Watauga County Farmers' Market

The following guidelines are set forth for the purpose of jurying crafts in order to determine whether the proposed craft is eligible to be sold at the market operated by Watauga County Farmers' Market. All crafts must be juried by the Crafts Committee prior to being sold at any market operated by Watauga County Farmers' Market. The Crafts Committee recommends to the Board of Directors whether or not the proposed craft is eligible to be sold at the market. The Board of Directors has the final determination as to whether or not a craft item can be displayed and sold.

Crafts, for the purpose of the Watauga County Farmers' Market shall be determined to be: an item made by hand, which an observer of the craft can appreciate the technique and special skill used in the craft's production. The Crafts Committee will be composed of two current vendors plus three honorary members chosen by the Board of Directors. All recommendations to the Board of Directors by this committee will be by majority vote.

100% of all crafts sold at the market must be hand crafted by the vendor. All craft items by any Market Vendor will be juried every odd year. (i.e. 2009) Jurying will occur on the second Saturday of January and will occur at a designated place. To be juried, craft vendors will be assigned a number by the Market Manager. They will set up their crafts and will then leave the premises. Potential craft vendors will not be present at the jurying to insure open and frank discussion. The Craft Committee will not know the name of the potential craft vendor. Crafts will only be known by number. Craft vendors can pick up their crafts in three hours. The craft vendor will be notified by mail of their acceptance before clean up day. There will be no crafts juried on Market day.

Crafts may be juried on two additional dates. Additional jury dates will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The Market Manager must be notified one week in advance of any crafts that need to be juried.

Specific Criteria

• 1. All crafts must be hand crafted by the vendor or a member of the vendors farm or craft unit.
• 2. Crafts must be the product of a home or cottage type industry using a personal type of technology rather than an industrial type of production. To be considered "hand crafted", the item must show evidence of manual skills obtainable only through a significant period of experience and dedication. Examples of unacceptable items would be, but not limited to: tracings of paint by number, ceramics or pottery from commercial molds, wood carvings using duplicating machines, kits in any form, and any other items that do not reflect originality of design.
• 3. All crafts will be juried. Craft vendors who add a new category of crafts after jurying will still have to have the new category craft juried. Everything that a craft vendor wants to sell at the market must be represented at jurying. Pieces too large to be carried easily can be represented at jurying by photographs. Judges reserve the right to ask craft vendors to bring the item if it is in question.
• 4. All crafts will be photographed at jurying to ensure what each craft vendor sells at the Market has been juried.
• 5. All crafts must be of excellent workmanship both in quality and design.
• 6. All craft vendors must comply with and abide by all Rules and By-Laws used to govern the Watauga County Farmers' Market. They must also be a member of the Market in good standing.
• 7. The Market Manager has the discretion to immediately remove any craft item that he/she considers objectionable. The Board of Directors must review the manger's decision within 14 days and make an official ruling on the matter.