BOZEMAN, Mont. — Farm stands are becoming more common across the Gallatin Valley as local producers find new ways to sell what they grow and raise.
Tracy Haas started Skinny Legs N’ Eggs Farm in 2023 after spending several years giving eggs for free.
“I wasn't selling eggs. I hadn't made a dime, and I was giving them to family and friends and the food bank and such. And I just thought, ‘Gosh, what can I do to, you know, put back into my chickens, make a little money?’” Haas said.
Her husband built the farm stand which sits across Fowler Lane from their property. The stand provides chicken, duck and quail eggs. Their farm has over 100 chickens and 30 ducks, and they also raise turkeys, geese and peacocks.
The birds are all free-range, except at night when they are brought in, in case of coyotes or foxes.
“They’re free-range. They eat bugs – anything they want. It’s just more natural. No spraying of anything,” Haas said.
Every day, the farm stand posts an update on Facebook detailing what kinds of goods will be available.
“It is a lot of work. It's a lot of coordinating and keeping it stocked is a big thing because I work full time as well. So, I try to get right home from work and come out here and check it and stock it,” she said.
When she first started off, the stand would get stocked at 8 a.m. and would be completely sold out by 8:15.
Customers can leave exact cash in a deposit box or pay through Venmo.
"For how much Bozeman has changed, I've only been stolen from a couple of times, and it's somewhat restored my faith in humanity, because I really didn't think that this would work because Bozeman has changed so much, unfortunately. But it's awesome. People are great,” Haas said.
Haas said the stand now sells other homegrown products, like micro-greens and peppers, and they have also started incorporating crafts and goods from other creators. Next to the stand, shoppers can find bundles of firewood, birdhouses, home decor and peacock feathers.
The stand has also drawn more attention as word spreads. The feedback Haas hears and sees is positive, too.
“I have people stopping by doing TikToks and Instagram posts and sharing. I'll go to the bank, and I'll have all my dollars to cash in, and she'll be like, ‘Oh, are you Skinny Legs N’ Eggs?’ And she's like, ‘I need to stop by and get some duck eggs.’” Haas said.
Across the valley, farm stands offer a range of products. For Jacki Van Meter in Gallatin Gateway, flowers are her specialty.
Van Meter is the owner of Good Natured Flower Farm. What started as a small garden grew during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I was like, ‘Well you know what? I have more flowers on my hands than I know what to do with.’ So, I started selling to friends and neighbors,” she said.
Van Meter grows dahlias, lisianthus, specialty zinnias, among a variety of other flowers. She also teaches workshops throughout the year on arranging and decorating with flowers and greenery.
But she found, with younger children, it was difficult to sell flowers at farmers’ markets, and a farm stand made the most sense.
“Having something on the farm was a better fit. And then it's been a nice addition that I get to see my neighbors and community members come through. And they get to see where flowers are grown,” Van Meter said.
Customers can find flowers at the farm stand, but also now other homemade goods, eggs from her chickens and honey her husband harvests as a beekeeper — all of which they do on their property.
Van Meter said local products, like her flowers, stand out for freshness and quality.
“You just can’t beat, like farm-fresh egg yolk. It’s so rich and orange and beautiful,” she said. “When you see imports stand up next to local flowers that were just harvested 24, 48 hours ago, like, you can really see the difference in vase life and in quality.”
Both producers said farm stands demand long hours and hard work, but the effort helps them offer fresh local products and build stronger ties with people in their communities.