How to Shop on LocallyGrown.net

Your guide to buying fresh, local food from your community farmers

Welcome to Local Food Shopping!

LocallyGrown.net makes it easy to buy fresh, seasonal food directly from local farmers and producers. No more rushing to farmers markets or worrying about your favorite items selling out!

Your market sets its own rules. When you can order, when you pick up, whether membership is required (and how many trial orders you get before signing up), which payment methods are accepted, and whether a small market fee is added at checkout — all of that varies from one market to the next. Your market's home page and the checkout screen will show you exactly what applies to your order.

🕒 Shop Anytime

Order online 24/7 during ordering windows, no need to wake up early for market day

✅ Guaranteed Availability

Reserve the products you want - no more arriving to find everything sold out

🌱 Know Your Farmers

Learn about the people growing your food and their farming practices

📦 Convenient Pickup

Grab your pre-packed order at a convenient time and location

How It Works

1

Find Your Local Market

Visit our markets page to find LocallyGrown.net markets in your area. It shows every active market on a map, and you can type your town, city, or state into the search box to see which markets serve your area. Click a market to open its site and sign up. Don't see one nearby? Email [email protected] — or start a market for your community.

2

Create an Account

Sign up for a free account to start shopping. You'll need to provide basic contact and payment information.

3

Browse & Shop

During ordering windows (usually early in the week), browse products and add items to your basket.

4

Checkout & Pay

Complete your order and pay online. Your payment is processed immediately.

5

Pick Up Your Order

Collect your fresh, local products at the designated pickup location and time.

Getting Started with Your First Visit

Finding Your Way Around

New to LocallyGrown.net? The market page keeps things simple: products up front, categories and search close at hand, and your basket a click away. If you get stuck, look for the help menu (marked with a "?" icon) or ask your market's manager — they're happy to help.

Browsing Products Made Easy

  • Infinite Scroll: Products load automatically as you scroll down - no need to click "next page" buttons
  • Smart Filtering: Use category filters and grower filters to find exactly what you're looking for
  • Instant Search: Start typing in the search box and see results appear immediately
  • Mobile-Optimized: The experience works seamlessly on your phone or tablet
✨ New Feature: Products now load much faster, especially on mobile devices. You'll see a smooth, continuous browsing experience without waiting for pages to load.

Choose Your View: Grid or List

Just under the sort control on the market page you'll find a small ⊞ Grid / ☰ List toggle. Grid is the classic card layout with big photos — great for discovering what's new. The compact list view shows one slim row per product — a small thumbnail, the product name, the grower, the price, stock status, and a quantity picker and Add to Order button (or a "Sign In to Order" link if you're not logged in) — perfect when you already know what you want.

  • Full details are one click away: Click a product's name or thumbnail in the list to open the full view with the photo and complete description.
  • Your choice sticks: Each market remembers which view you picked on this device — even when you're not signed in.
  • Featured and New products stay as cards: The showcase carousels at the top of the page always display cards, whichever view you choose.
  • You won't lose your place: Switching views keeps the page anchored to the product you were looking at.
💡 For growers and market managers: Edit Mode works in both views, and you can switch between them freely while editing. In list view, each of your product rows gets quick inline fields for quantity and price (changes save when you press Enter or move to the next field) plus an availability toggle, and an "✏️ Edit" button opens the full editor for everything else. Inactive listings appear dimmed so they're easy to spot.

Shopping Tips

Understanding Ordering Cycles

Most markets operate on weekly cycles:

  • Monday-Wednesday: Ordering window is open
  • Thursday-Friday: Farmers harvest and prepare orders
  • Saturday: Pickup day (times vary by market)
💡 Tip: Order early in the week! Popular items can sell out, and some farmers may close their ordering early if they reach capacity.

Reading Product Listings

  • Photos: See what you're buying before you order
  • Descriptions: Learn about varieties, growing methods, and serving suggestions
  • Grower Info: Click on grower names to learn about their farm
  • Availability: Green means available, red means sold out

Payment Options

  • Credit/Debit Cards: Secure online payment processing
  • Shopper Account Balance: Pre-pay for faster checkout
  • Market-specific options: Some markets may accept EBT/SNAP

Managing Your Basket

  • Instant Add to Basket: Click "Add to Basket" and items are added immediately - no page reload required
  • Live Basket Counter: See your basket count update in real-time as you add items
  • View basket contents: See all items with individual prices and totals
  • Remove items: Each item has a remove button for easy basket management
  • Update quantities: Change item quantities directly in your basket
  • Save for later: Items remain in your basket until you check out
✨ New: Adding items to your basket is now instant! No more waiting for pages to refresh. Your basket displays accurate prices for each item, making it easier to track your spending as you shop.

What to Expect

Product Variations

Local, seasonal food is different from grocery store produce:

  • Size variations: Natural products come in different sizes
  • Seasonal availability: Products are only available when in season
  • Weather impacts: Bad weather can affect harvests
  • Limited quantities: Popular items may sell out quickly

Pickup Experience

  • Designated times: Most markets have specific pickup windows
  • Pre-packed orders: Your items will be ready and labeled
  • Market atmosphere: Often includes other vendors and community activities
  • Meet the farmers: Many growers attend pickup to answer questions

Making the Most of Your Membership

Try New Things

  • Experiment with vegetables you've never tried
  • Ask growers for preparation suggestions
  • Join market social media groups for recipe ideas
  • Attend special events and farm tours

Build Relationships

  • Get to know your farmers - they love talking about their products
  • Provide feedback to help growers improve
  • Share your experience with friends and family
  • Support the farmers by ordering regularly

Seasonal Eating

  • Embrace what's in season - it's fresher and cheaper
  • Preserve the harvest - freeze, can, or dehydrate excess produce
  • Plan meals around what's available
  • Learn about local growing seasons
Need assistance? Contact your market manager for help with ordering, pickup arrangements, or accessibility accommodations.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Q: What if I can't make pickup?

Contact your market manager as soon as possible. Some markets allow pickup by friends/family or may hold orders briefly.

Q: What if there's a problem with my order?

Report issues immediately to your market manager. Most quality problems are resolved quickly and fairly.

Q: Can I change my order after submitting?

This depends on your market's policy and timing. Contact your market manager - changes are often possible if caught early.

Q: What if I forget my pickup time?

Check your email confirmation or contact the market manager. Many markets are flexible with pickup times.

Ready to Start Shopping Local?

Join thousands of families who enjoy fresh, local food through LocallyGrown.net markets.

Find a Market Managing Your Account Pickup Process