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Subject: Market Farming
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- From: mckemie AT inetport.com
- To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
- Subject: Re: Peddlers at Markets
- Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 21:10:31 -0600
My aim here is to provide a warning to those starry-eyed inexperienced
optimists that are embarking on a new farmers market voyage:
1) You cannot depend on resellers to voluntarily abide by rules that
you make.
2) It is impractical to enforce restrictions on re-sellers; it just
requires too much of the market administrators time. If rules
permit re-selling of certain items from certain sources, eventually
those rules will be violated. Since the rules cannot be enforced, they
are meaningless.
3) Markets with meaningless, un-enforceable rules are eventually
populated almost exclusively with re-sellers.
4) The only rule that is feasible to enforce is: sell it only if you
grew it. It is possible to visit farms of all sellers periodically.
This rule may be very difficult to enforce, but it is feasible.
On Fri, Feb 09, 2001 at 07:12:51PM -0600, Jeffery Blake wrote:
> This topic has many facets. I believe that there are two things to
> consider. Providing the customer with what s/he expects to get at a famers
> market. Secondly to allow a profitable avenue for small producers to market
> their goods.
> I cant think of any one answer to providing both of these things.
> Peddlars who resale from a wholesale source have no redeeming quality that I
> can think of.
>
> Resellers have a few. They do provide markets for farmers unwilling to sell
> retail. They do draw customers who expect to find what they came to the
> market after. Many resellers do exactly what they say, sell locally grown
> farm fresh produce. Many probably don't.
>
> I think there is a place for everyone in todays market. That's not to say
> everyplace is for everyone. I believe that should be up to the market
> committee or whatever to decide.
>
> I do believe in ensuring the consumer knows what she is getting. I think
> everyone should have a sign telling the customer exactly where all produce
> was grown. For a peddler having several signs up sounds like a good idea.
> My peddler does that. He likes it. The farm to consumer link is very
> important. I suppose that it might be difficult at a market (if they
> decided to allow peddlers) to verify every thing. Never having run a market
> I would think you could kick someone out for breaking the rules. A bunch of
> mad farmers can surely find enough evidence to indict a cheat.
> I believe the reseller of local produce is still better for the consumer
> than the grocery store.
> Is it really impossible to verify and certifiy vendors?
Unless you have paid personnel, yes. The markets that I attend are run
by farmer volunteers and the administrators find it very difficult to
devote enough time to properly inspect farmers. Inspecting several
sources for each re-seller perhaps for each market session is truly
hopeless.
> Again I have no experience running a market like this and I don't realy want
> any. But I think there should be someway to keep everyone happy. I remind
> you I didn't say resellers should be allowed everywhere.
Am I correct in guessing that you have not much sold at farmers
markets?
--
Onward! Through the Fog!
Willie
http://austinfarm.org/homegrown
-
Re: Peddlers at Markets
, (continued)
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Jeffery Blake, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, SCook21809, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Del Williams, 02/09/2001
- RE: Peddlers at Markets, Wiediger, Alison, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Jill Taylor Bussiere, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Sudoa Farm, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, mckemie, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Gary & Sarah Rowland, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Jeffery Blake, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Gary & Sarah Rowland, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, mckemie, 02/09/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, OakCamp, 02/10/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Dori Green, 02/11/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Del Williams, 02/11/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Dori Green, 02/11/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, mckemie, 02/11/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Dori Green, 02/11/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, S & S Aqua Farm, 02/11/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, Del Williams, 02/11/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, S & S Aqua Farm, 02/11/2001
- Re: Peddlers at Markets, mckemie, 02/11/2001
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