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  • From: "D K" <dkhs22@gmail.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Local Farmer's Market
  • Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 10:08:30 -0400

I have a question, or am looking for feedback about farmer's markets.

We have a little town nearby that wants to be vibrant and bustling;
until a couple of weeks ago, they offered a once-a-month sort of
thingie where they closed off the street and called it a "market", but
only a couple of vendors showed up.

Now they have started it every week, but here's how they are doing it:
They charge vendors $25 per booth (this is in a county based on
development and super Wal Mart, with the 4th highest rank of
foreclosure in the state, because all the developers have been put out
of work, i.e. this is not a rich county), and so far there have been a
max of 5 who show up. The lady who is running it says it is for
advertising and helping the homeless. I haven't spoken to her yet, but
this is what one of the booth farmers has told me. Also, I'm not a
curmudgeon who doesn't want to help the homeless, but I think there
are better ways of helping the homeless, and developing a working
market at the same time.

Wouldn't it make more sense to charge like $5/booth and have a wide
variety of vendors to create the sort of festive atmosphere they are
looking for? You're not going to have a vibrant downtown with 5
vendors who are paying for the privilege to have 10 or 12 people come
look around.

I am going to speak to the organizer this week, as one of my angles is
to see more market gardeners involved, and to really see this be a
place to get unusual varieties and such. I have ZERO experience
starting or running a market, but I have high hopes (thanks
substantially to this list) of bringing some items to market in the
fall. I wondered if some of you with more experience might have some
pointers or suggestions on creating a more alive marketplace, a place
where people WANT to go every Saturday morning. I could use some ideas
for speaking with the organizer.

Thanks in advance!
Diane K in Florida




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