market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Market Farming
List archive
- From: mckemie AT inetport.com
- To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
- Subject: Re: peddlers
- Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 06:56:10 -0600
On Fri, Feb 09, 2001 at 10:17:38PM -0400, Mike Tidman wrote:
> At our market, we pretty much know who is farming locally and who isn't, and
> I suspect you do, too. Up to this point, whether by accident of by design,
> they've managed to pretty much settle in lots of random slots at the market
> -- rumor is that one wholesaler has multiple booths.
>
> We proposed that all the local growers band together under locally-grown
> banners, etc., and leave the peddlers (that includes trinkets) on the
> fringes, or at least grouped among themselves. Sort of an informal shunning,
> if you will.
>
> Does anyone have any experience in doing this, and how do you think that
> will work?
Only if you have many customers that will take the cue. The majority
of customers that I have seen will go to the sellers that offer the
widest variety. And that means the peddlers. Of course, not all
customers, but many to most.
Your first line of defense is a well organized market from the start.
Strong rules/by-laws and strong enforcement even when the threat seems
small.
Your second line of defense is to try to organize the legitimate
farmers and correct the problems before the peddlers become the
majority. New rules/by-laws, committed authorities.
Your third line of defense is to abandon the peddler controlled market
and do it right in a new market.
We have on this list heard stories and examples of markets that are in
different positions on this downward sloping path. You seem to be
either at the second or third stage. Thanks for adding your story; I am
eager to hear of how your story comes out and of more stories. So many
of us seem to have gone down (and are going down) the same path! We look
back and say: If only I had known more when I started!
I and others have already said this several times, but perhaps it bears
repeating one more time: A legitimate farmer is only offering cover or
legitimacy to a peddler when he participates in a market with the
peddler.
--
Onward! Through the Fog!
Willie
http://austinfarm.org/homegrown
-
peddlers,
Mike Tidman, 02/09/2001
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
- Re: peddlers, mckemie, 02/10/2001
- Re: peddlers, Boulder Belt Organics, 02/10/2001
- Re: peddlers, Del Williams, 02/10/2001
- Re: peddlers, mckemie, 02/10/2001
- Re: peddlers, Rex Harrill, 02/10/2001
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