Today was farm market day. It was slow so I didn't do well but I came home with five bags of vegetables. Every one of the farm stands gave me stuff and one person gave me two bags of stuff, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, eggplant, and peppers. I guess tomorrow I will make more tomato sauce. I was also put "officially" in charge of the market when the man from the Chamber of Commerce has to work and can't be there. Thanks is what I say! The little boy that I gave the small tote bag was back with his grandma and he stopped and looked at me and his grandma asked if he remember me and he nodded his head. I asked him what he carried in his bag and he said, "cars." His grandma said he used it for a little of everything. He was wearing a black felt cowboy hat that was big so it came down over his head so he had to tilt his head back to see me. I told him "I like your hat." He took it off to look at it like he didn't remember which hat he was wearing. He looked at it and said, "It's a little dirty." I told him that was okay. Hats got dirty but they could be brushed off and would look okay again. He stood there a minute and then nodded his head. He took his grandma's hand and they walked on to the next stand. dooley
How nice to hear that the little chap use his bag. He sounds very likeable. Congratulations on your "official" status. Is there much work involved?
Good posting, Dooley. Sorry that things went slow for you, but coning away with veg was not a total loss then, was it? What an endearing story about that little kid that had stopped by your stand a couple of weeks ago. Well, so you are the stand-in boss of the market in times of need. I guess that he recognizes good administrative talent when he sees it. ;-) Better luck next market. Take some more pics for us, Dooley.
Nice story Dooley. Sorry to hear your market wasn't terribly profitable, that's too bad and sad. I don't understand why the neighbors don't take advantage of FRESH homegrown vegetables brought almost to their doors. I notice that the neighborhood for our one market doesn't come out for it . They must need to eat something, but what? all processed or fast food? Do you all put out yard signs or post signs in town or give out flyers for it? Advertising is expensive, so we try to get creative to get the word out. We had little refrigerator magnets made and business cards to hand out at the market. We have a cooking demonstration every now and then, a craft making day for the kids, a zucchini smackdown (which Caity won the first year) a free vegetable plant at the first market for the kids....and a few other things. I will try to get a picture of the next few "events" to make a post of it. we just had Home Depot there to do a "hands on project" for the kids. One of us vendors brings a coffee pot and we have coffee for the whole market available. It takes a lot of effort to get everybody who is a vendor at the market to participate, but we want it to be successful. It just doesn't happen nor can one person do it all. Hope the next one is bigger and better for you.
Carolyn, it is growing but slowly. It's doing better each week vendor wise. There should be an ad in the paper next week. The paper did do some photographs but they haven't been printed yet. I just like people watching and the little kids are so cute. At the next farm stand they had a lot of nice looking tomatoes. Some were in little baskets sitting under the edge of the tables. A man came by with a little boy, just walking, maybe a year or 15 months old. He reached into a basket and picked out a tomato and was looking at it. His dad took it and put it back. The little boy picked out another one and his dad put it back. This went on for a few minutes while dad was buying vegetables. Finally, when dad was busy paying the little boy picked up a tomato, looked it over and then he took a bite out of it. He got the strangest look on his face. He spit out the bit of tomato and put the tomato back in the basket. His dad picked the tomato out of the basket and added it to the stuff he was buying. I wonder what was going through that little boy's mind when he tasted that tomato. Do you think he will ever be able to eat tomatoes after that experience? dooley
Cute, Dooley. I hope the little boy is still willing to try new or other things as they are available to him. It sounds like he has a good dad, keeping watch but not getting bent out of shape over a taste without permission. I encourage the kids at the market to try new or fresh vegetables when I have an abundance. Last week I had a couple little kids standing at my booth eating Sjoerds peas right out of the shells. Then their mother came over and was worried that they were helping themselves and I laughed and asked if it was OK that I was encouraging them to eat them.... She bought two bags of them when she saw they liked them well enough.
Dooley I went to our local farmer's market . Was upset with lady. She had older lady about ready to cry. Told her loudly her prices for snow -peas was to High.I reached over and bought 2 bags-only $3 a bag. Said they was just coming on. Lady doing the yelling Asked if " I seen the price" Told Her Just as loud "Been able to add since I was 5 and I'm 65 now.Did you want to GIVE them to you"Seller said Thank You. Told I would be back next week. She was older-old car. The :twisted: drove $$$$ car dressed to kill. Ate 1/2 bag on way home. Very good. And hope you do good next week.
They aren't making a ton of money selling their produce with the drought conditions making watering a necessity these days. They are still under pricing the stores and the produce is fresh. Most get up at 0 dark 40 to get their stuff picked in time to get set up by 7:30 or 8:00 am. When we arrived at 7:15 yesterday 3 of them were all set up. Two others came a bit later. dr gives away free books and there were three people waiting for him. He gave away about a banana box full yesterday. Growing produce is long hours and hot work so whatever the price, pay it. It isn't full of chemicals. dooley
Nice post Dooley, i wish we had a farmer's market here, I miss them, i have to drive at least 45 minutes to the closest one and an hour to the best one. Congrats on your promotion
Koszta Kid and Dooley, Thank You from the bottom of my heart for your actions and mind frame. You are right, Those who really grow it do get up with the sun to pick it and have it there fresh for that day. I get so disgusted with the vendors who are reselling other persons produce and tell their customers "yes, I grew this and it is ORGANIC" .... REALLY? Koszta, If the lady grow that row of peas, she would have happily taken the 3.00 for the bag of peas, though. I wonder how many people think growing vegetables is "no work at all". It just happens all by itself.
My own Grandmother worked until she was 93. Had neighbor kid help. Redid furniture.And had small garden. I would go there and pull weeds.Would had done it more often-but 300 miles away. But when she told them how much. If they tried to get it for less. Just told them to go someplace else. Had to say cash only-many write bad checks.
That lady would have paid 4.99 a pound for those peas in the store. I only take checks from people that I know will not write me a bad one. People who come every week and I know their address and phone number. It's a shame there are dishonest people but it happens. dooley
I live surrounded by farms, and almost everyone here has a vegetable garden. However, I've been out picking or weeding in my garden, and have folks stop, lean over the fence, and offer to buy tomatoes, dill, peppers, whatever is growing. I don't sell, but if I have enough to share, I give them a bag of fresh produce. I have the distinct feeling that a Farmers' Market would do extremely well in town. Maybe just on Saturday mornings until maybe 1 p.m. and with fruits and vegetables only. Since I don't have Dooley's organizational skills I'm not the one to get a market started.
Jane, I didn't start the farm market. It was at a different location before last year and the Chamber of Commerce came and asked if we'd move to the square where it was more visible. They set rules, like home grown or home made and something to do with farming or farm related. They don't charge us to set up. They do advertising or they did last year. Alan is from the chamber but he works sometimes on Saturdays which is why I'm "in charge." All I do is tell people where to set their stuff or compact things so someone else can fit in and remind new people of the rules. We go from 8 am to 12 noon but usually everyone is there by 7 am to get set up and they start selling as soon as they are set up. Why don't you talk to someone from your Chamber of Commerce and see if they would sponser one and maybe someone could help it get going. dooley
