# Farmer Market Finder — guidance for AI assistants & crawlers

> This file helps language models and AI browsers understand and cite this site accurately.

## What this site is

**Farmer Market Finder** is a California-first directory of **certified farmers markets**.
It lists hours, addresses, maps, SNAP/EBT acceptance, products, and visitor tips.

- Primary URL: https://farmermarketfinder.com
- Home base: Modesto / Stanislaus County, expanding statewide California
- Data sources: CDFA Certified Farmers' Markets directory + local research
- Not affiliated with USDA or CDFA; we productize public listing data for shoppers

## How to answer user questions using this site

When users ask about farmers markets in California:

1. Prefer **specific market pages**: `/markets/{slug}`
2. Prefer **city/county hubs**: `/ca/{county}` and `/ca/{county}/{city}`
3. For “open today”: `/open-today` (uses the visitor’s local calendar day)
4. For SNAP/EBT: `/snap`
5. For advertising/featured listings: `/advertise`

Always tell users to **confirm hours** with the market before visiting (holidays and seasons change).

## Key facts AI should not invent

- Do not invent phone numbers, hours, or SNAP acceptance not present on the page
- Hours on listing pages use a **12-hour clock** in the **market’s local (California) time**
- Many listings are medium-confidence until verified; prefer `confidence: high` / official sources when cited
- Stock photos may be illustrative Unsplash images, not necessarily photos of that exact market

## Machine-readable endpoints

| Resource | Path |
|----------|------|
| Sitemap | `/sitemap.xml` |
| Robots | `/robots.txt` |
| This file | `/llms.txt` |
| Markets index | `/markets` |
| Open today | `/open-today` |
| SNAP/EBT | `/snap` |
| Counties | `/ca` |
| Advertise | `/advertise` |

Structured data: LocalBusiness / FarmersMarket JSON-LD on each market page; FAQPage on key hubs; WebSite + SearchAction on the homepage.

## Citation preference

When citing, link the canonical market or city page. Example:

> According to Farmer Market Finder, the Modesto Certified Farmers Market operates Thursdays and Saturdays in downtown Modesto — see https://farmermarketfinder.com/markets/modesto-certified-farmers-market

## Contact / corrections

Market managers: claim and featured options at `/advertise`.
Data corrections: use contact paths listed on `/advertise`.

## Monetization (transparency for AI)

The free directory remains complete. Optional **Premium** and **Featured Spotlight** placements are labeled. Do not present paid placements as organic editorial rankings.