From: "Mary Baker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [StPaul] Unsuspecting in St. Paul
A friend of mine told me the other day that the Farmer's Market is where sellers bring the vegetables they couldn't sell to agribusiness. I didn't believe him, but I wondered if someone here might be able to clarify. I was under the impression that the Farmer's Market had a couple criteria: local residency, food must be grown locally. And that's about it. Which would make my friend's comment possible - I mean, they could sell to agribusiness and to the Farmer's Market. Part of the reason I shop at the Farmer's Market is the illusion of supporting local growers. If they're supported just fine on primary large-scale commercial sales, then part of that reason goes away. Or does it? Maybe they just break even on the commercial sales and make their "real" profits at the FM. In which case why are they selling to the commercial interests again? Or do they make the same profits on both, but are selling at the FM what they can't sell to the commercial, due to product irregularities? And also, why should my willingness to buy from them depend on their profit margin? I know this one goes to the illusion that I'm supporting a needy grower, but wouldn't it be socially wiser for me to support efficient, non-needy growers? _____ Mary, I've heard that about the Minneapolis Farmer's Market-- and heard it, too, from some of the vendors (of non-produce goods) who go to both the Mpls and St. Paul markets. Those same vendors have had no such complaints about the St. Paul market. I tend to talk to my vendors at the market, and for our meat and dairy vendors, have attended their open houses on their farms, and have certainly found that they're small, efficient local businesses who are, for the most part, vehemently opposed to agribusinesses. I can't answer for all the produce vendors, except to say that while I have some issues with the St. Paul Grower's Association, none of the vendors I've talked to have ever complained that they were lax in who they allowed into the association, and I have yet to see less-than-quality produce at the Market,with the sample size being big enough for comparison. You can check out vendor profiles on the St. Paul Farmers Market website: www.stpaulfarmersmarket.com, if you're concerned that some may not truly be small enough or local enough or organic enough, and only buy from those vendors with profiles that suit you, and I strongly suggest chatting with the vendors-- half the reason I go to the Market is to talk with mine! As for your willingness to buy from vendors, shouldn't that depend above all on the quality of their product (quality including organic and GMO free, if these are important to you)? Also, some vendors grow many different kinds of crops, and the same vendor could certainly be selling feed corn to an agribusiness and tomatoes to you-- but they're not selling you the "reject" sweet corn! If they make more profit at the Farmer's Market but still stell to agribusinesses, my first guess would be its because the FM has only a limited capacity or demand for goods, and they couldn't sell enough crop to survive at the FM alone. I say "if," because this is all speculation, with the big issue for me being that all the vendors are local, small, and no middlemen are allowed-- so I know that no matter who else the vendors sell to, I'm not _buying_ from an agribusiness in disguise! I'd say it's a case of a rumor that sounds a lot worse on its surface than it could possibly be in reality. Katherine Sherman Lex-Ham __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
