The Homegrown Vendor Blog

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.

Every state lets you sell some homemade food. This 50-state table shows each sales cap, permit and online rule, checked on state agency pages, plus which foods qualify.

How to sell granola and dry mixes from home: the cottage food rules in three states, label must-haves, a 7 to 14 day freshness window, real prices and where to sell.

Which states let you sell homemade pickles, how to prove your jars are safe, what a pint costs to make, what home vendors charge, and how to sell at farmers markets and take orders.

Dog treats are pet food, not cottage food, in most states. Here is how to register them, what goes on the label, what homemade treats cost on Homegrown, and where to sell in person and online.

Fresh produce doesn't fit traditional e-commerce. This guide covers the channels and models that actually work for small farms — pre-orders, CSA shares, local marketplace listings, and how to manage pickup without logistics eating your mornings.

Selling homemade bread — including sourdough — is legal in every U.S. state under cottage food laws. This guide covers labeling requirements, pricing for artisan loaves, bake day production planning, and how to manage weekly reservations when regulars start asking every Thursday.

Selling cookies from home: the cottage food rules in five states, what home bakers on Homegrown charge per cookie and per dozen, label wording, packaging costs and how to sell online.

How to sell hot sauce from home: the rules in 7 states, pH testing, permits, labels, bottling, real costs per 5 oz bottle, pricing, and where to sell it.