Has Farmers Market gone commercial?

[artistwithaflare]

Remember the days when anyone could rent a table, for the day, at Farmers Market? to sell their baked goods/crafts/etc. Yes, Kelowna has some wonderful crafters/artists but what about the small time crafters/artists? Do we need a warehouse of stock to participate at FM? Do we need a Business Licence to take part in FM?

Kelowna's Farmers Markets tables are pre-paid and booked solid even before the season opens! Leaving NO room for new comers.

I find Kelowna Farmers Market has gone way too commercial with the same old vendors selling the same old stuff!
...I can by local bread and veggies at Quality Greens & Cobs thank you very much! Plus, all the orchards have road side shacks to buy from!

I would like to see Farmers Market set aside some spots for anyone wanting to rent a table for just for the day!
Does anyone agree with me?

[Ken7]

Remember the days when you could get a deal below store prices when you picked up from a farmers market.

[Retrosnap]

Remember the days when anyone could rent a table, for the day, at Farmers Market? to sell their baked goods/crafts/etc. Yes, Kelowna has some wonderful crafters/artists but what about the small time crafters/artists? Do we need a warehouse of stock to participate at FM? Do we need a Business Licence to take part in FM?

Kelowna's Farmers Markets tables are pre-paid and booked solid even before the season opens! Leaving NO room for new comers.

I find Kelowna Farmers Market has gone way too commercial with the same old vendors selling the same old stuff!
...I can by local bread and veggies at Quality Greens & Cobs thank you very much! Plus, all the orchards have road side shacks to buy from!

I would like to see Farmers Market set aside some spots for anyone wanting to rent a table for just for the day!
Does anyone agree with me?

Just my opinion, but they've overgrown the current space, and so it simply makes financial sense to pre-book the limited space they have to ensure a fully subscribed market.

The current location needs to change...it's an overflow mall parking lot, with about the same ambiance. Navigating to Highway 97 from any direction can be a gong show, and one day, someone is going to be seriously injured or worse at the intersection.

The Kelowna Market has nothing on some other markets I've been to. Penticton is a great local example. I'm glad that they've setup the overflow downtown, although I have yet to go down to see what it's like.

No matter what location might be a better fit, the days there are numbered, and it would be nice to learn of a solid plan to relocate, before lease holder at Orchard Park says "sorry, we're not going to lease you the parking lot this year". Then what?

[Bsuds]

We won't go there anymore for several reasons. Too expensive and too difficult to access it not to mention it's too small a venue for the number of people wanting to go.

[GordonH]

I avoid even driving in the area on Saturday mornings just because of the amount of idiot j-walkers (I am aware j-walking is not illegal in Kelowna).
I'm amazed people are not hit.

[JayByrd]

To the OP, I think the Farmer's Market is such a goldmine for those who sell their stuff there, there's simply too much competition for the spaces available. Someone who can't get their foot in the door to sell there ought to be creative and use other outlets to move their stuff. If the product is good, people will buy it. And I don't know if you're speaking for yourself in this thread, but you've posted before about not being provided a venue to sell your wares. Maybe it's time to take matters into your own hands.

I find the Farmer's Market to be overcrowded and overpriced. I see lots of appealing goods there but I just can't swallow the prices asked for pretentious heirloom zucchini and whatnot. I don't blame the producers of these goods for charging what the market will bear, but it's just not for me.

[spooker]

My neighbour started selling his handmade pieces there last year and is now a consistent vendor there each Saturday ... he's much happier than when he had a day job ... yes, everyone wants to get into the market and the organizers have to say 'no' a lot more than before ...

I like the expansion to downtown ... easier to access ...

They've had to get more organized ... the chaos otherwise wouldn't make it fun or worthwhile for anyone ...

[dinosaur]

Has the farmers' market gone commercial??? Its kind of a silly question, perhaps you could refine it a bit. Farming is a business. Farmers need money to maintain their farm, pay employees, buy school supplies, even take the family on the odd vacation if that is ok with you. People want too much out of the Kelowna farmers market. Farmers markets are not supposed to be cute places with buskers etc... Farmers just don't have the time either to sit at a stall for several days a week, we have things on the farm to take care of, kids to take to soccer practice etc... The farmers market model is flawed to meet what much of the public wants.
We don't need a bigger farmers market, what we need is a second permanent open-air market with non-farmer produce vendors. We need this because the Canadian retailers have consolidated to such a high degree that they have monopsony-like power over Canadian farmers. Having a large number of local vendors competing for our produce would help farmers get better returns without missing their kids' soccer practice. It would also alleviate much of the pressure for fraud at the farmers market as retailers at a regular market wouldn't have to pretend they grew all of the commodities they are selling. I have seem many open-air markets in China and they are great at supplying cheap produce as well as high-end. They also avoid most of the ideology and propaganda which has contaminated most of the 'farmers-markets' in BC which have largely become hostile to farmers who follow evidence-based and efficient farming practices.

[artistwithaflare]

Interesting feedback, thanks!
I'm used to living in a city so when there is an event, I expect the crowds....and, yes, the jay walkers too!
I agree that there are countless of venues( Social Media, Etsy, etc...) to sell your products but, my point was Farmers Market has turned exclusive and too commercial.
and, a lot of folks find the prices too high? Interesting...

I would love to see them expand and offer an area for folks who don't want to rent for the entire season. Maybe allow folks to sell from their trunk/truck in the parking lot? Not everyone wants high priced commercial products....You know what they say, one man's junk is another man;s treasure!
I would like to see Farmers Market mix it up...let the little guy participate.

[artistwithaflare]

Has the farmers' market gone commercial??? Its kind of a silly question, perhaps you could refine it a bit. Farming is a business. Farmers need money to maintain their farm, pay employees, buy school supplies, even take the family on the odd vacation if that is ok with you. People want too much out of the Kelowna farmers market. Farmers markets are not supposed to be cute places with buskers etc... Farmers just don't have the time either to sit at a stall for several days a week, we have things on the farm to take care of, kids to take to soccer practice etc... The farmers market model is flawed to meet what much of the public wants.
We don't need a bigger farmers market, what we need is a second permanent open-air market with non-farmer produce vendors. We need this because the Canadian retailers have consolidated to such a high degree that they have monopsony-like power over Canadian farmers. Having a large number of local vendors competing for our produce would help farmers get better returns without missing their kids' soccer practice. It would also alleviate much of the pressure for fraud at the farmers market as retailers at a regular market wouldn't have to pretend they grew all of the commodities they are selling. I have seem many open-air markets in China and they are great at supplying cheap produce as well as high-end. They also avoid most of the ideology and propaganda which has contaminated most of the 'farmers-markets' in BC which have largely become hostile to farmers who follow evidence-based and efficient farming practices.

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No question is silly!
but, talking down to someone like they don't understand how farmers make a living...is silly!

This is Kelowna ( Palm Springs of Canada!) not China...but, I get your point(to a degree)

[dinosaur]

My point is that farmers need to earn a living, and should be respected just like any other business; its all commercial! There is a mentality out there that farmers should be poor which is not helpful, and is discouraging to potential new farmers when they consider the cost of land, equipment and other start-up costs. As far as I know it is not expensive to participate at KFM and farmers are still given preference over other vendors. Its the time though... Not just the day, but also the prep-work, and typically with two staff selling a relatively small volume of produce throughout the day, it is not going to be cheap and is not a very viable option for many farmers who are in the middle of harvest and have large crops to market. A second regular market might be a better option for consumers who want a deal, and IMHO would be better for farmers too. IMO its time we started to question the farmers-market model. Farmers markets have historically been early and short; taking over a town square briefly, and with nothing else but produce. They are not supposed to be tourist attractions with beer-gardens or for family outings but have taken on new roles here.

[voice of reason]

i love the idea of a farmers market.what i dont love is 14 dollar jars of pickles and 12 dollar jars of jam.at this point it is for people with more money than brains. i will stop at the fruit stand and not have to deal with parking and a bunch of weird liberal hippies and hipsters .i just wants some tomatoes and a zucchini at a reasonable price.it is too much hassle .it is cool if you are a tourist i guess but if you have been there once it is the same thing every time

[Ken7]

i love the idea of a farmers market.what i dont love is 14 dollar jars of pickles and 12 dollar jars of jam.at this point it is for people with more money than brains. i will stop at the fruit stand and not have to deal with parking and a bunch of weird liberal hippies and hipsters .i just wants some tomatoes and a zucchini at a reasonable price.it is too much hassle .it is cool if you are a tourist i guess but if you have been there once it is the same thing every time

That was my point also. Yes, I am fully aware of the costs of farming however I also grew up on a family owned and operated grocery store. I went once to the market and found prices to be higher then Safeway. Why would one support local if I can buy local out of the store for less?

I think sometimes greed alone works against you, maybe you never left the farm but most of us middle class tend to stretch our dollars as far as we can. We also would like to support local but why would you??

[Hmmm]

Remember the days when anyone could rent a table, for the day, at Farmers Market? to sell their baked goods/crafts/etc. Yes, Kelowna has some wonderful crafters/artists but what about the small time crafters/artists? Do we need a warehouse of stock to participate at FM? Do we need a Business Licence to take part in FM?

Kelowna's Farmers Markets tables are pre-paid and booked solid even before the season opens! Leaving NO room for new comers.

I find Kelowna Farmers Market has gone way too commercial with the same old vendors selling the same old stuff!
...I can by local bread and veggies at Quality Greens & Cobs thank you very much! Plus, all the orchards have road side shacks to buy from!

I would like to see Farmers Market set aside some spots for anyone wanting to rent a table for just for the day!
Does anyone agree with me?

Yes we can BUY (bi, by, bye buy...your choice I guess) from the local farms from the local farms direct. The FM in Kelowna is ok, but really not great.

[Symbonite]

The FM in Penticton is pretty cool....they close down a part of downtown for it. So they should do something like that in Bernard.

But just go to a fruitstand....they have everything with better prices.

12 Dollar Jam???? 8.50 for a 750ML Summerland sweets Raspberry Jam....and probably the best one out there for jam...