Market Farming

[jasperm1 <jasperm AT iquest.net>]

There are actually a few farmers markets in the Indianapolis Area 
already.  But I wonder just what the geographical area that is covered.  
If someone has to drive by several stores and produce stands to get to 
the farmers market will they.  Indy is a pretty big city these days.  
Much different than when I was little.  

So Del yes there already are some and they have one "original" one that 
is downtown but last time I went it was mostly fast food type places 
although there are some vegetable stands and they do have some open air 
markets on Market street.  So come on and let me know where your 60 acres 
will be, I need all kinds of "learnin" maybe I can get some from you when 
you get closer.

The health issues are something I have a long learning hill to climb and 
so I want to try to figure out if this is even worth the time to think it 
through.  I do have a friend whose wife is a health inspector down in 
Johnson County and she has given me some names to contact with the state 
but I am sure Marion County will have its own set of rules.  Regulation 
does seem to be a good sized hurdle and is being discussed in a spirited 
manner on a homesteading list I am also on.  Rules or no Rules I would 
feel just terrible if someone got sick or was injured and need to figure 
out how to goof proof things as much as possible not only for my 
liability peace of mind but my general peace of mind.

I guess I need to understand the pro's and cons of a farmers market 
versus establishing a produce stand or stands.  The goal being to get 
locally grown food, fiber and related neat stuff to local folks at a 
profit and affordably to every other working stiff.  If it can't be done 
I guess I will go back to keeping books but just have to believe there is 
a way that does not take someone to the poor house although I am sure it 
needs to be capitalized.

I appreciate the comments and feel free to email me directly with more 
insights.  I had probably not given enough thought to the reliability of 
vendor participation.  One unfortunate thing about Agriculture at this 
level is you have a lot of amatuers like me mucking things up 
potentially.  

It does seem like a worthwhile lifes work though if you don't weaken and 
figure out how to keep the squash borers at arms length. :-)

Mike