One of the best things about
being a market manager is getting to talk to so many different people at the
markets. Recently, I’ve had some interesting conversations about what exactly
makes a farmers market. People come to a farmers market for many different
reasons, some of which have nothing to do with buying produce, and every market
is different. A few questions came up during these conversations which I
thought warranted further
consideration.
Why is produce more expensive
at a farmer's market than at the grocery store?
This is basically the concept of
small scale farming/economy of scale -- if one of our producers has a deal with
a grocery store it doesn't mean that we can take advantage of that same deal.
The volume a farmer can sell at a market is not the same as they can with a
grocery chain. We support our local farmers and want them to earn a livable
wage. Sometimes this means the prices at a farmers market are slightly higher
than at a grocery store. However, you are always guaranteed that your tomato or
apple was picked fully ripened and as close to the market day as possible.
I really wanted some peaches
from the market. Why couldn’t I find any and why is there a lack of produce in
the spring?
Our producers are local. This
means they are limited by the growing season of the east coast/mid Atlantic
region. More specifically, this means asparagus and strawberries in May, corn and
peaches will have to wait until July or August, and Asian pears and pumpkins
may not arrive until fall. If you're buying bananas at a farmers market in Maryland,
you are not buying locally grown
food. Remember, too, our producers are subject to growing conditions, as all
farmers are. Too much rain one week and a harvest may be lost. Conversely, dry
conditions may mean fewer green beans. Some producers buy produce to resell to
offset these losses but we feel this is not supportive of local farming.
Why are there vendors other
than produce farmers at the market?
We are a community market in a
food dessert. Our goal is to provide residents of Cheverly and the local
community with the opportunity to purchase locally produced goods, including
meats, fish, breads and other goods. One part of our mission is also to support
our community. Community comes in all different shapes and sizes. While some might
not agree, we at Cheverly Community Market believe that supporting local artists is as important as
supporting a local farmer.
Why are there relatively few
produce vendors at the market?
We are in a unique position -- after
nearly six years, we are still pretty small -- technically a boutique market --
and we're only open every other week. Eventually, we would like to grow to a
weekly market, but for now we do the best we can to attract vendors that can
operate within our schedule. Some of our vendors grow items that aren’t
available until later in the season (or in the case of New Starts Farm, only at
the beginning and the end of the season) so look for more vendors as our Market
season progresses. We love our vendors and think that they provide our
customers with a great selection of what’s fresh, in season, and locally
available.
Why don't you do more
publicity? Our friends and neighbors say they don’t even know you’re here.
We actually think we do a pretty
good job! In fact, among farmer's markets, Cheverly Community Market is known for its publicity work. We operate on a shoestring budget and most of our PR is free to no
cost. We rely on social media and word of mouth -- and a few yard signs -- to
get the word out. We do appear in newspapers, including the farmers market
listings, but we cannot control the editorial choices of the media. The best
publicity is you, our customers, spreading the word to your friends and then
returning to the Market!
Thanks again for your questions. We love talking with you about ways to improve the Market. Have more questions? Ideas? Find me at the Market!
Liz.
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