Instead of having class today at 9:30 AM, we had a field trip to the Farmer's Market near Shattuck Ave. that is open from 3 PM to 7 PM on Thursdays. Unlike most markets and grocery stores, the Farmer's Market is a small, outdoors market with many vendors that mainly sell organic produce that are locally grown and very fresh. The vendors were very kind and willing to answer any questions about their products. There were also some vendors that allowed people to sample some of their products, for example yogurt and strawberries. I think this method of advertising their products is a great way to show how much better they taste in comparision to the local grocery stores.
Although my first visit to the Farmer's Market was in the blazing sun, overall, I felt a relaxed atmosphere while I was visiting each stall. Parents could bring their children with them as they shop for fresh goods and there was even a person entertaining a group of kids. The Ecology Center seemed to be a great source of information, which I did not find useful initially until I asked them if they knew which foods were in season.
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Mmmm those yogurts were amazing!
ReplyDeleteWhat surprised me was that most of the stuff at the farmer's market could actually be found at the Berkeley bowl. And the yogurt I bought at the market was actually more expensive at the farmer's market than at the Bowl. This price factor probably explains why people are more willing to go to grocery stores to buy products not only for the convenience, but also for the price. This food situation of farmer's market versus corporate grocery stores parallels the Wal-mart dilemma. People would like to support the mom and pop individual stores, but it's often out of the way with higher prices. This collective action problem of individual consumers contributes to the rise of the so called "corporate America".
I found the farmers market to be very intriguing for a number of reasons. I feel that while most of the items sold there could be found at Berkeley Bowl, the atmosphere of shopping outside, meeting and talking with the vendors, and buying from different vendors is exciting. It brings together this natural aspect of the food with the personal aspect of the people selling it. While Berkeley Bowl may sell the same things it also has the feel of a grocery store and sells non-organic or fresh items as well which may take away from the overall feeling of buying fresh. I felt that i was overly intrigued to buy because I felt I was buying health foods and fresh/organic foods and therefore wasn't bogged down by prices or other factors. I also felt that by talking to the vendors, I was able to sense their excitement about the food and they really swayed me to purchase, which I would like to think is not solely because they want to make a profit!!
ReplyDeleteI definitely enjoyed my experience at the Farmers' Market even though it started raining (I went on Saturday). Like Martin and Jordan, I enjoyed the outdoor experience and more personal interactions. But, I totally understand where Jessie is coming from. Buying locally grown, organic foods is often more costly, which makes it slightly less accessible for some. The thing that I was most interested in was the personal interaction between customers, sellers, and sellers and customers. A lot of the sellers and customers seem to have established some sort of relationship, which, I think, makes the purchasing of food more of a social experience rather than an errand to be rushed through. As Jordan mentioned, the sellers were definitely enthusiastic about the origin and quality of their produce and food... which leads me to my next observation: Did any of you notice the booth (I can't remember which one now) that had photos of the actual farm? There was also another farm that had flyers/pamphlets for an "open house" of their farm. This struck me as it was something new. I'm not too familiar with farming, but I'm guessing that most large-scale farms don't offer an opportunity for consumers to visit and see the conditions of the larger farms... And this part is more directed to Jordan's last sentence, while this whole personal level of service coupled with happy pictures and open houses seem great, isn't it part of their marketing gimmick? In the end, they are still a business, could it be that these add-ons are still part of a marketing scheme?
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