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  • From: David Ruble <bigruble AT hotmail.com>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Disappointing Phoenix farmers markets
  • Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 15:51:02 -0500

First a disclaimer about my business - I've failed twice now as an urban farmer and have become a home-based baker for a local market.
 
Next (in regards to this discussion) - I sell my bread through a local market organizer, The Market Umbrella, in Richmond, Virginia.  They manage three or four markets throughout the year.  Next year their most succesful market of the four will transition to being a purely vendor grown, vendor made, and hand made market.  This is causing a lot of grief for a very small set of growers who grow some of their produce but resale quite a bit of other produce.  This move has been influenced from two fronts - (1) growers who are dedicated to bringing local in-season produce to market who were upset with resellers and (2) market customers who were in disbelief at the timing of some of the produce that was coming to market.
 
This years vendor application is letting folks know now that this is how the main market will operate, but variances will be granted to exisiting CSAs who do some resell of produce.  Next year will be different, and the market managers are being strict in their adherance to having 75% grower/food vendors and 25% crafts & prepared foods (food carts, coffee tents, etc.) vendors at the market.  This market currently has over 80 vendors during the peak of the sunmer season.
 
The other three markets that are managed by The Market Umbrella strive to be homegrown, homemade, and/or handmade, but exceptions will still be granted while those markets grow into maturity.
 
I liked the idea of having signage stating your produce was grown yourself - it definately generates conversation from the customers.  In my case, folks ask, "Did you bake all this yourself?", "Yes, I did."  "How big is your oven?!", "It's a standard home oven."
 
Regards,
 
David of Tater Daves

 

Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:56:51 -0500
From: idyllwildfarm AT gmail.com
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Disappointing Phoenix farmers markets

This Fall, I put out a small sign, maybe 3in X 4in, that simply stated that we grow what we sell. 
The customer reaction was interesting; many observed that if I was saying that, there must be
"growers" who didn't. I didn't get into big discussions about it or finger anyone (most of the customers,
once it was pointed out there was a sell what you bought contingent, guessed on their own). Point
made. The challenge for me was articulating my suspicions using facts, not feelings.

However, what if it turns out that most of the people who attend my market don't care if they're buying
from the grower or want to be able to buy just about anything once a week in their neighborhood? 
Then, it's incumbent on me to make sure the people who want it know that I've got it or if necessary 
leave an established market that's a free for all for better pastures- or a market that requires labeling at a minimum.

To me, this discussion applies to how vendors handle the organic or sustainable question at markets
when they imply NOP compliance or shades of NOP compliance without evidence. What is fascinating 
to me is how the most strident consumer advocate suspends disbelief at farmers markets. It is also hilarious
that the people who run the market who let vendors mislead customers trust those same vendors to give
them a reliable sales figure to base their market fee...
Regards,
Mike
Idyllwild Farm

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