I think the bigger issue is people actually shopping there.

Folks in Decatur say they want local, organic, easy to walk to shops and restaurants; however, we don’t have the density to support all of them. So ultimately folks have to make choices. Is the Decatur Farmers Market one of the choices? That’s the question.

We can make 1 million excuses of how it can be better, but if folks wanted to support it, there would be no barrier to making it a success.

Looks like we are pretty close in our opinions after all.

I hope this market can thrive and grow. Long term dream – it grows so much that it evolves to a co-op.

For now , I’ll be happy if I can get a spot for next year in a CSA of one of the market farms !

One note: your comments re: the viability of the square as an alternate location are absolutely true. I’m more of the mind that we might be able to find a better location overall than the current one but, for exactly the reasons you mention, I don’t think the square will ultimately be it.

Veg on!

I’d like to think the organizers are doing the best job they can do. As I understand it, the market on the Square didn’t do that well – the Square renovation wasn’t the only reason for the location change. Most market customers don’t walk – they drive. Parking around the Square is (perceived at least ) to be a pain.

Each week the current market brings life to an unsightly, largely dead intersection. Residents have an opportunity to buy wonderful produce from local farmers. Those customers who choose to walk can access the location by sidewalk from all directions travelling only one block beyond the Square. Those who want to drive have easy access off Commerce and Church St and free parking.

Could the market do more to serve the greater community ? Maybe but I choose to see the glass as half full.

Yes, the FM is working in terms of convenience and food quality and support of local food networks and those are all good, even great, things. But such markets also have other potential and opportunities that may not be being fully realized. For example, when they’re located in a better pedestrian space, people have a tendency to linger more (rather than simply viewing the process as a drive in, quick pick-up, drive out experience). Such lingering leads to longer conversations or increased chance meetings, which provide real social and civic value. In the ‘burbs, social connections don’t often extend all that far beyond those made at the subdivision pool or the elementary PTA but in a compact town of 20,000 people, they’re the lifeblood of our government, independent businesses and charity exercised locally. Many communities have found well situated FMs to contribute greatly in this regard.

To be clear, I’m *not* saying that such connections aren’t happening at the current location. I’m saying that place matters and that they may not currently be meeting their *full* potential.

There’s also the idea of local, economic interdependencies. Right now, the FM is at a largely dead intersection in the parking lot of a global corporation. This may be for reasons of both customer convenience and logistics (again, both good things) but it doesn’t reach its full potential in aiding our local economy. In the right location, an FM can act as a solid “co-anchor” to indie businesses, where there’s potential for their respective customer bases to feed each other. Believe me, I’m all for supporting local agriculture (I’m a happy CSA shareholder) but I also believe in supporting local business. At the level of town, both are vital enterprises.

DM and Oakie, correct me if I’m misrepresenting you, but I guess my question to Fifi would be: If it’s possible to continue serving the customers, farmers and market organizers effectively, but also find ways to serve our greater community and local businesses, why would we not want to do that?

anyway to the organic market owners if you are reading – I am glad you are close by . thanks for putting on the market . I will continue to buy your produce – suburban spaceship block or bucolic atmosphere on the square…. it doesn’t matter to me.