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Subject: Market Farming
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- From: Shari Sirkin <sasfarm AT hevanet.com>
- To: Market Farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
- Subject: more on Farmers Markets
- Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 21:36:48 -0800 (PST)
Peddlers at Market: Comments from Portland, OR
Our market is entering our fifth year and our board have, like yours, had
long discussions on the issues you raise. Here are my suggestions:
1. Set your board up as a mix between of the community members and
growers. Our mix for 12 board positions are no more than three growers, no
more than three local business members and the rest members of our
community. The growers' self interest can not be served with a mixed
board.
2. The board must be very clear about defining LOCAL. It will be
different for every market, but if you do not define that term you are in
trouble. Ours includes Washington and Oregon. We did that because farmers
in less populated parts of state are important to us. If they are willing
to drive to the city we will make a spot for them.
3. Our rules are 75% grown and 25% from other farmers in the defined
local area. Our % is based on the season, not weekly realizing that
different crops come in different times. For our market, the goal is to
move more local produce through the local market as direct as possible
from the producer. So far we do not feel growers have abused this rule
though none of us know for sure. Other rules listed below help us monitor
the percentage, though no systems are perfect.
a. On the application all growers must list the other farms they
support
b. We encourage all growers to highlight their product, make
signs, brag about it, when it was planted, educate the public through
signage. The goal is to build customer loyalty so they can afford to grow
more. As a board member and customer I do everything to help the growers
find ways to bring more product.
c. For the produce they do not grow, the growers must list the
farms at their booths each week. It makes our customer realize the many
small farms that do not have any public face at this time since
the big box grocery store do not want to put a face on agriculture any
more. (Mainly because it is not even from this country, let alone
local) With this information shared, a good market manager will know more
of the ag community and can build relationship beyond being a policeman
by visiting farms.
d. In our city, many growers participate in more than market. It
is unrealistic that only the grower can sell his produce. We also realize
some growers do not have the means, whether extended family, labor, or
transportation to participate. The logistics of doing a farmers market is
a challenge and a barrier to many local growers. Our market rules address
this in away that once again minimizes our risk of getting wholesalers.
The rules say that sales people have to be employees of the grower. The
grower must own or rent the land they produce on.
e. If the lack of sales people hinders growers from
participating, our community board have found people in our neighborhood
for the growers to hire. This has truly been a win win situation.
1. We strengthen our rural and urban connections.
2. Our neighbor who sells for a grower loves the market
and loves making extra cash
3. The neighborhood sales person quickly builds a loyal
customer base for the grower by talking up the market
throughout the week.
4. The growers have been thrilled with the commitment
level of their new found employees.
Bottomline, all of the challenges of farmers market must be addressed by
better educating everyone participating: customers, growers, board
members, community supporters. With people having more accurate and fair
assessments of the market issues and the challenges growers face in the
market place, we can help each other expose and eliminate the violators
who do not honor and maintain the integrity of farmers markets. .
Suzanne Briggs,
Hollywood Farmers Market.
Portland, OR
-
more on Farmers Markets,
Shari Sirkin, 02/14/2001
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
- Re: more on Farmers Markets, Del Williams, 02/14/2001
- Re: more on Farmers Markets, Brian and Jacqueline Potzkai, 02/14/2001
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