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Other cities experience too-big crop of farmers markets but Vancouver works to prevent glut

September 27th, 2011 · 5 Comments

So many things happening in the farmers market world these days as they go beyond just trying to convince people to do their grocery shopping in parking lots and move on to the next phase of growth.

They’re booming everywhere, but that’s produced a new set of problems. I’ve been reading for a while that cities from Seattle to Portland to San Fran to New York to wherever have experienced the issue of too many farmers markets. (Farmers markets MUST be hip because the cheesy romcom No Strings Attached had one scene set at the Los Angeles farmers market downtown)

I wrote about that here, looking at what’s happening in Vancouver and Toronto.

But that’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the changes markets are going through, as they look for permanent homes, expand to new sites, experiment with pocket markets, try to gain a foothold in unlikely suburban spots, sweet-talk municipalities into adjusting their bylaws to make them more than temporary events, and move from being strictly volunteer organizations.

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  • Roger Kemble

    Are we talking Farmer’s Markets of Trinket Markets?

    Either way there are not enough local farmers to fill the stalls hence the I5 and the appalling stench five miles either side of Colima.

  • Agustin

    Very interesting article; thank you.

  • Mary

    Very thoughtful and thought-provoking article. I have often debated whether I should drive to Trout Lake or Nat Bailey market to support farmers and get high quality produce, but adding to ozone depletion etc., or just walk/bike to my nearest little green grocer. I didn’t get to the new closest farmers’ market as many times this year as I intended but I do want to build it in to my routine. It’s important that we learn or remember what fresh organic produce tastes like.

  • Bill McCreery

    @ Mary 3.

    Agree, the article does make one think about what’s happening, but also about what could be. I think I understand where you’re coming from Mary, particularly regarding accessibility. Presumably a 100 mile farmers market can, over time, be an integral part of a sustainable neighbourhood. But, as Frances points out the laws of supply and demand require the application of time to modulate the process.

    Even Safeway is known to occasionally sell local produce. So who knows where these shifts will go.

    Frances, mention should be made in this discussion of the importance historically of the role the Granville Island Market has played in encouraging local agricultural producers by giving them a retailing outlet from +/-1980 to the present. Granville Island should also be recognized not only for encouraging local agriculture, but local artists and craft people as well. Perhaps there are lessons there with respect to how various permeations and combinations of traditional and sustainable retailing can evolve together.

  • Bill McCreery

    Hit Submit prematurely.

    I was also interested to hear that the Kerrisdale Farmers Market you mentioned in your article has been warmly received by the Kerrisdale BIA based on members comments at their agm recently. One member happily expressed his ‘dismay’ at spending $100 a week at the market to supply his own families desire for fresh local produce.