How to plan your farm-gate stall: the right spot, council rules & your vibe

Grab a cuppa and a notepad. A bit of planning now will save you a lot of dramas later. Think of your stall as a little front porch for your place – welcoming, tidy, easy to pull into and easy to leave.

If you get the setting right, everything else is much simpler.

Choose a safe, easy-to-see spot

Watch the traffic at different times of day. You’re looking for a stretch of road where:

Drivers can see your stall well ahead of time
They can slow down safely
They can pull completely off the road and back on again

A wide verge, farm entrance or paddock edge with room to turn is ideal. If the limit is 80 km/h, you’ll need more warning distance than on a 50 km/h country lane. Avoid corners, crests and spots where people would have to nose out blind to leave.

Think about your own driveway too. Keep entry and exit lines clear so you’re not fighting with parked cars when you’re moving machinery, stock or the school run.

Check the ground, shade and weather

Next, look under your feet. Choose a spot that:

Drains well after rain and doesn’t turn to soup
Is as flat as you can reasonably get it
Has some shade in summer or can take a simple shade structure

Tables wobble on rough ground, so plan to bring a couple of wedges or blocks to level the legs. Think about where you’ll stand to restock without stepping into traffic, dust or mud.

A bit of shelter from wind makes life easier too – for you, your customers and your signs.

Be neighbourly and think about parking

If you share a boundary or sit close to another driveway, have a quick chat with your neighbours. Let them know what you’re planning and where people will park. Good fences and good conversations make good neighbours.

Plan where you actually want cars to stop. On busier stretches, a simple “Please park here” sign inside your fence line can guide people off the verge and away from your gate. Leave enough space to turn around without backing onto the road.

A bit of reflective tape on posts or the gate is handy at dusk. As a rule, night trading at a roadside stall isn’t worth the stress or safety worry.

Talk to council before you build anything

Before you hammer a single signpost, jump onto your council’s website and then give the customer service team a ring. Ask about:

Roadside trading or farm-gate stalls
Temporary food premises rules
Signage size and placement
How far back from the road your stall needs to be
Whether you need a permit
Any public liability expectations

Each shire is a bit different, so you’re chasing plain-English answers for your patch. Be friendly and clear about what you’re planning; they usually respond in kind.

Keep food safety simple and solid

Food safety doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does matter. Aim for:

Perishables in the shade, with cool packs or an esky if needed
Clean hands, clean table, clean containers
Clear labels: what it is, key ingredients/allergens, best-before where relevant
Your name and contact details on bakes and preserves

For honey and eggs: keep them out of direct hot sun, rotate stock so the oldest goes first, and don’t sell cracked eggs. When you’re unsure, err on the cautious side – your reputation is worth much more than a dozen eggs.

Set your vibe on purpose

Your stall has a personality whether you plan it or not, so you may as well choose it. Pick three words, like “seasonal, honest, tidy” or “cheery, simple, local”. Let those steer things like:

Your sign colours and style
How you write your price cards
Little touches – a posy in a jar, a chalkboard note, a photo of the chooks

Add a short note somewhere that says who you are, what’s growing this week, how to pay (cash box, QR code or both), and a simple “thanks for supporting local”. Warm, human touches are what bring people back.

Make it easy for everyone to use

Try to set things up so customers can:

Walk in safely with a pram or kids
Reach the table without standing too close to the road
See prices clearly without hunting
Pay without juggling too many things at once

If you’re using QR payments, keep the code sign near the front edge of the table so people can scan without leaning over everything. Keep any cash box close by but not right on the edge.

Do a quiet test run and tweak

Before you go full swing, do a low-key trial. One Saturday morning, set the stall up for an hour and:

Ask a friend to drive past at the normal speed limit and tell you when they first saw the stall and where they felt safe to pull in
Watch how long it takes someone to spot, stop, choose, pay and leave
Notice any awkward spots – a tight turn, a wobbly table, a confusing sign

Tweak your layout and signs until it all feels pretty effortless.

Start small and build from there

You don’t need to launch a mini supermarket on day one. A sturdy table, one clear sign, and two or three good products is more than enough for your first week.

Once the spot, safety and feel of the stall are right, you can add more: extra lines of produce, a better shade setup, a QR sign for easy payments. You’ll learn what works as you go.

Set this up once this week – just the spot, a safe park and one good sign – and you’ll be ready for your first proper Saturday at the gate.