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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Ineffective market saga...suggestions?

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  • From: Debbie Moore <caverdjmoore AT hotmail.com>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Ineffective market saga...suggestions?
  • Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2011 00:56:32 +0000


Hi Leslie -

I would go with the u-pick. SinceĀ  you recently moved from a metropolitan
area to I'm thinking a more rural one, the issue wouldn't be just with the
board members but their multi-generational "local" society and established
politics. A coup would not be in the best interest of your developing
business. If the community is one which "outsiders" are constantly coming
through, such as a vacation area or a university town, the social structure
may be somewhat different. Still, it takes a lot of energy and tact to
educate the board members and try to change things. I myself moved to 1 1/2
hour drives to markets where all I had to do was show up and sell.

Because our market did not have enough funding for advertising the first few
years, I did my own and encouraged other farmers to do so too. Our community
advertiser covered 5 counties and people read it like a newspaper, and ad
rates were reasonable. (Farmer Jones Products now available at Anytown Market
or check out our website at ---).

There is also the possibility they know your experience with markets and
are defensive, rather than open to suggestions. I've seen this happen
too, although it wasn't in the farmers market arena.

I would like to share a story about our market and an unhappy vendor who
decided to start her own. She found a good location but the four top vendors,
feeling caught up in small-town politics and having to make a choice about
which market to attend, pulled out and either went elsewhere or sold from
their farm. The unhappy vendor, not having a star attraction, barely made it
through the season. The established market, also now without their
"destination vendors" is dieing a slow death. Dedicated customers followed
their favorite farmers and those who were "add-on" purchases and not the
destination have suffered greatly. Other customers, not seeing a large
variety, stopped coming altogether.

Best of luck to you,
DebM



  • Re: [Market-farming] Ineffective market saga...suggestions?, Debbie Moore, 01/04/2011

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