Sunday, March 20, 2005

UPDATED: Reform of the downtown farmers' market is the best response to potential exurbian competition

March 21 update: Read the correspondence between Volunteer Hoosier and Roy Ballard (Purdue Extension Educator & Agriculture and Natural Resources for Floyd County). VH reports that there may be a meeting this Friday afternoon to discuss the farmers' market issue and perhaps begin plotting solutions. More on this meeting will be posted as the news arrives.

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NA Confidential is in the mood for a good-old fashioned Sunday morning rant, and providentially, here’s the tip-off from our good friend Volunteer Hoosier (full article here):

“I've learned that the county extension agent is facilitating the creation of a Saturday morning farmers’ market to be held in the parking lot of Sam's restaurant on Charlestown Road … one word is that the downtown farmers’ market is a ‘flop,’ so there's a need for a new, competing one.

“I don't know about you, but this runs counter to EVERYTHING we discussed at the symposium about reinforcing the sense of downtown as a community center. The (downtown) farmers’ market needs reinforcement, not competition. We need to draw folks to the city center to see its beauties and benefits, not encourage even more sprawl to the exurbs …

“ … I don't think it's a flop. In fact, I wish it were open more and with more vendors. But having the county/state creating and supporting a competing venue to divert traffic seems to me a foolish idea.”

NA Confidential agrees that the county and/or state should carefully consider the implications of supporting multiple venues, but we feel that the crux of the issue is that the downtown farmers’ market needs immediate “reinforcement.”

We’re sure that limiting competition is the incorrect response.

(Comrade Baylor supporting competition? How unsettling this must be for those who’ve always considered NAC a socialist just because of the random Lenin triptych, occasional journeys to the former East Bloc, and a nostalgic fondness for Trabants!)

At the symposium, there was general agreement that while the downtown farmers’ market may not be a “flop,” it would benefit from any number of positive innovations designed to “market the market” as an event as well as a place to buy local produce.

Why can’t there be coffee, pastries, arts and crafts tables, a fellow playing guitar … the list goes on and on.

Why hasn’t any of this happened? Has any of it been tried?

All these suggested enhancements have one thing in common, in that there must be some form of central, guiding intelligence to apply a scant few principles of Guerrilla Marketing 101.

In point of fact, the downtown farmers’ market has suffered from a complete absence of creativity on the part of its management, and this begs the question: Who exactly is the management of the downtown farmers’ market? Is it Develop New Albany? City Hall? Do farmers merely arrive, dispense their wares, and then leave?

As Mrs. Confidential has pointed out on more than one occasion, there seems to have been no discernable plan to do simple things that would draw attention to the downtown farmers’ market – say, a permanent banner at the venue, and perhaps another on the Trinkle Dome so that westbound Interstate 64 travelers could see it.

Meanwhile, the current management of Sam’s Food & Spirits seems to be applying perfectly sensible thinking with respect to its large customer base in the exurbs on the north side. Indeed, if there is a demand, then why not facilitate a supply, and if a few of the market customers stroll into Sam’s for lunch … well, isn’t this the way that entrepreneurial spirit is supposed to work?

The truly sad aspect of all this isn’t that someone might be contemplating an alternative, it’s that these same principles have NOT been applied to the downtown farmers’ market!

Currently, the downtown farmers’ market is yet another example of the congenital "lowest common denominator" way of thinking that seems forever to define the New Albany experience.

Like virtually every other dimension of life in New Albany, the downtown farmers’ market will require a healthy dose of progressive leadership and some semblance of a commitment to survey the potential market and determine ways to serve that market.

Like New Albany itself, the downtown farmers’ market must become smarter, or it will disappear into the Coffeyist abyss.

Now, let’s take these problems one step at a time.

First, who’s in charge of the downtown farmer’s market?

Second, does he or she have thoughts on ways to enhance the experience and by doing so, attract customers to the market?

Third, if so, then what’s the schedule of implementation? What’s needed? Sponsors? Time? Money? Celestial intervention?

Fourth, if “no” is the answer to items 2 & 3, then why is he or she still in charge of the downtown farmer’s market?

Speaking personally, neither NAC nor Mrs. Confidential have much in the way of time to devote to this, and we admit it, but we’re here to volunteer what time we have toward a plan to raise the profile of the downtown farmer’s market and to apply to it principles that have proven to be successful elsewhere.

We’d be happy to serve on the committee and donate a few hours a week.

There is nothing contradictory about harnessing the entrepreneurial self-interest of people to achieve a goal that contributes to the greater good of the community.

It’s a question of vision, the organizational skills necessary to adopt and implement a plan, and the willingness to work toward achieving it. The good news is that with ample portions of human capital, the need for cash is reduced to manageable levels.

Anyone else?

We close by echoing Volunteer Hoosier: We “invite knowledgeable comment or ignorant speculation.”

We feel much better now. Time for a walk ...

9 comments:

  1. This sounds promising. We need some more input to see whose toes are about to be stepped on ...

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  2. I'm sure Susan Kaempfer will have some strong ideas about this and I use this forum to ask her to call a meeting of interested parties to discuss the future of the farmers market.

    If needed, I'll offer the bookstore space for a meeting, although I am sure that DNA will be happy to host it in their conference room, too.

    I have feelers out to Roy Ballard at the Purdue Extension Service and to the board of DNA to find out just what's going on.

    And this should put to rest once and for all the canard that NAC and VH are monolithic in our thinking. Seems I'm the Marxist, you're the Trotskyite.

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  3. Can I be Frieda Kahlo? I offer a comment that the Market was tweaked a few times in the late 90s: Zoom Cafe offered food and coffee for a few months and local entertainment was provided albeit in the Kievesque throes of the Silvertones.

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  4. The Local WIC ( women infant childern) program works with the farmers market. Also a since this involves food, a call to your local neighborhood health inspector might prove useful too.

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  5. From the DNA "web site":

    Creating a positive image of Downtown New Albany is the goal of the PROMOTION COMMITTEE, which initiates such events as the Farmers Market, the DaVinci Downtown festival, Light-up-New Albany and other special events.

    Anybody know who's on the promotion committee?

    Count me in, too.

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  6. Ever think of bringing this issue to the chefs that have joined in at NA Farmers Market? Kathy Carey, Joe Castro and others love our rural Southern Indiana produce that its brought to them. Someone the other day mentioned in a comment that Sam Schad is the one that helped get the Da vinci fest up and going, is that not the same family as the wonderful goat cheese that we get at the NAFM? If this market does get moved to Sam's world, drop the market area on Market and make it a green space. We need to move forward....

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  7. Joe: The Trabant was the Communist East German auto for the people - the one that an average comrade would use to commute from his job at New Albany DVD to his cold-water flat at Ceasescu Arms (formerly Reisz Furniture - enjoyed that one very much).

    Go here and see:

    http://www.team.net/www/ktud/trabi.html

    Hope my belated response didn't keep you up ...

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  8. I strongly agree with Gre's vision for the Farmers Market. Maybe we should think in terms of contant change. People will come to see what's up that week. Open the minds and let things flow. It will be a great gathering place. Especially since nicer weather is approaching.
    Count me in with getting it going and keeping it moving.
    Organizational matters should fall to DNA ultimately since they are willing to claim it. I think the folks there will be helpful and encouraging.

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  9. Several years ago, (maybe 3 years? ago, I can't remember exactly) I rediscovered shopping at the farmers' market when I received a flyer about the downtown farmer's market enclosed in a newsletter from another organization (perhaps the Carnegie).

    At that time, most Saturday mornings featured a cooking demonstration or food prepared and sold by restaraunts--I remeber pancakes from Lynn's Paradise Cafe and blackberry cobbler from somewhere? There was also a more varied group of vendors. There was produce beyond corn and tomatoes (not that there is anything wrong with corn and tomatoes), baked goods from the deli that was next to the Grand, herbs, cut flowers, jams and jellies, and, yes, Judy Schad's goat cheese.

    This might have lasted a couple years. My memory isn't what it used to be and I can't remember the details but I know that one summer the farmers' market seemed to be on an upswing then the next summer it was back to 6-8 vendors.

    This is just gossip, but the word that I got when I asked around was that there had been some kind of a fight. I don't know if it was between then vendors or it was the vendors disagreeing with Develop New Albany which was running the market.

    Maybe Nick or Jane could fill us in. Whatever happened it would be good to know.

    There is also a farmers' market with usually just one or two vendors that sets up in a parking lot on State St. They are just there 2 week days, I think.

    There are so many farmers' markets (Jeffersonville, Corydon, Louisville, etc.) that there is going to be a lot of competition for vendors. I still think that the downtown farmers' market is viable and I think that there are a lot of potential customers.

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