Repost From – The Green Gate

To Market, To Market

Amidst the pretty tables laden with garden goodies of the freshest quality, I wondered if we were in a ritzy hotel on the beach district as opposed to a grass roots community project. I have not seen vegetables priced so high since our honeymoon on Kiawah Island!

I believe the heart behind growing and selling locally is to allow the COMMUNITY as a whole to partake of the bounty; not just a very thin socio-economic strata who can afford it. It is BECAUSE we aren’t paying for the fuel and pesticide products to transport these foods from California that we should be able to afford them at a more reasonable price.

And if the idea is to educate the “masses” about the health and well- being of eating organic, and that it is POSSIBLE to financially do so (and that is makes sense to do so), then what are we doing charging so much for our foods here at the market??? I am certainly not against anyone making money…certainly from such a great cause…but if people support only because it is a good cause, then this surely won’t last.

From what I saw, there were 3 groups of people there…

1. The young, single person probably in school and making bold and beautiful changes towards a more simple and sustainable lifestyle, and who potentially isn’t entirely aware of the ins and outs of handling a budget with a family in tow, and without any outside assistance in doing so.

2. The grassroots, counterculture families who are making sacrifices to live small and choosing to eat well/support a movement and cause they believe in. (In my opinion this reasoning isn’t sustainable. When times are tough, we revert to more inexpensive options that can be nearly as healthy.)

3. The very white, very well off. I saw no one of any other race. There is certainly nothing wrong with having money and choosing to spend it on good things…I am not castigating this…but I am saying, that this is not a true cross-section (nor can it be, with the prices as they are) of our Athens community.

This isn’t at all to say we didnt’ enjoy ourselves, run into dear people and have great conversation with some amazing small farmers who we admire and would like to pattern after! And it isn’t to say we wouldn’t one day join and try to sell our edible wares. But I don’t know how, with good conscience, we could enter as it is.

Things morph and change…

I have this picture in my head of a field…with lots of pickups trucks …produce perched and piled on tailgates, kids playing ball and running around with apples in their hands…farmers and all types of folks having a friendly barter on the price of a pound of squash…

Ahhhhhhhh.

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