"Becca" > wrote in message
...
> brooklyn1 wrote:
>>> "Mr. Nonsense" wrote:
>>>
>>> Why are farmers market always more expensive than the grocery store?
>>>
>>
>> Not "always" but most usually.... because a "farmer's market" is not a
>> "farm stand".
>>
>> A farmer's market consists of a conglomoration of *venders* who may be
>> but are probably not not selling their own home grown. Farmer's markets
>> are more costly because each vender pays a substantial fee (rent) for the
>> season, and many are all year operations so farmer's market venders would
>> usually have a lease and pay rent every month. Many farmer's markets are
>> indoor affairs but many are also set up on vacant land that only appears
>> to be an operational farm. Farmer's markets are actually no different
>> than the typical stupidmarket produce section.
>>
>> A farm stand is located at the actual farm and is selling produce and
>> food products produced on premises by the farmer. Farm stands are
>> typically less expensive and usually sell superior products, albiet only
>> what is in season on their own farm. Farm stands have no overhead other
>> than to maintain whatever structure is built at the roadside and is
>> typically family run so there is usually no payroll or a very small
>> payroll for seasonal employees that are almost always relatives and close
>> friends.
>>
>> I live in a true ag community, we have several farm stands but no
>> farmer's markets in this immediate area. My tenant is a school teacher
>> who works summers at a farm stand. The farmer has two farms and two farm
>> stands located some 15 miles apart. Besides produce the farmer also
>> sells a lot of florals, nursery plants in flats, hanging baskets and as
>> various arrangements, even custom made. My tenant mostly operates the
>> greenhouses where the florals are grown and she makes up the baskets and
>> arrangements. She keeps my property well supplied with attractive flower
>> arrangements and hardly a day passes that she doesn't leave me a bag of
>> whatever veggies that were picked fresh that day. Mostly the farmer
>> supplies local markets and restaurants but also has the two very popular
>> and successful farm stands. Farm stands are typically where farmer's
>> market venders purchase much of their wares, along with at the nearby
>> wholesale produce market. Most farmer's market venders are essentially
>> snow birds, they move to various parts of the country with the seasons.
>> Farmer's market vender is their occupation, they are not farmers, they
>> are retailers, they wouldn't know how to begin growing any produce.
>
> It may depend on where you live. We have an organic farmer at church, he
> is a retired professor, and he sells his produce at the Farmer's Market.
> My sister sells fresh eggs, produce and jelly at the Farmer's Market, but
> not at the one near me. When she is too busy to mess with it, she sells
> it to Marvin's Gardens, which is a farm stand that is located near me. If
> I can not find what I want at the Farmer's Market, I go to Marvin's
> Gardens.
>
> Becca

Naturally there are all kinds of exceptions but in general a farmer's market
is a very different operation from a farm stand. There are some farmers
here who share a farm stand... they team up because they are close to each
other and each grows different crops. There are many home gardeners here
who sell some of their crop at the roadside in front of their house, I tried
that but after a few weeks decided it wasn't worth being bothered by the
door bell ringing constantly. Even though these are honor system operations
still people want to know if you have something or what you will be putting
out later, or will you save something they can pick up on their return, or
just an excuse to chat. It was less trouble to just give away my extras.