Artisanal Solutions / Guides / Resources for Makers and Farmers

Resources

Free resources for small food makers and farms

Practical guides for the parts of a small food business that are hard to look up: shipping perishables, packaging suppliers, labels, licensing, pricing, markets, where to sell and grants. Free, and kept current.

Have it set up for youThe guides

Updated

The guides

Start with the one that is costing you the most time this week.

  • Shipping

    How to start cold shipping food

    Ship days, service levels, gel packs and dry ice, how to test a box and what it costs.

    Read the guide

  • Shipping

    Shipping supplies: what to buy and where

    Liners, gel packs, dry ice, boxes, void fill, jars, labels and tape, with suppliers for each.

    Read the guide

  • Shipping

    Carriers and shipping software basics

    Where to buy labels, when USPS, UPS or FedEx fits, insurance and per-product rates.

    Read the guide

  • Compliance

    Food label requirements for small producers

    Identity, net quantity, ingredients, the nine allergens, name and address, and when you need a nutrition panel.

    Read the guide

  • Compliance

    From cottage food to a commercial kitchen

    What cottage food laws cover and what changes when you sell across state lines or wholesale.

    Read the guide

  • Money

    How to price food for wholesale and retail

    Cost of goods, the 2x and 2x math, marketplace fees and why shipping is not margin.

    Read the guide

  • Selling

    Farmers market vendor checklist

    Permits, insurance, card reader, tent weights, cooler, samples and an inventory count.

    Read the guide

  • Selling

    Where to sell artisan food online

    Madeline's, Faire, Mable, Etsy, Goldbelly, local platforms and your own store compared.

    Read the guide

  • Money

    Grants and programs

    USDA Value-Added Producer Grants, local food programs, microloans and state programs.

    Read the guide

  • Tools

    Software guides and comparisons

    Best inventory, CSA, POS, shipping and email tools for food makers, and head-to-head comparisons.

    See the comparisons

Want one of these set up for you?

Tell us what you make. We send back a short plan and a price.

Have it set up for you

How it works

  1. Read the guide

    Every guide is free and gives you the short answer first.

  2. Try it yourself

    Most of this you can do in an afternoon with the tools you have.

  3. Or hand it off

    Tell us what you make and we send a short plan and a price.

  4. Stay current

    Subscribe to the maker and farmer newsletter for new guides and tools.

Questions

Are these guides free?

Yes. Every guide on this page is free to read.

Who are these guides for?

Small food makers, artisans and farms: cheesemakers, beekeepers, bakers, jam and hot sauce makers, roasters, vegetable farms, ranches and anyone selling what you would find at a farmstand.

Something is wrong or out of date. How do I tell you?

Use the form on this page or email [email protected] and we will fix it.

Can Madeline's set this up for me?

Yes. Artisanal Solutions sets up stores, shipping, inventory, labels, books and email for small food businesses. Use the form for a plan and a price.

Get a plan and a price

Tell us what you make and what you use today. A spreadsheet and a Square account is a fine answer. We reply by email with what we would keep, what we would change and what it costs.

The newsletter for artisans, makers and farmers

Tools worth using, shipping and labeling how-tos, and what is working for other small producers. Email only, unsubscribe any time.

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