The Homegrown Vendor Blog

Starting a home baking business is more accessible than most people think. This guide covers what your state's cottage food law allows, how to choose starting products, labeling requirements, how to price correctly, and which sales channels work best for home bakers.

Getting a food handler's permit is straightforward — take a short course, pass a test, and receive your card. This guide covers what the permit is, when you actually need one, how to find an approved course, and what to expect from the exam and certification.

For most cottage food sellers in most places, no — you don’t need a business license to start selling. But the answer varies by city and county, and there are three different types of permits often confused with each other: a business license, a food handler’s permit, and cottage food registration.

Every cottage food product you sell needs a compliant label. This guide covers the required elements — product name, ingredient list, net weight, allergen declaration, and the state-required disclosure statement — plus common labeling mistakes and practical advice on creating your label.

Starting a cottage food business is simpler than most people think — but it helps to do the steps in order. This guide walks through what to confirm before you start, how to pick a product, what labeling and pricing require, and how to reach your first sale without over-building.

All 50 states have some version of a cottage food law, but permitted products, revenue caps, and sales restrictions vary widely. This reference guide covers what cottage food laws typically allow, the five key variables to look up for your state, and where to find current state-specific rules.

Shelf-stable, batch-friendly, and legal in most states — granola and dry mixes are one of the more accessible cottage food businesses to start. This guide covers labeling, pricing, packaging, and the sales channels that work best for these products.

Shelf-stable vinegar pickles, refrigerator pickles, and lacto-fermented pickles each have different legal considerations. This guide covers which types you can sell under cottage food, how to make them safely, what goes on the label, and how to price and sell at farmers markets and locally.

Pet owners pay premium prices for treats made with ingredients they can actually read. This guide covers the legal side of selling homemade dog treats, labeling requirements, pricing, packaging, and the best channels to reach buyers — including markets, pet events, and local pre-orders.