Foodie, Beware
Is your farmers market just a grocery store with a taco stand and a didgeridoo?
every saturday morning, I get up early to beat the crowds at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco. The nearby Bay Bridge soars above the shimmering blue water, and the rising sun breaks warm and bright over the Oakland hills. By 7:30 a.m., most of the vendors are ready for action and we early shoppers are practically stalking them, standing in wait near our favorite farmers, looking for the go-ahead nod. Dirty Girl Produce, Star Route Farms, Frog Hollow Farm Legendary Fruits, Swanton Berry Farm—some of the most famous purveyors in California sell direct here, a foodie's fantasy come true. And by 8:30, when I'm usually grabbing a last basket of mushrooms and beating a retreat, the crowd has become unbearably swollen with post-jog couples buying scrambled eggs from prepared-food vendors, and tourists snapping up dried lavender and flavored honeys.
You couldn't ask for a better vision of contemporary gourmet culture at its most successful: healthy people buying healthy food from happy farmers who care for the earth. But there's always trouble in paradise, and the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market version—representative, according to farmers, of the trouble spreading quietly through the nationwide network of these markets—has to do with a gulf between appearance and reality. I first took notice in 2006, when Andy Griffin of Mariquita Farm, which supplies some of San Francisco's top restaurants, suddenly pulled out of the market. At this star-studded venue, Griffin was a standout, his stall often so crowded you couldn't elbow your way to the heirloom tomatoes. Surely he was getting rich, right? But a letter he posted on the Internet suggested otherwise: For the past few years, he wrote, his gross receipts had actually been falling. "The market has changed," Griffin said. "Many farms have changed with it by turning their attention towards providing value added products like juices, preserves, herbal salts, and snacks that can be eaten out of hand...We've changed at Mariquita Farm too, by focusing on serving the restaurant trade to make up for lost retail sales. I figure that if I can't sell fresh vegetables to diners and tourists, then I'll sell my vegetables to the chefs that cook for them."
Recently, my favorite farmers made a similar decision. Brandon and Michelle Ross of Ella Bella Farm had arguably the most devoted and affectionate clientele at the Ferry Plaza. But over time, I'd noticed in Brandon a rising frustration with the market demographics. I don't want to put words in his mouth, so let's say this is how I interpreted our conversations: The booming market crowds, while fun and all, simply were not translating into greater produce sales for him and the core farmers giving the place its legitimacy. Farmers were, rather, the lure, the carnival monkeys, and to make any real money you had to sling jars of chutney. And Brandon and Michelle did begin to sling chutney, but they got sick of it. So they were starting over on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Here's the underlying problem: In 1994, there were 1,755 farmers markets in the United States; by 2008, there were 4,685. In the big scheme of things, this is terrific news; it means Americans are learning to feed themselves properly. But not all parts of the country have seen commensurate explosions in the number of small-scale local organic farmers. And the driving force in opening a farmers market is less often the organic revolution than it is economic revitalization, maybe a local chamber of commerce hoping to tempt people back to Main Street on weekends. When either is true, that chamber of commerce might take the path of least resistance and give the market contract to one of many farmers market associations populated by commercial growers, who then dominate the booth space. Nothing wrong on the face of this, except that, lured by funky folding tables in a parking lot, the consumer ends up going out of his way to buy produce he could get, probably cheaper, at any supermarket. (In Oakland, some small farmers quit a market when they discovered other produce vendors doing just that.) Many market managers have their hearts in the right place, and do want to support local, sustainable agriculture. Perhaps they also know that without some cute local farmers, the market ain't gonna fly. But what if you're managing one of these markets, and the chamber complains that you're not bringing enough people downtown? Well, hey, okay, maybe it's time to bring in more entertainment—street performers, guys who can tie balloons into poodles. Maybe you reach out to some restaurants, too, asking them to set up burrito booths. They aren't required to use produce from local farmers—but you can charge them a lot more for a booth, which helps the bottom line. And now Saturday mornings are really jamming, crowds are gathering for the coffee and the banjo player, and some of your core vendors guess accurately that a lot of these folks are more interested in scented candles than in cauliflower. So they gradually switch their product mix, and that, in turn, encourages still more scented-candle buyers.
The pressure to grow the overall market causes other subtle changes. Consumers don't want to make multiple shopping stops, so market managers strive to offer a diversity of products. Let's say your market doesn't have an asparagus vendor, and the managers are looking at two candidates: a huge outfit that sells asparagus to supermarkets and puts up booths at 50 farmers markets every week, and a local family farm practicing the kind of sustainable agriculture everyone wants to support. But that small farmer can't make his nut on asparagus alone. To turn a profit at your market, he'll have to be able to sell tomatoes, too. The managers know that their other tomato farmers don't want more competition. So they go with the big outfit and hope the customers don't notice that they've just paid top dollar for the same asparagus found at Safeway. "These markets are a fucking hayride—they aren't real," says a prominent Northern California organic farmer who prefers not to be identified. "They don't offer a real market opportunity for real farmers, but the public would rather be deceived because it's too complicated."
If that sounds too harsh, here's a softer way of putting it: If you just like buying vegetables off folding tables on the weekends, and don't care where or how they were grown, you shouldn't trouble your head with any of this. Same if the lure of your local market is mostly the coffee cart and the street performers. But if you shop at the farmers market in part to vote with your food dollars—for a stronger local economy, say, and for better stewardship of the land, and for a food network that lets you know exactly what you're putting in your mouth—and if you'd prefer not to feel like a dupe, it turns out that going to the farmers market isn't enough anymore. Now you actually have to find out exactly who's behind every folding table, how their business is really doing, and accept the disappointment the answers are bound to bring. But isn't that what a farmers market is supposed to be about—caring about how and where and by whom your food was grown?
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Farmers Marketing
I have seen this exact same condition here n the Portland Oregon area. Yes there are organic farmers who really care, but they will be driven out by the balloon artist and the entertainment due to the marketing of the event. I personally find it a distraction when shopping for veggies to fight the crowds who are there for the experience and then buy their food at the chain groceries. I experienced this same decline in quality several years ago in the craft show business. My pottery had to compete with chainsaw apple peeling. Peace & Love
I agree. 100%. I read the
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I agree. 100%. I read the whole "buy local, shop at the farmers market" and roll my eyes. Partly because it is completely outrageous to me that a whole group of environmentalist are advocating that we just "trust" our small local farmers are not using nasty chemicals that harm our local environment, even though we have lower standards then countries like Mexico, but also because we have fought so long to have organic standards. What is the point if we just buy things that are not certified organic? Also I have heard many people argue the organic certification is expensive and organic produce is not available in their local area...that local area being the east coast where I live and buy local organic food year round! If people are looking for truly local organic food, they need to head back into their local co-ops and health food stores (NOT Wholefoods or Trader Joes) and need to look for advertisements in local publications for CSAs or look on websites like Localharvest.org.
Farmers markets
I am a small farmer who is seeing all of this happening at my mid sized FM in a midwest college town. We are getting more artisans and crafters, more prepared food and I am seeing my gross sale slip. Not much yet but after reading this I suspect they will slip more this year (and not because of the recession as my area have been in deep recession for the past 4 years and now the rest of the US is catching up to us). So far, this farmers market has a no reselling rule but this has been relaxed and could be done away with altogether at any time, depending who is on the board
I have complained about the market having fewer farmers than bakers, coffee sellers, crafters and artists and have been told this is what attracts customers. This is true. But, as this article points out and I am finding, this does not help the bottom line of us farmers who are not exactly making a lot of money for all the often brutally hard work we do growing and harvesting produce for market.
My personal solution is to find other ways to market my produce. I have a farm store that gets more business each year and carries only things grown on this farm and I have started a CSA venture after not doing one for the past 3 years. I also sell on occasion to restaurants and a local university. My markets, like my farm have to be diverse and able to change and i am finding there are more and more people who want to join my CSA and come to the farm to buy my produce.
Hurray for the Dane County Farmer's Market in Madison WI
The rules are strict--stalls may sell only produce/products grown in Wisconsin, and no re-selling is allowed. No crafts, clothes or "art objects." The rules are extensive, and can be read here: http://www.dcfm.org/rules2008.pdf
I'd encourage anyone organizing a market to check out what the good folks in Madison have come up with over the many years (since 1972) of a very successful and authentic farmer's market.
That said, I don't go every Saturday, because unless you're very early, it is really crowded. We are having some of the same problem with increasing numbers of stalls selling baked goods, for the "tourist trade." There are multiple smaller farmer's markets in the area that are also actual farmer's markets, but not as crowded.
As in most things, it's "buyer beware." I've been to markets in other states (including California) that were pretty obviously sites for re-selling. Just ask the seller some questions about the crop--it should become obvious.
Gratitude
I'm grateful for the influx of Farmers Markets across America. I'm grateful that folks are starting to think about where their food comes. The System isn't perfect, but I'm grateful that it's changing. I live at 7200 ft with 30 frost free days a year and I'm grateful that we have a struggling Farmers Market and that the new Farm Bill is helping New Farmers start out and learn to grow in our frigid climate.
Talk to your Market Manager and have regulations in place like the Dane Co. Market. If they won't, start your own Market, the Farm Bill provides for this too.
Our world is changing, theres' excitement in the air. Organic is mainstream and our children have an opportunity to have Farm Fresh Produce in their schools. Plant a Victory Garden and be happy for what has been achieved.
From the Treasure Coast of
From the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is going on at our weekly farmers market, which is very popular. Even my old man, who has never been outwardly enthusiastic about iconoclastic food-browsing, gets the same suspicion. I'm going to do some detective work this Saturday and find out.
F*ck being a dupe!
Amen.
traceability
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The answer is being able to trace where your food comes from. If people knew they were buying Safeway produce from a farmer's market. They'd be disappointed. Stone-Buhr flour had a good idea and hopefully it will catch on.
Shannon from Brooklyn
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/2009/march/Web-Makes-Food-Production-More-Transparent-for-Consumers.html
California farmer's markets
California farmer's markets are set up to allow farmers to sell direct to the people and it really doesn't judge who or what that is, other than certified proof that you grew it. I was a part of the SF market and saw the deception used to move to the Ferry Building to appease the developers and get the nonprofit that manages the market some nice things they wanted as well, and agree that the "real thing" has been diluted and the money is not there. The answer would be to come up with new markets, that provide the alternative and support the people and things that these markets used to. Organic just doesn't mean as much as it did. Think about where you can buy it and who's growing it. It's hard to say that it's bad that there are too many farm markets and that organic food is more main stream, although diluted, from a consumer and society's point of view. But, there should be a new movement that supports what this whole thing started out to be.......people trying to do the right thing and going that extra mile to provide something that we can not readily get.
Hats off to those who work harder than most all week, get up in the wee hours of the morning on everyone's day off to drive their pride and joy to the market and hand it to you with those rough hands that show just how much they love what they do.
Be sure to thank them, for they do what they do for all of us. If we could all be so selfless~
California farmer's markets
California farmer's markets are set up to allow farmers to sell direct to the people and it really doesn't judge who or what that is, other than certified proof that you grew it. I was a part of the SF market and saw the deception used to move to the Ferry Building to appease the developers and get the nonprofit that manages the market some nice things they wanted as well, and agree that the "real thing" has been diluted and the money is not there. The answer would be to come up with new markets, that provide the alternative and support the people and things that these markets used to. Organic just doesn't mean as much as it did. Think about where you can buy it and who's growing it. It's hard to say that it's bad that there are too many farm markets and that organic food is more main stream, although diluted, from a consumer and society's point of view. But, there should be a new movement that supports what this whole thing started out to be.......people trying to do the right thing and going that extra mile to provide something that we can not readily get.
Hats off to those who work harder than most all week, get up in the wee hours of the morning on everyone's day off to drive their pride and joy to the market and hand it to you with those rough hands that show just how much they love what they do.
Be sure to thank them, for they do what they do for all of us. If we could all be so selfless~
farmers' market
I went to the original ferry bldg fm in sf when it was in the parking lot across the street from the then undeveloped ferry bldg. It moved to a bigger parking lot on green street and from there to the ferry bldg itself. I don't think the prepared food folks are the nub of the problem; the key missing piece in the analysis is the developers' part. Even on green street there were prepared food vendors, albeit as a small part of the market. As major developers got involved, the target customers went from people doing their weekly food shopping (and perhaps got a coffee or a tamale while we were shopping) to tourists who bought an apple and patronized the restaurants and shops inside the building. I watched my favorite vendors (from hoffman poultry to fitzsimmons stone fruit to the fish lady) disappear because it was no longer worth their time, as the prices climbed to the stratosphere. I went back to the old lady of the farmers' markets at alemany: minimal organic stuff, real people and prices and yes, local food vendors who add rather than subtract from the market.
California farmer's markets
California farmer's markets are set up to allow farmers to sell direct to the people and it really doesn't judge who or what that is, other than certified proof that you grew it. I was a part of the SF market and saw the deception used to move to the Ferry Building to appease the developers and get the nonprofit that manages the market some nice things they wanted as well, and agree that the "real thing" has been diluted and the money is not there. The answer would be to come up with new markets, that provide the alternative and support the people and things that these markets used to. Organic just doesn't mean as much as it did. Think about where you can buy it and who's growing it. It's hard to say that it's bad that there are too many farm markets and that organic food is more main stream, although diluted, from a consumer and society's point of view. But, there should be a new movement that supports what this whole thing started out to be.......people trying to do the right thing and going that extra mile to provide something that we can not readily get.
Hats off to those who work harder than most all week, get up in the wee hours of the morning on everyone's day off to drive their pride and joy to the market and hand it to you with those rough hands that show just how much they love what they do.
Be sure to thank them, for they do what they do for all of us. If we could all be so selfless~
California farmer's markets
California farmer's markets are set up to allow farmers to sell direct to the people and it really doesn't judge who or what that is, other than certified proof that you grew it. I was a part of the SF market and saw the deception used to move to the Ferry Building to appease the developers and get the nonprofit that manages the market some nice things they wanted as well, and agree that the "real thing" has been diluted and the money is not there. The answer would be to come up with new markets, that provide the alternative and support the people and things that these markets used to. Organic just doesn't mean as much as it did. Think about where you can buy it and who's growing it. It's hard to say that it's bad that there are too many farm markets and that organic food is more main stream, although diluted, from a consumer and society's point of view. But, there should be a new movement that supports what this whole thing started out to be.......people trying to do the right thing and going that extra mile to provide something that we can not readily get.
Hats off to those who work harder than most all week, get up in the wee hours of the morning on everyone's day off to drive their pride and joy to the market and hand it to you with those rough hands that show just how much they love what they do.
Be sure to thank them, for they do what they do for all of us. If we could all be so selfless~
Farmer's, not C of C's market
The market here, Cowlitz Community Farmer's Market, is organized as an association of the vendors - limited to those in this county and adjacent counties. They pay a small annual membership fee, and get to vote on the market rules. The association itself is non-profit, dues and stall fees go to cover costs and promotions.
I think this is the way to do it; run by the farmer for the farmers.
I've wondered about this...
Having had some contact with the wholesale produce industry, I've often wondered if some of the "farmers" at farmers' markets were just buying wholesale produce and reselling it.
And based on this article, in some places at least, I guess they are.
Markets
Here in my smallish town, we now have two farmer's markets. The original market became populated with vendors selling veggies the brought from far away. So, someone started a second market. At the second market all vendors must sell produce grown not more than 150 miles from the market. Coffee and tea are allowed to be sold, but must be "fair trade."
Great place. We get local cheeses and meats, etc., as well as veggies.
Farmers (?) markets
I used to live near the oldest continuous farmers' market in the US (since before 1776). While there were some people who did sell stuff that they produced themselves (soft pretzels, horse radish, cider, etc.), there was a LOT that obviously wasn't grown locally. When there is snow on the ground, local growers aren't selling kiwi fruits, oranges, papayas, mangos, or anything like that. It seems that a lot of the produce in many of these farmers' markets is actually coming from the same crates that stack up behind the local Krogers or HEB.
I don't mind buying ready made chow-chow or pickle relish as long as it is really made locally from stuff produced locally, but I do mind buying the same stuff that I could get in the supermarket.
farmer's markets
so how DO u find out if a farmer is legit?
i think that if you live in SF or anywhere around SF that all you need do is shop at the Rainbow General Market on Folsom and not worry where the food comes from
It comes from local farms and grown sustainably.
The Ferry Bldg farmers market was ALWAYS BS. It's there for the tourists and to look pretty
Like salad dressings,
Like salad dressings, sauces, and salt covering vegetables to improve the "taste", this movement seems like a distaste for the true, raw, goodness of a local farmer's market and the natural rhythm of agriculture.
to apostrophe or not to apostrophe
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The fact that distinctions are being drawn between "legit" farmers markets and those which either permit the reselling of farm products or appear to have fallen down a slippery slope of crafters and prepared food vendors is testament to the rapid growth and success of the farmers market movement. What this article partly obscures is the fact that, around the country, we have historically disrespected farming so much that finding farmers is one of the paramount challenges of market managers throughout the country. But this discussion could go on and on... my real intention behind this comment is simply to comment on the apostrophe issue.
The Farmers Market Coalition, after much internal deliberation, elected to not use the apostrophe when it formed in early 2007. Yes, farmers are THE integral moving gear of any farmers market. But a market has stakeholders beyond the farmer, delivering benefits to consumers and the communities themselves. If a farmers market is successful, it yields "triple bottom line" benefits to farmers, consumers, and communities. A farmers market, by its very nature, is a localized representations of the landscape and culture of a community. When it thrives, the notion of singular ownership (which the apostrophe connotes) is obsolete.
www.farmersmarketcoalition.org
Farmers Markets
I am the Manager of the Market in Olympia, Washington and have been with the Market for almost 20 years. We have strict policies concerning these issues. First and formost is that all our vendors must reside and grow or make their products within a four county radius. They are all inspected prior to selling at the Market. Secondly because we are a "true" farmers market we examine our income at the end of each season to verify that our farmers are making more income than any other category in the market; crafters, procesors, etc. Therefore years will pass where the only new vendors accepted to participate are famers. My farmers are not required to grow organic, however 99% of them do, but to say they are organic they must be certified and display their certification for the consumer to see. This allows the public to know for certain what they are getting. They know that the produce was generally picked that morning and traveled less than 100 miles to get here that day. You cannot get much fresher. We do have a stage with entertainment everyday and other activities going on but fortunately our main source of revenue and support comes from our local citizens that shop here every week for their food. Thank you.
Combining food and flea market
Mr. Haney, I hope that you will help me understand this better. You, or other people who have actual experience.
I infer that the problems come down to lack of space. There are too many people clogging the area where farmers are selling. Too many customers would not be a problem, but the crowds contain too many "tourists" who are not there to buy produce. Separating the two types of activity by aisle might relieve the problem somewhat, but there would still have to be care taken that the flea market doesn't take up space that the farmers need. Also, the flea-market booths cause rents to rise; but management could choose to charge the farmers less than the flea-marketers. Also, Chamber of Commerce types may be limiting the site; there might be more space available elsewhere (say, in the huge parking lot of a Wal-Mart that closed in lieu of unionization *snark*). Please comment, because I want to understand this better.
will the "real" farmers please stand up?
I've recently left my local FM, I could not afford to stay. 50% of the Market is non-farm products. There are too many Markets in the area. Are they real FM's? probably not.
So we left the Market after 12 years. It cost too much to be a farmer, in money and frustration, we couldn't compete with the resellers that maintain that they grow these huge amounts of Flawless & PERFECTLY sized fruits and veg, in a development or on a city lot! The managers know they're lying, the other farmers know they're lying, The State FM Assoc. knows they're lying.
In Washington, a Market is required to have at least 5 anchor Farmers, with no less than 50% of Sales made by produce sellers. That still leaves 50% of sales open to crafters, resellers, bakeries & prepared foods.
With so many markets, half these Markets don't have the required number of Farmers. But they can still use the name Farmers Market- IF they pay the $700 to $1200 per year for the State Membership with insurance.
There's no enforcement, so 1/2 the markets in my area are mostly nik naks, rag rugs, hot dogs, key makers and cheap jewelry. It lowers the standards for all the Markets, Makes the public think all Markets are a scam.
That's why CSA's are growing in popularity. At least there's a good chance if you go to a FARM to get your produce, it was actually grown there.
Farmers Market or Flea Market?
I help run (and am a vendor at) a small farmers market in South Dakota. We have had the mixed blessing of never getting much of any support from the Chamber, City, etc.
Last year, a group whose stated aim is revitalizing the downtown wanted us to set up there, but they weren't happy with our "demands" (such as enough vendor space, reserved parking for our truck farmers, and most of all, keeping it a real farmers market and not a craft fair or flea market). So, we went uptown, and had our best season ever.
It seems to me that when you let the City or Chamber run, oversee, or in any way control your market, it can be problematic in terms of "keeping it real." On the other hand, we've struggled for years (changing locations several times, having very little funding to work with) because we haven't had support from those organizations.
Still, their goals are different than ours--and much of their interest is to create more traffic for the downtown businesses, not to create opportunities for local farmers and encourage the production of local food and development of a local food system.
In our city there is a small
In our city there is a small market, which works 24/7. At the daytime there we can buy all veggies and everything else. But at the night there is a wholesale market where you can buy all much cheaper, but only in bulk volumes.
coffee
I started getting my coffee at my local farmers market head every Friday morning at the University of Arizona. It's the best coffee I've had. Much better than anything sold at the super market.
It is great the Griffin went
It is great the Griffin went the higher route and decided to just sell to a different demographic rather than lowering the quality/products.
Great Mother Jones.
Mother jones is really great and we rarely get such person in the world. The decision made by farmers is very good. We should appreciate it.
Everone who just wants to
Everone who just wants to give small effort in trying the menus can easily adopt the habit too. Living healthy is not a sacrifice, it is an investment. You can even feel the effct directly.
Food
Having had some contact with the wholesale produce industry, I've often wondered if some of the "farmers" at farmers' markets were just buying wholesale produce and reselling it.
Loan Modification
its true
it is very true and business has to innovate to keep up to changes in the market,same situation here, but it can be addressed,
Business Directory
Any children can love
Any children can love reading if they are accustomed to the activity since the very young age. So, it's parents' responsibility to introduce their children to positive hobbies like this. Thanks!
its art!
it is a notion that cooking is an art, but like most art there is no perfection without practise, and foodies should have their bases covered all the time of course.
speeding points
tiffany jewelry
of tiffany jewelry on ebay are cheaper than tiffany jewellery outlet store, why is that?
You will find the newest tiffany jewelry on sale fashion release on their official website.
I am planning to give my wife a big surprise with tiffany and co as a birthday gift, but I don’t know which one to choose, any ideas?
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