The Homegrown Vendor Blog

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.

Can you ship cottage food? We read 25 states' rules on October 1, 2026: which allow mail inside the state, which need hand delivery, the 3 that allow out-of-state sales, and what federal law adds.

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.

A practical guide to tax deductions for cottage food vendors and farmers market sellers — covering ingredients, mileage, booth fees, equipment, home office deductions, and simple record-keeping tips for tax time.