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market-farming - RE: [Market-farming] OT Thought Provoking

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  • From: "Rick Williams" <mrfarm AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [Market-farming] OT Thought Provoking
  • Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 21:23:11 -0600

Del Williams wrote:
> I find these ad hominem arguments about the left wing boring and
> inaccurate.
>
> The point I was trying to make is that these issues are more complex than
> those labels.

The labels are often very accurate, but also very uncomfortable for those
who see themselves mirrored in them. That is why there is such a strong
reaction. When you move from the center toward the edges, you become more
marginalized and more out the mainstream. That may not necessarily be a bad
thing depending upon your world view. And there are a lot of different world
views out there.

> The fact is, this is an extremely individualistic society. The
> entrepreneur is certainly an individualist regardless of other political
> ideologies.

Some are individualistic but some are not as evidenced by the comments we
have seen on the list. Some deeply resent the freedom that others have
because they feel that the others are making bad decisions and something
needs to be done. But in order to do that "something," the whole concept of
freedom must be destroyed.

> As for Americans not wanting to pay more for food. Aw c'mon. Look at the
> proliferation of foods that are costly and selling at a brisk pace.
> Processed, frozen dinners. Prepared cereals. Lunchables! LOL, and how
> about the proliferation of chain restaurants? Americans spend plenty of
> their dollars on food with questionable benefit to their health.

They are not buying food per se, they are buying convenience. It is a
separate thing. Our resident marketing expert will be able to fill you in on
it I am sure.

> Over the holidays, I found my own self in Chicago paying close to $4 for a
> latte at Starbucks on the Magnificent Mile. It was delicious.
> $4 for a cup
> of coffee! Am I out of my mind? Not any more out of my dollar
> paying mind
> than the millions of Americans that have made that particular chain
> successful.

Exactly, there are people who will buy this kind of product. They are not
the majority, but there is enough of a niche there to allow Starbucks to do
well. And it is a pretty big niche compared to say, grass-fed beef:)

> If you have a product and you can develop a market and means to sell it,
> Americans are more than willing to pay a lot of money to buy it.

Only if they perceive the product to be something they desire for whatever
reason.

> It is individualism gone awry when growers/producers believe that just
> because they produced it, someone ought to buy it at the price we want and
> that we shouldn't have to deal with competition from others. I saw plenty
> of that at our farmers' market. Attempts to limit legitimate local
> competition.

This is clearly what I have been saying for some time. And recently, one of
our marketers, who by default is the new "market manager" of a fledgling
farmer's market for this spring, wanted to limit anyone competing with his
product. He did not get very much support. So here is the new "rule" that
was the consensus view.

Whoever is a season-long, pre-paid marketer, gets to vote on allowing anyone
else who wants to get into the market later on during the season. It will be
interesting.

> Those efforts did not come out of either right wing or left wing thinking.
> Just the individual desire to be successful even if it meant limiting the
> potential for the success of others by denying them a stall at the market.

Clearly, those are the epitomy of left wing thinking. Control and exclusion
by the elites. You can see this on the side branch of the far right that
also wants control, but most right wingers tend to want less government
(i.e., control) and be left alone. The left thrives on control and generally
finds that when they can not get people to act the way they want, they pass
yet another law. One only has to look at the laws we have passed in the last
few decades. Some are more right wing, but many are from the left side
wanting certain behaviors (seat belt laws, no smoking, massive taxes on
perceived sins, gender equity, racial quotas, and on and on.)

Sincerely,

Rick Williams





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