Open Letter from a Vendor at the Farmer’s Market
To the Village of Mariemont
I am writing to you to express my concern about the cancellation of the Mariemont Farmers Market. A farmers market is a wonderful addition to any community. When Leah Geldbaugh decided she wanted to add this to the already charming community of Mariemont, I doubt she knew just how large the task would be. As with any new market, there are bumps along the way. But one thing that is needed is village support. As a vendor, we rely on these markets. It is where we sell our produce and products, gain a regular clientele and make a living. This is how it works. After the first of the year, we review what markets are out there. Apply to the markets, and then commit to them. That means we plant crops, or make inventory that we hope to sell. We count on these markets. It’s our job. With our commitment to return every Friday to the market, we expect a commitment from the Village in return. Imagine our surprise last Friday, September 6th when we were told that Friday the 13th would be our last day of the market! The market was supposed to run until October 26th! We planned for this, we planted extra crops for this, and we committed to this. What did the Village commit to? We have been left with extra inventory and no place to sell it. The Village of Mariemont has essentially fired us. There is something to remember about farmers markets, just like when you plant a seed, it takes time and attention to grow. The signs that you see around the Village advertising the market, they were paid for by the vendors. We advertised to our customers at other markets that we could be found in Mariemont on Fri. evenings. We showed up, rain or shine, to make the most out of this new market. In return, we show up and are told Mayor Policastro is shutting us down. Why? The market was picking up. We had people waiting for us to set up. That is a great sign for a first year market. We were told that Mrs. Policastro wanted the market moved to Wed . The people we spoke with told us they loved having the market on Friday evenings because they liked the fresh produce for the weekend. Plus, we vendors are already committed to other markets on Wed. Markets that have the commitment from the community to do what it takes to make the market successful. There are few markets on a Friday evening, with the right advertising, help from council, and support from the community this market could have become a destination. I hope that the Village of Mariemont can make a decision to hold a market and support it. In the meantime, you can find most of the vendors at the Maderia Farmers Market on Thursday evenings or the Anderson Twp. Farmers Market (voted best of the East) on Sat. mornings.
Sincerely,
Kim Lautman
Pet Passions & Fashions