CT Frag Farmer's Market - March 5th, 2022!!!!

[Biglurr54]

I couldnt get a table but i will do a tailgate sale. Mods. delete if not allowed..

Tailgate Sale at FFM 2022 SPS Beginner to High End

I couldn’t get a table at FFM but I still have a bunch of SPS from beginner to high end. Since I don’t have a table, my prices will be nice and low! Everything has been healing in my system for a while and all frags are 1” or bigger! If I can cut a...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[fitch4]

@fitch4 Can I Venmo you $100 now for my raffle tickets?

Sorry, nope. All raffle sales are at the FFM only.

 

[kgstei]

Sorry, nope. All raffle sales are at the FFM only.

It's probably better for you just in case something comes up and you don't make it.

 

[Dburr1014]

It's probably better for you just in case something comes up and you don't make it.

And better for the rest of us that get there early

 

[fitch4]

Okay, time to answer the question that everyone has been asking…
For starters, there are no vaccine requirements for the FFM, so there is no vaccine card needed to come. That was never really a thing here in Connecticut.
The town of Mansfield had a meeting on Monday to discuss the mask mandates in the town, and the school’s BOE met yesterday to make a decision regarding the mandate for the school itself. Both groups opted to follow the guidance of the CDC and EHHD (the local health district) and drop the mask mandates- making mask wearing optional for both the town and school. After much thought on the subject, I have decided to follow their guidance and do the same for the 2022 FFM.
I am going to request, but not require, that people wear masks at the FFM this year.
That said, I do understand the concerns that people may have with that decision. Please understand that this was a lose-lose decision for me in that no matter what I decided, half of the people were going to be upset. We are in a strange transitional time from where everyone was wearing one to hopefully where no one feels that they need to. I had a number of things in place to make the 2022 FFM as safe and comfortable as possible for everyone and I think they still help. I have expanded into new areas of the school, without increasing the number of vendors, which should result in more space to move around. I also have fewer vendors in the halls and most of the rooms, again, more space. The layout of the FFM does result in some crowding but also gives you the chance to skip a room and just go into a less crowded one. The crowds always seem to shift from one room to another through the day. I believe that this year’s FFM layout would be better in a “normal year” but should also give people the ability to make choices that they are comfortable with while they are here in this transition time. I will also have masks available at the front table for people who would like to take one. Hopefully everyone understands and respects this difficult decision for this year.
I am not leaving this thread open for comments because I do not want this to become a venue for a mask/no mask debate, nor do I want that to be part of the FFM. I would encourage everyone who wants to wear a mask, do so, and everyone who would prefer not to is free not to. Please respect everyone’s choice in this, regardless of your thoughts and let’s get back to making this the best FFM ever!!!

 

[fitch4]

Only a day, or so, to go before the biggest single day swap in the whole US! Anyone even remotely close to CT should give the Frag Farmer's Market a shot. If you have never come out, you will not be disappointed. With over 70 coral vendors, (over 90 total), there are more corals at the FFM than at any other swap/show for sure. If you have come out in the past, you are already coming out, so I will see you there! If you have never been, it is definitely worth the ride.

Here are some of the FFM FAQ?

"I have to drive 3 hours to get to the Frag Farmers, is it really worth it?"
-I always look at a big show this way; I drive an hour to go to a good fish store. What if I could drive 3 to see all of the fish stores in one place. With almost 80 coral vendors this year, this is the single largest grouping of corals you can find anywhere. No conference, no show, no swap focuses on just corals like the FFM. With a number of vendors similar to a RAP, or MACNA, but focused on just corals and only $10 to get in, you get a better selection here than anywhere. There is also a SUPER low vendor fee so the vendors tend to have better prices and a little less stress, so its a much more “chilled out” environment for everyone… with better prices!. The room after room of corals at the FFM is overwhelming, even to me and I have been to them all!

"What are the typical prices at the FFM?"
-The prices at the FFM tend to be better than you will find elsewhere for three reasons:
~One, the shops always stock up to sell at shows and give better pricing than you would see in their store, or online. They often do package deals, 5 for $50, etc...
~Secondly, the buy-in for shops is so low, they don't feel the pressure to make back their set-up fee. Typical shows this size charge $1000's for the space, mine is WAY under that, and only $30 for hobbyists. People always ask why don't I charge more, and the answer is I'm not in this for the money. I just want to be able to run my coral project with the kids at the school.
~Lastly, with so many vendors, you can find the same coral at multiple stations. That competition causes better prices. Frags range anywhere from free (yes that happens!) all the way up to $1000+.

How do I get tickets??
Admission is $10. All sales are at the door for the FFM. There are no advanced sales.

"Will there be high end corals at the FFM?"
-Yes, there are a TON of high end Zoas, LPS, and SPS at the FFM, sold by many of the vendors. The FB group for the event has been blowing up with “Who is bringing (Fill in crazy name here) to the show??” Pretty much everyone is answered with a few “Yeah, I’ll have that.” Every year, I see things at the FFM that I didn’t even know existed?
"Can I find easy to keep corals? I have a new tank or am just looking to fill some space."
-Yes, that is there too. Lots of the hobbyists farm easy stuff, GSP, mushrooms, leathers, xenia, etc... Our school project keeps mainly easy to keep stuff, stop by 107 and look!

"Do vendors accept credit cards?"
-Some do, some don't. Most of the shops do but some of the hobbyists do not. I always suggest cash, it’s a sure thing.

“How much money should I bring?”
This is a tricky question. Here is a word problem to describe it (sorry it's a teacher thing):
When you leave home, you have $X you are planning to spend. You spend it in the first room of the FFM (there are 16 and three long hallways this year) You see two other things you want in the next room. You visit the ATM across the street and take out $Y for those pieces. Your cooler now weighs Z lbs. You leave having spent $X + $Y, and wishing you had bought that one other frag that you had never seen before. How long will your wife make you sleep on the couch when she finds out how much money you spent? and can you see the tank from the couch?
Seriously, I always suggest that people bring 2-3X what they think they will spend. The deals and variety are too good to pass up at the FFM and it only comes once a year.

“How do I get my new corals home?”
Bring a cooler. The good news is that you don’t have to lug it around all day. The FFM has a FREE cooler check station. Just drop your cooler off and we will keep it safe for you. If you need to drop something off, just stop by the table and throw it into your cooler! Don’t worry your stuff will be safe at the cooler station!

"Is there a raffle?"
Yes there is. It is one of the biggest you will see at a swap with anything from rock to supplements, fish to coral, controllers to pumps, lighting to AIO tanks, cutters to coral saws and a TON more! Raffle tickets are for sale all day at the FFM. Just find one of the guys walking around selling them.

"Where does all the money from the FFM go?"
Unlike most shows, ALL of the proceeds go to support the E.O. Smith High School Coral Project. I teach my students about corals, aquaculture and conservation by having them help me run the school’s coral farm. The FFM has become so successful that I have been able to start helping other schools get going with similar projects in their classrooms. I have also used the proceeds from the FFM to give out over $3000 in scholarships over the last six years to students who are going to college to study marine science.

Hope to see you all at the FFM!
-Jon