Market Farming

["Beth Spaugh" <lists AT rhomestead.com>]

I think the "NOW" meant get it organized now, rather than waiting for spring.

 

I second the start another market advice.  We had a group of markets with lots of reselling and calling it their own.  A radical started a producer only market, now have 5 in that group of markets.  He was careful where he started - a town that markets had failed in before but that had money.  He had connections to get good publicity. It was/is very successful.

 

I would temper the advice with - the customers want to think we all get along.  The person who started our markets is vocal about the differences.  I try to talk up our positive ways we are different rather than the negatives of the others (we do .... rather than they do....).    If someone from one of the community organizations makes negative comments about the other market, nod your head and then try to tell how you will be different or better yet, ask them how they would like you to be.

 

Beth Spaugh

Rehoboth Homestead, Peru, NY

Farm Fresh Food Club CSA - http://rhomestead.com 

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Garden fresh vegetables, organically grown, and pastured chicken, duck, and geese

 

"How we eat determines, to a considerable extent, how the world is used." - Wendell Berry

 

"Without power over our food, any notion of democracy is empty." - Frances Moore Lappe

 

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From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of MAsteveINE
Sent: Saturday, January 08, 2011 6:03 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Ineffective market saga...suggestions? (long)

 

 

Start a new market, NOW!
Surely there are a number of vendors who would leap. These people need a real market. Start new relationships. Declare yourself loudly! Define your mission and stuff your message to the community w/it. Reach out. You'll probably be embraced by some of those same orgs. Govs, educational intitutions and the public are really moving on the local food thing.
Good luck.
Todd

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

 

Hey, I will buy that, except...............I see little value in going to a market (as consumer

 

or grower) where several venders are up to their chins in lettuce and beans.......find folk who

 

will compliment your offerings as much as you can.

 

(I visited the lad who has my former parking spot in town this morning, he has been joined by

 

a couple doing goaty and pickled stuff. He had a good supply of carrots dug yesterday, eggs,

 

onions, plus coolers I did not look into. Temp in the low twenties and business was brisk.)

 

MAsteveINE