Grower Onboarding for Market Managers

Two Ways to Add Growers

You have two options for bringing new growers onto your market:

Method 1: Adding a Grower Directly (Manager Add)

When you add a grower directly, they're automatically approved and active. This is the fastest way to get someone selling.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Navigate to the grower form

   You have three ways to get there:

   • From your Admin Panel: Click the "Add Grower" button in the "Manage Growers" section
   • From the Growers Page: Visit your market's growers page (/growers) and click the "Add Grower" or "Add New Grower" button at the top
   • Direct link: Navigate directly to /growers/new
2. Fill out the grower form

   You'll need to provide:

   • Grower Name: Farm or business name (e.g., "Smith Family Farm", "Green Acres Produce")
   • Location: City, town, or general area (shown to customers)
   • Growing Method: Organic, Certified Organic, Conventional, etc.
   • Description: Tell customers about this grower's story, practices, and products
   • Website/URL: (Optional) Link to their farm website or social media
   • Contact Info: Choose whether to display their contact info publicly
   • Photo: (Optional but recommended) Farm or grower photo
3. Optional: Associate with existing user
   • If the farmer already has a customer account, you can link it to the grower profile
   • This gives them immediate access to manage their products
   • If they don't have an account yet, they can create one later
4. Submit the form
   • Click the "Add Grower" button at the bottom of the form
   • The grower is immediately approved and active
   • They can start adding products right away
5. Next steps for the grower
   • If you linked a user account, they can log in and start adding products
   • If not, they need to: (1) Create a user account, (2) Contact you to link it to their grower profile
   • Send them the link to your market's grower guide: /docs/growers

Method 2: Approving Grower Applications

When growers apply on their own, their application shows up in your admin area as "Pending". You review it and either approve or deny.

Finding Pending Applications

When a grower applies, you'll be notified in two ways:

1. Email Notification
   • You'll receive an email when someone applies to be a grower
   • The email includes a direct link to their grower profile
   • Click the link to review and approve/deny their application
2. Or visit the growers page:
   • Go to /growers and scroll down
   • As a manager, you'll see a "Pending Applications" or "Unapproved Growers" section at the bottom that's only visible to you

Reviewing an Application

1. View the grower's profile
   • Click the email link, or click their name in the Pending Applications section
   • You'll see all the information they provided
2. Review their information

   Check for:

   • Appropriate farm/business name
   • Clear description of what they grow/produce
   • Growing method fits your market's requirements
   • Location is within your service area
   • Contact information is complete
3. Make your decision
   • To Approve: Click the green "Approve" button
     • The grower becomes active immediately
     • They receive an email notification
     • They can start adding products right away
   • To Deny: Click the red "Deny" button
     • Confirm you want to decline their application
     • Important: This permanently deletes their grower profile
     • They receive an email notification
     • Best practice: Contact them first to explain why, if possible
   • To Edit First: Click "Edit Application"
     • Clean up typos, improve descriptions, add missing info
     • Save your changes
     • Then return to approve

Reactivating Existing Growers

If a grower took a break (vacation mode, winter hiatus, etc.) and wants to come back, here's how to bring them back:

Finding Inactive Growers

1. Go to /growers or /modern/growers
2. Scroll down past active growers to the "Taking a Break" section (only visible to admins)
3. All inactive but approved growers appear here

Reactivating a Grower

1. From the growers list:
   • Find the inactive grower in the "Taking a Break" section
   • Click "Learn More" to view their profile
   • Click the green "Activate" button in their admin controls
2. Or from the grower's profile:
   • Visit the grower's profile page
   • As a manager, you'll see admin controls at the top
   • Use the "Activate" button or "Exit Vacation Mode" if applicable
3. What happens when you reactivate:
   • The grower becomes active again
   • Their products with available quantities become visible to customers
   • They can immediately start taking orders
   • They receive a notification (if applicable)

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Problem: "I can't find where to add a grower"

Solution:

• Go directly to: /growers/new
• Or from your admin dashboard, look for "Add New Grower" in Grower Management
• Or: "Quick Actions" → "Manage Growers" → "Add Grower" button at the bottom

Problem: "Grower applied but I don't see the approval button"

Solution:

• Check if they've created a user account and logged in
• You'll see "Awaiting account setup" if they haven't
• Contact them and ask them to: (1) Go to your market, (2) Create an account (or sign in), (3) Then refresh the application
• Once they log in with their account, the approve button will appear

Problem: "I approved someone but they can't add products"

Solution:

1. Check if their user account is linked to the grower profile:
   • Go to the grower's profile page
   • Click "Edit Info"
   • Look for the "User Lookup" field
   • If it's empty or shows the wrong user, select the correct user
   • Save the changes
2. Verify they're logging in with the correct account:
   • They might have multiple accounts
   • Make sure they're using the one that's linked to their grower profile
3. Check if "New Products" are enabled:
   • Go to your admin dashboard
   • Look in Market Operations → Market Control
   • Make sure "New Products" is not disabled market-wide

Problem: "A grower wants to come back but I can't find them"

Solution:

1. Check the "Taking a Break" section on the growers page (admin view)
2. If they're not there, they may have been deleted
3. Add them as a new grower using Method 1 above
4. You can reuse their original farm name and information

Problem: "Application was denied by mistake"

Solution:

• Unfortunately, denying permanently deletes the grower profile
• Contact the applicant and ask them to reapply
• Or you can add them directly using Method 1 (Manager Add)
• Prevention: Always double-check before clicking "Deny" - there's a confirmation dialog for this reason

Problem: "A new grower can't figure out how to add products"

Solution:

• Send them to the grower docs: /docs/growers
• Have them look for the "Edit Mode" toggle on the market page
• When they turn on Edit Mode for the first time, an interactive tutorial walks them through adding products
• They can also access their grower dashboard at /admin (when logged in)

Best Practices for Grower Onboarding

Set Clear Expectations for Prospective Growers

Communicate Your Approval Process

• Add to your market's FAQ page:
  • "How long does it take to get approved as a grower?"
  • Be honest about your typical timeline (days, weeks, or seasonal windows)
  • Mention if you have seasonal approval windows (e.g., "We review applications in January for spring planting season")
  • Explain if you need to meet with growers in person or have additional requirements
• Document your grower requirements:
  • Growing methods you accept (organic, certified, conventional, etc.)
  • Service area/location restrictions
  • Required certifications or licenses
  • Product categories you support (and any you don't)
  • Any prerequisites (e.g., "We ask growers to place 2 orders as customers first to understand how our market works")
• Explain your market's operations:
  • Ordering cycle (weekly, bi-weekly, etc.)
  • Pickup times and locations
  • Product deadlines and availability requirements
  • Your market's values and community expectations
• Send a confirmation when you receive applications
  • Even a simple "We got your application and will review it by [timeframe]" helps
  • Set realistic expectations up front

Before Approving

• Verify they meet your market's requirements
  • Growing method standards (organic, etc.)
  • Location/service area
  • Product categories you support
  • Any required certifications or licenses
• Check their description is customer-friendly
  • Clear and professional
  • Describes what they grow/produce
  • Highlights what makes them special
• Ensure contact information is complete
  • Valid email address
  • Phone number if they want to be publicly listed

After Approving

• Send a welcome message
  • Congratulate them on joining
  • Link to grower documentation
  • Explain your market's ordering cycles and pickup process
  • Share any market-specific rules or guidelines
• Check in after a few days
  • See if they've added products
  • Offer help if they're stuck
  • Answer any questions about pricing, photos, or descriptions
  • Remind them they can link additional user accounts (partners, employees) to their farm profile
• Provide ongoing support
  • Share tips from successful growers
  • Offer feedback on their product listings
  • Help them optimize pricing and descriptions
  • Celebrate their first sale!

For Reactivations

• Welcome them back!
• Remind them to update their product listings
• Check if their photos need updating
• Announce their return to customers (via weblog/newsletter)

Understanding Grower Permissions

Once a grower is approved and linked to a user account, they can:

• Product Management:
  • Add new products (unless you disable "New Products" market-wide)
  • Edit existing products (prices, quantities, descriptions, photos)
  • Mark products as available or unavailable
  • Copy products from other growers/markets
• Order Management:
  • View all orders containing their products
  • Print harvest lists and packing labels
  • Track sales history
  • Adjust orders (if you enable "Order Editing" for growers)
• Profile Management:
  • Edit their own grower profile information
  • Upload/change photos
  • Update descriptions and contact info
• Communication:
  • Receive harvest notifications
  • Email other growers (grower-to-grower)
  • Email market managers