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market-farming - Re: Peddlers at Markets

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: OakCamp AT aol.com
  • To: market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Peddlers at Markets
  • Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 10:47:34 EST


In a message dated 2/9/01 7:11:52 PM Central Standard Time,
echoecho AT bedford.heartland.net writes:

<< 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 certify vendors? >>

It is possible to verify each vendor, but it involves farm inspections and
letting everyone know that the inspectors have full disclosure of all your
paperwork to support what you are doing. This would also involve a lot of
time and effort on the managers part but if your market wants to be
legitimate, then it will be necessary.

Our market is strictly farmer produced (with some rulings on plant plugs and
finished product content), and the market manager schedules farm inspections
during the height of your production. We have everything from acorns to
waffles being sold at the market. The people who come to buy, appreciate the
variety and knowing that it is farmer/vendor produced. If anyone is caught
cheating, usually by another vendor, their is a hearing by the board, and if
it is determined that you broke the rules, you are permanently expelled from
the market.

This approach may not work in a small market because the loss of one vendor
may change the whole market negatively. But having rules in place about the
products that will be sold there and some kind of consequence for going
outside the rules is probably a good place to start.

Also, keep in mind that the MORE vendors you have in a market, the better.
That includes multiple veggie sellers and multiple plant sellers. Customers
like to be able to choose and the more options you give them, the more likely
they are to return to the market.

I hope this gives you an idea of what other markets are doing along these
lines. Our market has been going for 20 some years and we have been through
many growing pains in the process. Maybe some of these suggestions will help
you get a head start on avoiding these problems.

Barb Birkinbine
Oak Camp Herb Farm, OCIA cert organic




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