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With some notable exceptions, U.S. farmers’ markets aren’t usually perceived as elitist: They’re everywhere these days; many people are aware that they take food stamps; and their prices are often lower than those of supermarkets. But apparently things aren’t the same across the pond, even in a society that seems just as chow-conscious as ours. In the UK Guardian’s new food blog, writer Rachel Dixon explains that the British farmers’ market system is much less established than the U.S. one, and while prices are still significantly lower than they are at supermarkets, 75 percent of FM shoppers “are female and from socio-economic groups A, B or C1, while nearly half are over 55.” Translation: They’s got money.
And even those well-to-do types aren’t always into the FM ideals. As one commenter even points out, there have been protests against new markets in his area:
I live between Hampstead and Highgate, and in both places local residents have campaigned successfully against proposed farmers markets. There may be something odd about the local demographic: it appears to match the profile in the article, but maybe they have special dietary requirements.
In related news, the UK-based Economist magazine is apparently the only major publication to question the ethical-eating movement anymore, the Columbia Journalism Review reports (also via The Food Section). In a must-read piece for any food-writing geek, CJR explains that in December, The Economist:
lobbed a rotten tomato at the very idea that you can effect change by the foods you buy and eat. Far from saving the world, the venerable weekly argued, the pro-organic and pro-local-foods movement just ‘might make it worse.’ One reason, it says, is that organic farming is less efficient than the intensive modern sort, so a wholesale switch to organic ‘would require several times as much land as is currently cultivated. There wouldn’t be much room left for the rain forest.’
Meanwhile, even conservative U.S. papers like the Wall Street Journal have caught the eat-to-change-the-world wave. Are antiethicurean Brits just tougher nuts to crack, or do they have a point?
I don't understand this article at all. When I was living in England (East Anglia, mid-60s; Devon, mid-70's), nearly every large village and town had an outdoor Wednesdady and Saturday market. Local farmers brought their produce to sell, and that's where just about everyone bought the bulk of their veggies. There was certainly no elitism going on. What has changed?
While I've read and enjoyed some of Michael Pollen's articles and books, he can't be classified as a food production expert, though he writes like he is one.
The question of industrial food production versus organic food production is a scientific question and unbiased conclusions indicate clearly that organic production cannot match mechanized and industrial yields. That is why with the...+READ
While I've read and enjoyed some of Michael Pollen's articles and books, he can't be classified as a food production expert, though he writes like he is one.
The question of industrial food production versus organic food production is a scientific question and unbiased conclusions indicate clearly that organic production cannot match mechanized and industrial yields. That is why with the growth of the organic market, organic producers have begun to mechanize.
The issues of less waste, less pollution and better for the local economy don't need to be theorized because sufficient data exists here as well. It's not a romantic story, but industrial production is more efficient, requires less labor and can be easily argued as environmentally cleaner than organic. While small organic farms may require more labor, those aren't the types of jobs or job growth that economists would argue are great for the local economy.
The environmental movement is critical, though, in keeping industrial agriculture honest. Large business and large government do not naturally self-police their performance and practices. In the 50's and 60's, in great part due to subisidies, farmers over-fertilzed and we're still paying the einvironmental bill.
It's the greens that pushed back and said enough is enough.
In the U.S., industrial production and warped retail resulted in beautiful looking but lousey tasting produce (think monoculture). Green markets are bringing back small, good-tasting varieties and the large producers are starting to learn from this and innovate.
Food is not a religion where one side is right and so the others must be wrong. We're learning as we go and need to be a bit more balanced in our "in the moment" assessment.-COLLAPSE
of course the organic/local movement has created a lot of backlash. No, nobody has proven that it's healthier for you. it's a philosophy of farming that you're paying for. it's also food with more flavor....period. do a taste test some time, see for yourself. Big Organic might not be much different from conventional, but get something locally raised or grown and compare it to something that...+READ
of course the organic/local movement has created a lot of backlash. No, nobody has proven that it's healthier for you. it's a philosophy of farming that you're paying for. it's also food with more flavor....period. do a taste test some time, see for yourself. Big Organic might not be much different from conventional, but get something locally raised or grown and compare it to something that traveled a thousand miles...night and day.
why do you think a garden tomato tastes so much better than anything you find at the megamart
plus, supporting the local economy, producing less waste, and having less polution in the air/water/soil. Those are all convincing reasons to me.
truth is that we're used to cheap food in the US. we also spend the smallest amount of our household income on food (compared with other countries), guess that's where our priorities are. food is food...right?-COLLAPSE
I would like to direct everyone to read Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" if they haven't done so already. The Economist's ludacris charge that "a wholesale switch to organic ‘would require several times as much land as is currently cultivated. There wouldn’t be much room left for the rain forest" is pretty amazing. When you consider that a switch to organic and back-to-the-land farming means...+READ
I would like to direct everyone to read Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" if they haven't done so already. The Economist's ludacris charge that "a wholesale switch to organic ‘would require several times as much land as is currently cultivated. There wouldn’t be much room left for the rain forest" is pretty amazing. When you consider that a switch to organic and back-to-the-land farming means utilizing the land for everything (manure to feed the grass to feed the cows to feed the humans, etc.) and not just one single factory of steers whose excrement are washed away because it doesn't even contain nutrients worth using. Shop local if you can, eat organic if you can and just deal with the rest of things as they come.-COLLAPSE
"...75 percent of FM shoppers “are female and from socio-economic groups A, B or C1, while nearly half are over 55.” Translation: They’s got money."
Alternate translation: They're the ones that cook, they care about food, and they have or make the time to DO something about it.
You don't need to go to the farmer's market if all you eat are frozen burritos. Many younger people are too busy...+READ
"...75 percent of FM shoppers “are female and from socio-economic groups A, B or C1, while nearly half are over 55.” Translation: They’s got money."
Alternate translation: They're the ones that cook, they care about food, and they have or make the time to DO something about it.
You don't need to go to the farmer's market if all you eat are frozen burritos. Many younger people are too busy chasing the children and trying to stay employed to put significant time into cooking. Ergo, one trip to the market a week, and it damned well better be the place where you can buy toilet paper, detergent, juiceboxes, disposable diapers and the other sundries that make many households with young children functional. That means: not the farmer's market. Strike one demographic.
Elderly people often don't cook, or they don't cook anymore. Strike demographic number two.
And you don't need to buy raw whole foods if you are not the person in your household that makes the food. Men that age often do not cook, or if they "cook," it's basically opening the package and heating prefab foods - IOW, not what you buy at a farmer's market. Strike demographic number three.
Elderly people often do not cook, or don't cook anymore. Strike demographic number four.
I don't pretend to know what the UK income levels mean in American terms. But it's not hard to put together that low-income people often don't go to farmer's markets because of issues like transportation and having work schedules that conflict with the farmer's market.
And cooking of whole foods - as you must, in order to transform farmers' market purchases into edible dishes - assumes a whole range of things that may not be accessible to really low-resource households: a working stove, a mixing bowl, a knife, more than one pot, working knowledge of cooking techniques, and the time to do something with it. Strike demographic number five.-COLLAPSE
Allotment gardens are very popular, so a lot of fresh veg never see a market stall of any sort, by-passing any notion of needing a a place to purchase produce. That's one reason why quaintly styled farmer's markets are seen as places for people who cannot grow their own. It also helps explain why the range of produce in supermarkets is limited to a small selection of the most popular vegetables....+READ
Allotment gardens are very popular, so a lot of fresh veg never see a market stall of any sort, by-passing any notion of needing a a place to purchase produce. That's one reason why quaintly styled farmer's markets are seen as places for people who cannot grow their own. It also helps explain why the range of produce in supermarkets is limited to a small selection of the most popular vegetables. If you want chicory, romaine, artichokes (either sort), chard, raddichio, corn salad, salsify, daikon, jicama, tomatillos and more, you'll have to grow it yourself.
I'm not so sure that community gardens are anywhere near as popular in the US, and don't know if the urban farming thing ever caught on.-COLLAPSE
"the pro-organic and pro-local-foods movement just ‘might make it worse.’ One reason, it says, is that organic farming is less efficient than the intensive modern sort, so a wholesale switch to organic ‘would require several times as much land as is currently cultivated. There wouldn’t be much room left for the rain forest.’"
This comment from the Economist is so oversimplified and suspect...+READ
"the pro-organic and pro-local-foods movement just ‘might make it worse.’ One reason, it says, is that organic farming is less efficient than the intensive modern sort, so a wholesale switch to organic ‘would require several times as much land as is currently cultivated. There wouldn’t be much room left for the rain forest.’"
This comment from the Economist is so oversimplified and suspect that I can't believe you bothered reprinting it. In fact, I can't believe the Economist printed it in the first place. There are some issues to discuss here, but this is not the way to do it.
Besides, local-vore movements do not operate in the same paradigm, or on the same land, as giant agribiz operations. A small operation pulling produce for 20-40 people out of vacant urban lots is taking land "from the rainforest".-COLLAPSE
zuriga1 - At the farmers marketsI shop at in the US, organic growers will post their organic certification on their stall. Also, the people who run the market will make some effort to ensure that no baseless claims are made.
#zuriga1. From an outdoor or "farmers' market", you take your chances. I have seen my local green grocers hocking off unsold and near spoilt produce as organics, on the other side of town. Organic produce markets have standards, barrow merchants do not.
I would like to know what guarantee one has that one is buying truly organically grown produce?
There have been countless shows on British TV lately claiming that 'organic' farming is no more healthy for one that the other way of growing crops. Farmers' markets are very popular in the UK as are weekly markets in general. Personally, I often have the feeling that the organic movement is economically powered and has little to do with real nutrition or our health. All British supermarkets have...+READ
There have been countless shows on British TV lately claiming that 'organic' farming is no more healthy for one that the other way of growing crops. Farmers' markets are very popular in the UK as are weekly markets in general. Personally, I often have the feeling that the organic movement is economically powered and has little to do with real nutrition or our health. All British supermarkets have increasingly larger 'organic' sections for fruit and veg and beef and chicken and....... And those products cost quite a bit more.
Ex-New Yorker-COLLAPSE