The Roots Market · Vendor application

Sell at The Roots Market

A place to sell your cottage foods, farm goods, and handmade crafts — every Wednesday on Brewing Tree's riverside grounds in Afton, on the Nelson 151 trail. Small, curated, and made for local makers.

Apply now

Why sell with us

A weekday storefront for local makers

Built-in crowd. Reach Brewing Tree's weekday visitors along the busy Route 151 brewery-and-cidery trail — no need to build your own foot traffic.
We promote you. Every market goes out on our social channels, our Google listing, our email list, and taproom signage — your business gets named in the lineup.
Small & curated. We keep it to a handful of makers so every table gets real attention — you're not lost in a hundred-booth field.
Simple to join. Virginia's HB 402 lets cottage-food makers sell allowed goods with no permit or fee; produce, plants, and crafts need nothing.

The basics

What it costs & how it works

Booth fee: $25 per market — and the first ten vendors get in free as we launch (we'll send a code when you're approved).
When & where: Wednesdays, 12–4 PM, at Brewing Tree Beer Company, Afton VA — on the Nelson 151 trail.
Who's a fit: cottage-food makers, small farms, and craft & artisan vendors from around Nelson County and the Blue Ridge.
How it works: fill out the quick application below → we confirm your fit and your dates → bring your table and set up.

Apply

Vendor application

Tell us what you make — takes about two minutes. No obligation; this just starts the conversation.

Business / maker name *

Contact name *

Email *

Phone

Category *

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Cottage food (baked goods, jams, honey, dry goods)

Farm & produce

Craft & artisan

What do you sell? * What you sell — for the public lineup + your vendor profile.

Website (optional)

Instagram (optional)

I sell only foods allowed under Virginia's HB 402 (shelf-stable baked goods, candies, jams/jellies, honey, dried & dry goods, pickles) — no meats, dairy, seafood, or cut produce. I label every item per HB 402 (product name, net weight, my name/address/phone, ingredients, and date processed). If I sell eggs, cheese, or other refrigerated goods, I meet Virginia's rules (egg-law refrigeration + labeling, or a VDACS dairy permit) and will bring my own cold storage. (Fine to check even if I only sell produce or flowers.) I understand I'm responsible for my own permits/licensing and a Virginia Sales Tax account. Whole produce, flowers, plants, cottage foods, and crafts need no state permit; eggs, cheese/dairy, meat, and prepared or cut foods carry their own Virginia requirements.

Cottage-food makers: the first two checkboxes confirm your goods follow Virginia's HB 402 (allowed foods + proper labels) — farm and craft vendors can skip those. Farm vendors: check the eggs/dairy box. The last box applies to everyone.

No obligation — this starts the conversation. We'll follow up to confirm your dates.

Good to know

What can I sell? Do I need a license?

Most makers need no state permit to sell at a market like ours. A quick guide — and if you already vend at a local farmers market, you're likely all set:

Cottage foods (jams, honey, baked goods, candies, dry mixes, roasted coffee): no permit under Virginia's HB 402 — sold with proper labels. No meats, dairy, seafood, or cut produce.
Whole produce, cut flowers, plants: no permit or inspection needed.
Eggs: allowed under Virginia's small-producer exemption — keep them refrigerated (≤45°F) and labeled; bring your own cooler.
Cheese & dairy: welcome, but you'll need your Virginia dairy permit and cold storage (no home exemption for dairy).
Crafts (pottery, candles, woodwork, fiber, jewelry): no food rules apply.

Every vendor is responsible for their own permits and a Virginia Sales Tax account. Prepared/hot food, cut produce, fresh juice, and meat carry their own Virginia requirements — reach out and we'll help you figure out the right path. This is a friendly guide, not legal advice.