What should you be selling this month?
A month-by-month planning guide for farmers market and cottage food vendors. See seasonal opportunities, key holidays, and marketing tips tailored to your product type.
Selling with the seasons
Plan ahead or get left behind
The vendors who make the most money at holidays aren't working harder in December — they planned in October. Pre-orders open 4–6 weeks out, ingredients are sourced in bulk, and marketing starts early. The calendar in this tool shows you exactly when to start thinking about each moment.
Seasonality is a feature, not a limitation
"Limited time" is one of the most powerful phrases in food marketing. When customers know your pumpkin butter only exists for 8 weeks, they buy without hesitation. Leaning into seasonality — rather than trying to sell the same thing year-round — creates urgency and drives higher prices.
Off-season is online season
When outdoor markets slow down, your online store becomes your primary revenue channel. Customers who discovered you at a summer market will buy online in January if they can find you easily. Setting up your Homegrown store before the season ends means you capture that demand year-round.
Holidays drive disproportionate revenue
For most cottage food vendors, 40–60% of annual revenue comes from five moments: Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, summer market season, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Missing even one of these with poor preparation has a real impact on your year. Use this calendar to make sure that never happens.