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market-farming - Re: market-farming digest: July 30, 2001

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: Marcie Rosenzweig <fullcircle AT jps.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: market-farming digest: July 30, 2001
  • Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2001 06:16:12 -0700


Hi John,


I'd see who else has a spot of prime real estate who may want to HOST a market. Few if any markets I know of pay fees to property owners, especially public property.

I chaired the ad hoc committee that started the Foothill Famers' Market Association here in Plcaer County CA some 13 years ago. Since research showed each dollar spent at farmers' direct markets moved an average of seven times within the community, the economic development impact of having a farmers' market in any given community was obvious. The county picked us up as an "also insured" on their liability policy and most communities invited us to participate on public lands at no charge. There are now
7 markets in the county in season, one runs year-round.

It's $50 per year to join the assocication which gives you the right to go to all markets (assuming there's room) and a break on stall fees at each market. Stall fees run from $12 per day to $25 dollars per day depending on the location of the market. Fees and dues go to pay for market management and publicity.

Here, in California, markets in the southern part of the state tend to base fees on a percentage of sales. They use load lists to accomplish this. The load list indicates the type and quantity of produce brought into the market and is checked against what's left at closing. The vendor then pays a percentage of total sales. The load list provides a sanity check on the semi-honor system of reported sales. As of last year, load lists became mandatory throughout the state as a data collection tool for the State of CA to get its arms around the flow of produce through farmers' markets.

On support of markets - it has been my observation that the best markets, i.e., the ones that grow and support farmers over time, are either underwritten by the communities inwhich they occur or are managed by a "benevelant dictator" manager who is adjunct to but not part of the farming community.


Marcie
Marcie A. Rosenzweig
Full Circle
3377 Early Times Ln
Auburn, CA 95603-7900
(530) 885-9201




  • Re: market-farming digest: July 30, 2001, Marcie Rosenzweig, 08/01/2001

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