Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - RE: political groups at market

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Bill & Linda Barry" <unclebil AT bright.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: RE: political groups at market
  • Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 20:19:10 -0500


We've had a few "solicitors". Our market has a friendly neighborhood cop
walking through. Solicitation is against the law without permit. He
usually reminds the person what the law is and sends them on their way.

As far as non-profits selling bake goods or others, they have to pay the
same fees as others and our customers tend to sort non-regulars from
regulars. Most non-profits have only been there once.

Our market has also weeded out "peddlers" too. Our customers do the job for
us. Our peddlers find its not as profitable as they thought it was going
to be. And they have not returned since the first year. Some of us bring
in and resell extra produce but it has not hurt any of us. Nearly every
vendor is diversified in product line. Even with multiple produce vendors,
they barely meet the customer demands for conventional product. We are the
only organic at market and we have our canned goods as a side. What we don't
sell, we can and sell next week. And sometimes it doesn't make it to market
fresh.

We have the regulars and then "weekly" pop-ins from growers who only grow
one or two things. Some grumble that they are cutting prices but we have
watched and our customers will walk past "cheap" produce to buy from their
favorite vendor. Only if the pop-in has something new does it pay them to
be there.

Bill & Linda Barry
Barry Farm
www.barryfarm.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Petersons [mailto:petersns AT mail.whidbey.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2001 3:56 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: [market-farming] political groups at market


Our market is working on policies now and this issue concerns me: In
the past we have had various political or community or religious
groups come through our Saturday market with petitions. We've had
non-profits who want to do fund-raisers at the market.
I found the petitions annoying as a vendor because customers were
distracted from our produce. As a community member I understand that
the market is a great place to contact a lot of people at once. I've
been to markets (as a customer) where groups like these have their
own booths (less disruptive for individual vendors), and I found it a
pleasant mix in the market. I'm not sure I would have liked it if
they had been groups I strongly disagreed with.
I have some concerns about non-profits using the market as a place to
raise money especially if they sell baked goods that directly compete
with member vendors.
One of our sponsoring organization's members feels we are restricting
freedom of speech if we don't allow these groups in our "public
space."
This particular market is held on land owned by a non-profit group
dedicated to promoting sustainable, ecological, socially equitable
agriculture.

What is you experience with this issue at your markets?

---
You are currently subscribed to market-farming as: unclebil AT bright.net
To unsubscribe send a blank email to
leave-market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
Get the list FAQ at: http://www.marketfarming.net/mflistfaq.htm





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page