Another market missive
Editor: In introduction, I wish to say that I have been a customer at the Sonoma Farmers Markets – both Tuesday night and Friday morning markets – for probably 15 years, with fair consistency. I rely on the markets for a good portion of the fresh produce, fruit and eggs for my family. I consider it a privilege and an honor to have such bounty available. That said … I finally feel compelled to add my two cents to the mix of opinion which has already been tossed into the pot on the topic of the market.
Since we have just observed the 40th Earth Day, I have been reflecting on what I understand is the original intent of Farmers Markets – to bring farmers and consumers together for mutual benefit, while decreasing environmental costs. Farmers who wish to grow good quality food without using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Consumers wish to buy that quality of produce for themselves, and their families, as well as to support the movement toward a cleaner environment. Another component of this idea was locally-grown and -produced products. Locally-grown products so to bring truly fresh produce to market, and to reduce as much as possible the environmental costs of bringing those products to the end users. Please remember that 40 years ago this was a new concept.
Which brings me to “local.” It is true that “locally grown” is generally defined as within 150 miles. In Sonoma it seems to be justified in the case of citrus, which isn’t grown commercially in this area. This is surely not the case for vegetables. We have excellent vegetables grown for sale within a very short distance of downtown Sonoma. I would hope that “local” would be judged on a sliding scale of availability. We are truly blessed to live in an area of the world with such wonderful and abundant food available to us. Let us not use a one-size-fits-all definition to subvert the intent of the local food concept.
Since – at least – the 1920s (almost 100 years) small farmers throughout the United States have been increasingly hard-pressed to make an income which can support their families and employees – and their employees’ families. Agribusiness has boomed, and market manipulation has managed to herd most shoppers into giant supermarkets, where selling food is not the actual point. The point is to sell consumers a lot of non-food items or dramatically processed foods, of little nutritional value. Which brings me back to my letter-writing purpose … Without direct sales to the end user – a family or restaurant – very small farmers basically don’t have venues for selling their produce and earning enough money to make a decent living. In buying directly from the producer, the customer receives good quality products and can still afford the price. That said, I cannot say I believe the market should just be about food. It is a space which provides a venue for locally produced craft items, and music. This seems like a good thing, an encouragement of diversity. However, I do believe a little more care and planning could go into this aspect of our local market.
So what the heck is going on at our local Farmers Market? I don’t really know how it is organized and run. From what I have gathered, I am not sure anyone outside market management can really answer this question. From what I gather, market management does not really want to divulge that information. It is not a business, that can be owned; but it seems to be run as if it is the property of the market manager and the board. Letter writers and folks in private conversation report interactions in which “good listening” skills are in short supply. It does not seem to be an environment designed to create mutual support and benefit. That seems pretty ironic for an event which occupies public space. It does not seem true to my understanding of the ideal of the Farmers Market.
I guess the point of all this is that it is time for me – and perhaps, you – to put some attention to something I have taken for granted – our lovely Farmers Markets.
Ruth Lombard
Sonoma
Last word on the subject?
Editor: Hopefully this will be the last letter regarding Tuesday’s Farmers Market. For months, every edition of The Sun and The Sonoma Index-Tribune has someone complaining about how the market is run. First of all, let me say my family and friends love the market on a beautiful day, as do I. Sure there are things I would change as would everyone else who attends. Here’s my suggestion for the market’s management – do away with it and put in place a non-biased board of directors consisting of two elected directors from market vendors and three independent directors for a two-year term. The independent directors must be residents of Sonoma and have no affiliation with any of the vendors or current management. The city council can appoint the three independents as long as they can show no bias in doing so. There are many locals with vast experience in running these types of community organizations and private businesses. If the current vendors don’t like this new structure they can pack up and leave – there is a long line waiting to replace them.
Fred Martin
Sonoma
A right to Dissent
Editor: I assume the angry mobs which Larry Barnett mentioned in his column last week are the Tea Parties which have arisen since President Obama took office a year ago. What prompted these law-abiding, American citizens – of all ages and skin color, although predominantly white and middle aged, none of whom have smashed store windows, burned cars, burned the American flag, bombed buildings, or rioted – to peacefully assemble to protest the policies of the current administration?
While I have not participated in the various protest rallies, I have followed them closely, and I totally support them in their very vocal and pointed grievances: 1. the way this administration is spending our hard-earned tax dollars leading to an unbelievable long-term indebtedness for our country; 2. a president who seems to be determined to destroy our constitutional form of government and taking more governmental control of our daily lives; and 3. our legislators who are passing legislation without listening to their constituents, such as the TARP legislation that created more jobs for government workers, but very few jobs for those in the private sector. Need I point out it is only the private sector which creates the real wealth of this country? Raising taxes on the producers of wealth does not create the kind of wealth needed to sustain the country.
The real fear most of us citizens have now is we have a government more out-of-control than ever before which appears to be demanding more control of our lives and taking away the basic freedoms for which our forebears fought so valiantly starting in 1775. One such freedom and responsibility has been to be have control over our own health care.
Standing up and speaking out against leaders who choose to think they know best and who do not listen to their constituents is what the Tea Parties are all about.
Mary Logasa
Sonoma