sponsors that are mission aligned with Urban Harvest. We have 2,500 people coming to our market every week.
How do I play music at the market or find out who is playing?
Please visit www.helpmegig.com for the full schedule of artists that play our market 52 weeks a year. TC Smythe is our fearless booking agent. You can also apply online through that website.
How can I keep up to date with what’s going on at the market?
The best way is to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. We publish a monthly email and post about vendors all the time to our social media pages.
Does Urban Harvest allow non-profits and community organizations to setup at the market?
We have a featured nonprofit outreach booth every week. We do not work with political or religious organizations. We do not allow fundraising or sales of any type to be conducted at the market. If you are interested in getting on our non profit outreach rotation, please email info@urbanharvest.org
How can I support your mission?
Come and shop with our vendors every week! Another way is through a tax-deductible donation. Urban Harvest is a 501(c)(3) organization that does a lot more than just farmers markets! You can find more about our mission and other programs here8