about the american farmstand association

 A Growing Movement Rooted in Local Food, Craft, and Community

The American Farmstand Association exists to support, connect, and elevate the people behind America’s farmstands, roadside stands, and local maker markets.

Across the country, farmstands are experiencing a quiet resurgence. Families are returning to roadside stands for fresh food, handmade goods, and meaningful connection. Makers, bakers, growers, and farmers are building small, intentional businesses rooted in place.

The American Farmstand Association was created to bring visibility, structure, and community to this movement while honoring its grassroots spirit.

The American Farmstand Association is guided by a few simple goals:

• Increase visibility for local farmstands and makers
   
• Help customers discover and support small, local businesses
   
• Strengthen connections between farmstands across regions
   
• Encourage collaboration, not competition
   
• Celebrate the farmstand experience as part of American culture
   

We believe farmstands are more than places to shop. They are gathering points, learning spaces, and reminders of where food and craft come from.

Membership in the American Farmstand Association is designed to meet farmstands at different stages of growth. Each tier builds upon the last.

For visibility and discovery

This entry-level membership places your stand on the Farmstand Finder map and helps customers discover you.

Best for:

• New or seasonal stands
   
• Small-scale makers
   
• Businesses just beginning their farmstand journey
   

For active, selling stands

Stocked Stand members are actively offering products and are ready for promotion and participation.

Includes enhanced listings, promotional opportunities, and eligibility for events and features.

Best for:

• Regularly stocked stands
   
• Consistent sellers
   
• Stands ready to grow their audience
   

For worth-the-drive experiences

Destination Stand members are recognized as places people plan visits around. These stands often include experiences, events, agritourism, or a highly curated offering.

Includes priority placement, expanded profiles, and eligibility for premium features such as Destination Round-Ups and signature events.

Best for:

• Agritourism destinations
   
• Event-hosting stands
   
• Established, experience-driven farmstands
  

The public-facing discovery side of the Association lives through Local Farmstand Finds, a customer-focused website designed to help people find and visit farmstands.

• A searchable farmstand directory
   
• A map-based discovery tool
   
• A guide for customers, not a membership site
   

Customers use Local Farmstand Finds to:

• Search for farmstands by location
   
• Build routes or day trips
   
• Discover new stands while traveling
   
• Learn what each stand offers

The Farmstand Finder Map is the bridge between the Association and the public.

• Members of the American Farmstand Association appear on the map
   
• Membership level determines visibility and features
   
• Customers interact with the map, not the membership system
   

This separation keeps things simple:

• The Association supports the stands
   
• The map serves the customers
   

1. A farmstand joins the American Farmstand Association
    
2. They choose a membership level
    
3. They submit their farmstand information
    
4. Their listing appears on Local Farmstand Finds
    
5. Customers discover, visit, and support local stands
    

Membership supports the infrastructure, storytelling, promotion, and growth of the map and community.

The American Farmstand Association is intentionally not a marketplace and not a franchise.

It is:

• A connector
   
• A promoter
   
• A steward of the farmstand movement
   

By supporting the Association, members help ensure:

• The map stays updated and accessible
   
• Farmstands remain visible to the public
   
• The movement grows with intention and integrity
  

The American Farmstand Association exists to make sure farmstands aren’t just remembered, but found, supported, and celebrated. Whether you’re just getting started or building a destination worth the drive, there’s a place for you here.