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Farmers market board is self-serving

The arrogance of the Durango Farmers Market board is astonishing. I speak of the rule quoted by Kay James, (Letters, Herald, May 23), which states that a farmer selling the same product as a nonagricultural vendor will always get preference.

In this scenario, if a farmer decides to brew a pot of coffee and sell it at his stand, so long, Durango Coffee Co. If a farmer decides to sharpen some knives at his booth, goodbye, Columbine Saw Sharpening. Or, a farmer brings a pitcher of lemonade and tosses in a few basil leaves, and it’s adios, Tom Cat.

There is apparently no consideration for quality and popularity of product, and seniority doesn’t count. What intelligent business would turn away the products that draw the biggest crowds? There is no concern for the fact that vendors count on revenue from the market to help make a living. Purchasing insurance, securing licensing and a commercial kitchen, only to be ousted two weeks before the market opens, is a tough financial blow. Building a clientele and perfecting a product over years takes energy and care. None of this seems to matter at our local market, where “protecting the agricultural foundation” has created a narrow and self-serving structure.

Yes, we all want to support our community by buying local produce and products, but these guys have gone too far.

Next time you go to the market, notice which farm stands hold key positions in the market layout. They are the same folks who currently and historically sit on the board, who write the rules that keep them in power. New farmers never get the kind of exposure that the established farms get, and you will never see a potter or a baker in the high-volume slots.

One thing James forgot to mention is that the one token position on the board filled by a nonagricultural vendor doesn’t get to vote. I won’t be attending the Durango Farmers Market this year, and my hope is for a future market designed to serve the whole community, inclusive and fair to everyone.

Karen Mee

Durango



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