Farm to Family Bus MIA Explained
I had wondered why the Farm to Family bus was not at the South of the James Farmers Market and Style Weekly has the answer. The answer appears to be two-fold. One they were asked not to come back and two (probably the bigger factor) they have opened up a farmers market of the non-moving variety out in Henrico.
Lilly’s also been frustrated by what he views as unnecessary politics among local farmers’ markets — he was asked to leave the South of the James market because vendors complained that the veggie bus took away their business.
“Some of my farmers sold to him, but like on his bus he would have their same products for sale that they were inside the market selling,” says Karen Atkinson, owner of the Market Umbrella, which operates the South of the James Market in Forest Hill Park.
For the next month or so the bus will still roll out for special events such as the Richmond Vegetarian Festival and hopefully eventually return to their spot on Forest Hill & Westover Hills Blvd.
I spoke to both of the Lillys and they told me that heat was a big factor as well – cannot imagine sitting in a bus all day in 90 degree weather. Mark Lilly told me that they would return to the corner of Forest Hill & WH in the fall – I hope so!
Thanks for the additional info Debbie. Although it is obvious I never thought about the “heat factor”.
It seems rather silly to fuss about other vendors carrying the same products you do at a farmers’ market.
On the subject of heat from Twitter learned that Nate of Nate’s Taco Truck had to be ambulanced out of the Market due to the heat. No details but he checked in on Twitter so I assume he is all right.
from twitter (@natestacotruck)
“Heat exhaustion, heat cramps and dehydration. Almost made it to the finish line. Can’t wait for the ambulance bill.”
I don’t envy anyone working a hot grill on a day like today! Here’s to Nate’s quick recovery!
I bought an awesome taco from him today at the market. The truck was swamped with orders. He looked flushed and hot.
Glad he’s okay!
“Some of my farmers sold to him, but like on his bus he would have their same products for sale that they were inside the market selling,”
This sentence is just full of horrible grammar. Just what is she trying to say, anyway? Does this mean that more than one person cannot sell broccoli?
It’s VERY clear what she’s saying.
She’s claiming that “Her” farmers were selling their produce to this fella and then he’d show up at the SAME location they were at and be re-selling the very same produce at a much lower cost to the end user.
The implication being that he was taking market share away from these farmers.
That’s a questionable assumption however, unless her farmers are jacking their prices up because of the affluent, captive and willing nature of any farm market’s target audience.
The solution is simple.
Jack up the wholesale prices to the point where it would not be profitable for a re-seller to low ball at farm market venues.
Problem solved.
which is I am not a big fan of our South of the James Farmer’s Market, and didn’t want all these umbrella markets popping up. THEY ARE EXPENSIVE!!! Go figure the resentment. Some crafters seem to be the only resonably priced folks out there.
As I understand it, the market management does not set the prices. They charge vendors a very small weekly fee, and the vendors set their own prices. There is a choice…if price is the determining factor, then WalMart and factory farms are the choice. If freshness, organic growing and locality is the issue, then farm markets seem to be the choice. I find the prices consistent or a little lower than Whole Food.
And talking about prices, nothing at the farm markets beats the 18 dollars I paid (in effect) for a small watermelon at Martin’s. 18 dollars.
My fault for not reading small print on the sticker but I got essentially the same melon at Sam’s Club for 3.98.
That said, this controversy ( plus the parking ) issues)has turned me off this farm market as it seems high handed and draconian, and I’ll be going back to Pole greens for my fruits and vegetables.
Ok, tvnewsbadge, if these very same farmers are selling to Mr. Lilly and he turning around and low balling them, why are they selling to Mr. Lilly to begin with? Much less at wholesale prices.
So sorry for the farmers,(not to knock the farmers,they work very hard), but it seems to me that Mr. Lilly found out a way to make a buck AND sell food that I am more able to afford.
Free market encourages competition, umbrella market maybe not so much.
And the sentence is still a horrible mess,grammatically.
I bought from the farm venmdors, and I bought from the bus last year. I found the prices about the same, the quality lower on the bus. It appears from the information here that the bus was a producer jobber, buying farm goods and reselling them. I think that is contrary to the market agreement giving priority to farm-raised goods and produce. It appears from the space limitations that if the bus were at SOTJ this year, then we would lose the spots for the neighborhood associations and the SPCA.
Well, in the interest of full discloser, I don’t really have any corn on this cob.
I only spend about 20-35 dollars per visit and have never bought anything from the bus, so I’m sure they won’t miss my custom.
But it still gets up my nose the way these people apparently (according to what I’m reading here)ganged up on this poor fella to force him out with the bogus excuse that he was “hurting their business”.
After all, if I understand what that woman claiming to speak for the farm contingent is saying, these folks had no problem SELLING their produce to him.
IMHO they should have handled by not instead of brining all this bad pub down on what was becoming a fine institution and much needed ray of sunshine to this most neglected part of River City.
There are certain criteria that the vendors at the SOJ Market must meet to be permitted to participate. Perhaps the bus folks didn’t meet the criteria. For more info see http://www.themarketumbrella.com/Vendor_Handbook.html
In my opinion, resale is not in the spirit of a farmer’s market. Markets are at their best when the vendors make/grow/raise all or most of their products. Their committment and investment to their craft makes for more interesting and better quality fare.
The F2F bus folks have opened their own market. It is indoors, air conditioned and open W-Sun.
http://www.farmtofamilyonline.com/New-F2F-Indoor–Market.html
Solution seems simple to me: the vendors should stop selling to the F2F bus. If that happens, F2F has no goods to sell. Then the vendors are only selling their goods. Not pointing fingers, but the vendors can easily fix that problem!
#17, that’s what I say… seems theses vendors want have their broccoli and eat it too.