The Homegrown Vendor Blog

A practical guide for home herbalists who want to sell dried herbal tea blends — cottage food permits, the critical FDA rule about health claims, best-selling blends, pricing for premium margins, packaging, equipment, and where to sell at farmers markets and locally.

A no-nonsense guide to bookkeeping for cottage food vendors and farmers market sellers — what to track, how to track it, common deductions, and a 15-minute weekly routine that keeps you organized at tax time.

A step-by-step guide to getting your cottage food permit — from figuring out what your state requires to completing the application, food safety training, and getting approved to sell homemade food.

A practical guide to knowing when your cottage food business has outgrown your home kitchen — including the signs you are ready, your commercial kitchen options with realistic costs, and a step-by-step transition plan.

A practical guide to cottage food revenue caps — what happens when you hit the limit, how caps vary by state, and your options for continuing to grow your food business beyond the cottage food exemption.

A comprehensive guide to foods allowed under cottage food laws — covering baked goods, jams, honey, candies, pickled foods, and dried goods, plus which foods are excluded and what to do if your product isn't on the list.

A plain-language guide to cottage food shipping rules — covering why interstate shipping is off-limits, which states allow in-state shipping or delivery, online ordering rules, and practical alternatives for reaching more customers.

A plain-language guide to insurance for farmers market vendors and cottage food sellers — covering what type of coverage you need, how much it costs, what "additional insured" means, and how to get insured quickly.

A plain-language guide to sales tax for farmers market vendors and cottage food sellers — covering which products are taxable, how to get a permit, collecting tax at your booth, filing returns, and common mistakes to avoid.