Comments on: This Week’s Farmer’s Market Trip http://www.modernforager.com/blog/2007/08/06/this-weeks-farmers-market-trip/ Respect Your Food. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:03:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Scott Kustes http://www.modernforager.com/blog/2007/08/06/this-weeks-farmers-market-trip/#comment-74 Scott Kustes Tue, 07 Aug 2007 22:30:00 +0000 http://www.modernforager.com/blog/?p=132#comment-74 Very good point Anna! I recall reading an article from Seth Godin recently about the rise of farmer's markets and people purchasing entire stands of produce at one market to go to a more "upscale" market and turn a profit on it. The beauty of the farmer's market though is being able to talk to the farmers and ask questions, something that you just can't do at the grocery. Of course, there are plenty of unscrupulous liars out there so we all need to do our research. <br/><br/>One thing that I love about the farmer's market that I go to is that there are limited spots available and the stands have been occupied for many years (according to a guy I know that sells grass-fed beef there). There is a waiting list of people wanting to sell their wares there. <br/><br/>Thanks for posting<br/>Scott Very good point Anna! I recall reading an article from Seth Godin recently about the rise of farmer’s markets and people purchasing entire stands of produce at one market to go to a more “upscale” market and turn a profit on it. The beauty of the farmer’s market though is being able to talk to the farmers and ask questions, something that you just can’t do at the grocery. Of course, there are plenty of unscrupulous liars out there so we all need to do our research.

One thing that I love about the farmer’s market that I go to is that there are limited spots available and the stands have been occupied for many years (according to a guy I know that sells grass-fed beef there). There is a waiting list of people wanting to sell their wares there.

Thanks for posting
Scott

]]> By: Anna in San Diego, CA http://www.modernforager.com/blog/2007/08/06/this-weeks-farmers-market-trip/#comment-73 Anna in San Diego, CA Tue, 07 Aug 2007 16:53:00 +0000 http://www.modernforager.com/blog/?p=132#comment-73 One thing about Farmer's Markets that needs to be checked out is whether it is a "producers" market or not. Some markets do not restrict "non-producers", believe it or not. I have seen non-local and out-of-season (& therefore long-distance) produce at some markets because they allow produce "distributors" to sell, too. I guess the non-local and out of season stuff is there because even some customers can't resist it. So if in doubt, ask.<br/><br/>Also, after making numerious special trips to buy "free range" local eggs at a farmers market in a nearby town (for a price just as high as the $3.50/dz premium "free range" omega-3 eggs in a local Trader Joes' store), I determined that they just didn't seem any different than the premium but boring TJ eggs. They definitely weren't as good as the eggs I previously had bought from another source at another market (but she sadly had stopped selling to the public because chefs were buying her entire supply of eggs).<br/><br/>So I asked more questions, and found out that this egg "ranch" had 50,000 laying hens! Their "free range" flock was about 300 hens, but whatever they are doing with them "free-range-wise", the eggs didn't taste like the "truly" free-range eggs I have had from other sources. Not my ideal at all. Sure, I liked that the $ went direct to the local producer, but the product was not worth the premium price and the special trip to me. I'm sure it was worth the trip for the egg ranch, as they could sell their eggs at premium retail prices instead of wholesale at the local grocery stores. They didn't make any false claims, but I think they benefit from the customers making a false assumption that the eggs are somehow different (better) from what is available in the stores.<br/><br/>What I am finding out is that, no matter what the source, I need to ask questions and it sometimes takes some time and experience to learn "which" questions to ask. And sometimes it means that I need to keep looking. Some of my nearby farmer's markets are in very affluent towns and the prices there are far higher than the farmer's markets in average income towns. Some of the vendors are even the same. <br/><br/>That said, I am a huge fan of farmer's markets, but one cannot be naive about everything that is available for sale. Buyer beware is true everywhere. Consumers need to educate themselves. One thing about Farmer’s Markets that needs to be checked out is whether it is a “producers” market or not. Some markets do not restrict “non-producers”, believe it or not. I have seen non-local and out-of-season (& therefore long-distance) produce at some markets because they allow produce “distributors” to sell, too. I guess the non-local and out of season stuff is there because even some customers can’t resist it. So if in doubt, ask.

Also, after making numerious special trips to buy “free range” local eggs at a farmers market in a nearby town (for a price just as high as the $3.50/dz premium “free range” omega-3 eggs in a local Trader Joes’ store), I determined that they just didn’t seem any different than the premium but boring TJ eggs. They definitely weren’t as good as the eggs I previously had bought from another source at another market (but she sadly had stopped selling to the public because chefs were buying her entire supply of eggs).

So I asked more questions, and found out that this egg “ranch” had 50,000 laying hens! Their “free range” flock was about 300 hens, but whatever they are doing with them “free-range-wise”, the eggs didn’t taste like the “truly” free-range eggs I have had from other sources. Not my ideal at all. Sure, I liked that the $ went direct to the local producer, but the product was not worth the premium price and the special trip to me. I’m sure it was worth the trip for the egg ranch, as they could sell their eggs at premium retail prices instead of wholesale at the local grocery stores. They didn’t make any false claims, but I think they benefit from the customers making a false assumption that the eggs are somehow different (better) from what is available in the stores.

What I am finding out is that, no matter what the source, I need to ask questions and it sometimes takes some time and experience to learn “which” questions to ask. And sometimes it means that I need to keep looking. Some of my nearby farmer’s markets are in very affluent towns and the prices there are far higher than the farmer’s markets in average income towns. Some of the vendors are even the same.

That said, I am a huge fan of farmer’s markets, but one cannot be naive about everything that is available for sale. Buyer beware is true everywhere. Consumers need to educate themselves.

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