OK, so I, the great FUZZBOLLAH, was on hiatus for a few months, watching with glee as the local blog site http://arborupdate.com had a rather long thread pertaining to the Ann Arbor Public Market, entitled "Growing Pains at the Farmers Market". Well, last week, Arborupdate webmeister Bruce Fields pulled the plug on this thread, claiming that 2/3 of the postings were from one person. Oh BOY oh boy. See for yourselves what this thread had to offer: http://arborupdate.com/article/1533/growing-pains-at-the-farmers-market
Although you will see a few snarky posts from yours truly, it certainly wasn't me who made 2/3 of the posts. See what happens when all other avenues for free speech and redress of grievances get shut down? People start resorting to harsher measures. Maybe the excessive posting was done by one of the disgruntled vendors whose issues have been glossed over by a negligent city staff, who constantly make excuses for the monopolizing of the market by a few other "privileged" vendors.
The other item of note for ArborMarketWatchers is an article that appeared in the January, 2008 issue of the Ann Arbor Observer, written by Vivienne Armentrout. The article is all about the importance some Ann Arborites place on LOCAL FOODS. Local foodies - in the article referred to as Locavores - "stress the importance of getting to know the individual farmers and buying from them steadily." I couldn't agree more, Locavores.
Armentrout also points out that buying at the Ann Arbor Public Market takes commitment, as the market is only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, shuts by 3 pm, has difficult parking, prices are too high, and there are controversies about some of the vendors not growing the produce they sell, or making the goods themselves - as required by Market Operating Rules.
It might be useful to critique each of these issues that were raised, but now that arborupdate has closed their forum on the market, what's a lonely Fuzzbollah to do? Why don't you add in your 2 cents? Comments anyone?
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
