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market-farming - Re: Organic industry vs. organic movement

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: Alliums <garlicgrower AT earthlink.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Organic industry vs. organic movement
  • Date: Fri, 04 Oct 2002 09:50:22 -0400



Rick wrote about Robert:

No wonder you come across so extreme. My goodness. Do the majority of people
here have such hubris?

What you're seeing is the difference between growers who live around metro areas and those who live in more "traditional" farming areas. Robert's comments are EXACTLY what I heard from the Phoenixville Borough Council when several of us tried to start a grower's only farmer's market about 5 years ago: "We don't want a bunch of dirty farmers filthing up our town."

Those of us who grow in metro areas (especially on the East Coast) have to put up with the attitudes Robert mentioned all the time. Everything he's *ever* said sounds very familiar to me. It's life as a grower on the East Coast. I've been around long enough that people now just listen to me, but several years ago when I stated that my primary goal was to produce quality seed stock so that Pennsylvania could become self-sufficient in garlic as it is in sweet corn, you could see the jaws dropping and the snitty attitudes going up. After all, I live in TOWN in the PHILADELPHIA REGION -- why the heck was I in *farming*?

The ONLY reason Phoenixville now has a farmer's market is because the Chamber of Commerce head wanted extra parking at the Foundry Building because she is convinced it's going to be a major tourist attraction. The Planning Commission said that the parking was excessive. She countered with "But we were going to have a Farmers' Market there!". (First time she had ever said anything positive about a farmer in her LIFE!) Now that Farmers' Markets are trendy in SE PA, they agreed that she could have her extra parking. I just hope we're able to keep it going so that can stand on its own no matter what she decides once the Foundry opens.

We need to remember on this list that we are from different areas of the country and have different specialities, so our experiences, likewise are going to be different. There aren't many small growers out there -- therefore, giving each other the benefit of the doubt (at least initially -- idiots are everywhere! ;-)) so that we can learn from each other and support each other will help all of us in the long run.


Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator
St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden

A mission of
St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460






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