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  • From: tradingpost <tradingpost@lobo.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] food hubs?
  • Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 21:26:30 -0700


I like finding the flaws in these guys' arguments for using middlemen in the growing business. This is about the latest fad, food hubs. And how small growers can't make money and get beyond the farmers market.

from http://www.alternet.org/food/some-bumps-road-farm-table?paging=off&current_page=1#bookmark

"Cutting out the middleman to get more of the customer’s money into the hands of the farmer may sound great in a TED talk, but the reality is that there is no way to challenge the economies of scale of industrial food production, which is propped up by subsidies, kickbacks, and money-saving environmental shortcuts."

Then he goes off into problems with failing food hubs that do processing, especially processed meats, and food hub processors trying (again) to "get big".

From all the markets here I've seen, most small growers don't do their homework on how to make money at it. If they did they wouldn't feel the need to get beyond the farmers market. Besides, there's no guarantee that all who try will succeed at it no matter the circumstances - and they don't have to. A lot more should do home growing and let it go at that. Those who do aim to succeed on a small scale shouldn't try to compete on items easily and cheaply grown and harvested mechanically or by migrant labor and subsidized by govt crop insurance and credit. Not smart. Don't challenge those economies of scale; it's rigged against you. So we won't grow chiles or potatoes or shell beans. Forget meats and eggs, same reason. And not everybody should try to grow for sale. For selling profitably it also helps to have good soil and high end markets, have at least some experience growing and dealing with the public, and have some help from family members.

We realized you do NOT have to go head to head with the big boys on the whole range of produce. Just try things that the big boys can't match for taste, freshness, pesticide and pathogen free. Try things that taste better and fresher grown locally and organically. Try tomatoes that you can pick ripe where the big boys pick them green then gas to ripen and transport them for a week. Give service they can't get in any supermarket - how to cook what you're selling for example. Talk to customers, make it all personal. They can't get this in ANY supermarket.







  • [Livingontheland] food hubs?, tradingpost, 11/22/2013

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