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  • From: "Elizabeth Pike" <pike AT always-online.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: farmers' markets
  • Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 10:05:20 -0500

Betsy wrote:
>Hi Elizabeth - I'm just curious - what are your feelings about the potential for the bridge diversion to actually boost downtown businesses and bring in more intentional shoppers? And would you consider locating a market downtown as part of that growth, if it seemed like a good move? How salvageable do you think the downtown is? Does it have charm, old buildings, anything? <
 
The shoppers need to be local, meaning they have kitchens to cook the produce.  The bridge diverted locals, which means the only ones coming downtown are tourists.  The shops are all touristy-very few locals shop them.  The downtown is made up of historic homes renovated by the type of clientele who buy from farmer's markets, along with 2 marinas, residents of which come to buy, too.  And as happens in lots of cities, this good, small, area is surrounded by a much larger area where the type of clientele would rather have crack than a good tomato ; ).  I'm a farmer.  It isn't my job to revitalize the downtown.  I need the sales & staying put, just because this is where the only farmer's market is & this is the way it's always been done, just feels like I'm shooting myself in the foot. 
 
Where are your markets located?  Are they under cover or do you provide your own cover?  Do any of you participate in co-op produce stores, where you bring in your produce, and it's sold like a grocery store, meaning you don't have to be present to accept sales?  I've seen this done at a small store in Riverdale, GA.  A co-op of farmers got together & opened a store stocked with their farm products-produce, jams, jellies, bread, landscape plants, etc.  If it was produced on the farm, it was allowed to be sold.  Shoppers shopped just like a grocery store.  I know this removes the farmer's face from his products.  I'd love to figure out a way to implement a similar idea with the farmers hanging around-maybe by rotating staffing the store.  Excuse the ramblings...just looking for alternatives to bring farmers' markets (at least my farmer's market) into the 21st century!
 
Liz Pike
Morningstar Gardens
Pollocksville, North Carolina



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