The screen capture here shows Kapnick's to be on mega-bakery Hill & Valley's vendor list. This list can be found at the following weblink: http://www.hillandvalley.net/results-state.php?startpos=40&State2=MI
The listing also refers to Lipari, a major food distributor which delivers pre-made pies and baked goods mixes to vendors all around the mid-west US. A list of all of Lipari's offerings can be found at the following weblink: http://www.liparifoods.com/catalogs/bky.pdf
The horrible thing about all this is that legitimate Ann Arbor bakers who sell or have sold baked goods at the Farmers Market are undercut and disadvantaged by unscrupulous vendors such as Kapnick's, who, as the evidence above shows, may buy frozen, pre-made pies and other baked goods, sprinkle a little sugar on top, bake, and bring to the Farmer's Market to sell as "their own product".
One former vendor who should lodge a complaint is Scott Newell, the owner of Ann Arbor's own Big City Bakery. Mr Newell, also a former Market Commissioner, complained to previous Market Managers that there was "thaw and bake" going on at the Ann Arbor market, but was dismissed for his efforts. As a business operating in the City of Ann Arbor, and making baked goods from scratch, Big City Bakery is a taxpaying business, and Scott Newell is a City resident who pays property taxes. Why should he put up with a competition that has distinct and unfair advantages? In fact, Scott Newell offered up specific criteria for baked goods to be sold at the market, but the criteria were dismissed out of hand by Parks and Rec manager Jayne Miller, when the previous Market Commission was drafting a new set of Market Operating rules. Scott Newell's suggestions for rule language should be revisited by the City and the Public Market Advisory Committee.
The City, and in particular Molly Notarianni the current Market Manager should immediately suspend Kapnick's from selling any more baked goods at the Farmer's Market, and should investigate Kapnick's for this violation of the cardinal Market Operating Rule: you must grow or make what you sell at the market. If an investigation indicates that Kapnick indeed violated the rules, then Kapnick's should forfeit their seniority, and be banned from selling at the Farmer's Market.
53 comments:
Interesting post. I was particularly struck by your comment that Kapnick's sprinkled sugar on pies and other baked goods produced by Hill & Valley and then re-sold them as their own.
In fact, Hill & Valley is a specialty bakery that produces sugar-free and no-sugar-added pies, cakes, muffins and cookies for the diabetic and health-conscience markets. Seems to me that sprinkling sugar on any of these products would be a problem.
OK, so Kapnick's may sprinkle some aspartame on the pies prior to baking. The allegation of dishonesty still stands, and should be investigated by the market's management. Kapnick's has not followed other Market Operating Rules, see previous posts. In the past, Michigan health inspections have identified rodent feces on Kapnick's premises, mold growing on walls in their refrigerators, and other health concerns.
I was wondering about those white bread hamburger and hot dog buns they sell. Their application just states, "mixes"
Baking hot dog and hamburger buns from a mix? don't make me piss my pants from laughing so hard.
Someone send a link of this site to the market manager PLEASE!!!HURRY!!!! Better yet, send it to Jayne Miller.
Mike:
Kapnick sells both kinds of pies
"suger free" and with sugar.
As for the sugar free pies from hill valley
Hill & Valley 1-800-480-0055
Their "sugar free" pies contain no fruit and use their own blend combination of alternative sugars, including sorbitol.
Their "no sugar added" pies contain fruit and MAY contain alternative sugars.
They also have info on aspartame and excessive consumption warnings.
As far as the Lipari items: thaw and bake breads, rolls, etc and mixes. I don't think this is allowed at the market.I'm almost certain the other bakeries make everything from scratch. I thought the market was a producer only market. This should not be allowed.
I have a letter from management that identifies the corporation of Kapnick Farm Market Inc. had received transference of seniority of stalls 124-126 from Kapnick Orchards Inc.
I have another letter from management that identifies corporations R&S Farm Market Inc. Kapnick Farm Market Inc.and Kapnick LLC are doing business in the stalls. Management maintains these corporations are a combination acting as a unit . The unit name being Kapnick Farm Market Inc. and all the corportions of the unit have assumed the name of Kapnick Orchards.
Peter, do you think Fuzzbollah can get a copy of said letters to post on this fine blog?
I have a letter from Karla Henderson that states kapnick orchards Inc. owner Janice and her daughter Sharon Shaffer split up and Sharon went into business with Scott Robertello as kapnick Farm Market Inc.
Mr. Robertello maintains on his current market application his corporation Kapnick Farm Market Inc. is what Kapnick Orchards Inc. used to be and then changed the name back to Kapnick Orchards! Does Mr. Robertello know that the Tecumseh Chamber of Commerce has a listing for Kapnick Orchards Inc. and maintains it as a bakery farm market. Yes I can give both letters to post if you want.
And if you could would you post the tecumseh chamber of commerce info. Thanks
anyone heard of the farm products Fuits and veggies farm named R&S Farm Inc. The city recently gave this corporation transference of seniority in stalls 124-126. Was it part of the original Kapnick Orchards Inc.? Does Kapnick LLC and R&S farm Inc. put their products together sell them as Kapnick Farm Market Inc. products DBA Kapnick Orchards?
Seems confusing doesn't it?
Does Zingerman's fall under the same rules. Are all their business entities(though compartmentalized)allowed to sell from the zingerman's creamery stalls as the city is allowing Kapnick farm Market Inc. Kapnick LLc and R&S farm Inc. and R&S farm?
Did the corporations sign a merger?
http://www.a2gov.org/government/city_administration/City_Clerk/Council_Agenda_Information/Documents/2007/2007-06-04/H-6.pdf
Here's a link .... it's a letter from Vena's Greenhouse to the city of ann arbor.. signed Denise Brock
As much as the city administration would like to portray the Vena's Greenhouse - Denise Brock 6 stall entity as two separate businesses, and have stated as such in official city communications, the fact is that these two have been operating as one for many years. For instance, if Carol Vena or Denise Brock cannot make it to market on any given Saturday, the market manager has allowed all six stalls to be occupied by one of the two vendors, and not opening up the three stalls to (an)other vendor(s) that could benefit from the traffic on the Detroit Street side of the market.
The letter posted by 'anonymous' clearly shows that Denise Brock considers herself and her business to be the same as Vena's Greenhouse. Isn't it time that the city market management also recognized this fact, and opened up the market to other vendors?
does the manager know? does Mr. Thompson?
Paul,
The Market Management has been made aware of the Vena's Greenhouse/Denise Brock/Gracia's Greenhouse/T. Gracia/Tina Koski monopoly for many years, they just have chosen not to do anything about it.
I think you may know my opinions of Mr Glenn Thompson. He has taken their side in every dispute that has been brought to light. Glenn Thompson is part of the problem. It is anybody's guess as to what motivates Glenn Thompson in his support of the blatant cheating by Kapnick's - or whatever they are calling themselves today - and by the Gracia cartel. Once again, Thompson is an interloper, as I have described on Arborupdate.
this is the first I've heard of this but frankly i'm not surprised. that's vendors stuff just looks nasty. i'd never buy it, especially now that i know it's the same crap you can get at meijer.
allison
http://lastbite.blogspot.com
Read Jan. 2009 commission meeting minutes. The members were discussing this very subject. They might recommend the following on an application. What percentage of your baked goods are from scratch? 100% 75% 10%? Management does not want to discourage the vendors that are not baking from scratch from selling at the market..! This is crap!!! A vendor is either producing their own product or in this case the vendor is allegedly purchasing frozen pre-made products from liparis and hill & valley baking them and selling them at market. Consumers want to know. If the product is not advertised as HOMEMADE don't buy it . Thanks allison for your comment.
One vendor was recently released for a year from market for not producing one of the farms products. However,of all the bakeries at market, there's only one "bakery" selling products that are not made from scratch. To help this vendor's products remain at the market they will try to come up with new catagories? If a product is only 50% made from scratch, then what's the rest of the product made of?
Or will it be a percentage of the bakers products that must be made from scratch?
Don't think one vendor should get kicked out and another doing the same gets to stay. Terrible judgement by management.
This vendor admits to "renting trees". Never heard of this practice before. Is this allowed? Should it be allowed? any comments
This vendor does several markets in the area. perhaps the other markets can be contacted.
Kevin McDonald and jayne Miller take market to new teritory.
Vendors can now maintain several seperate individual business entities in one set of stalls. This is what this vendor is doing.
Will the market put a limit on how many businesses will be allowed in the stall space?
http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/bcs_corp/image.asp?FILE_TYPE=UCO&FILE_NAME=D200904%5C2009100%5C00001332.tif
Scott Robertello's handwriting shows up on state corp. documents of Janice Kapnick. He even signed her signature. Document filed dated 4-2-09. Why is Mr Robertello signing Janice's name on this documnet? Kapnick Orchards Inc. is now dissolved!
He's not even the resident agent. Considering Mr. Robertello's corportions have been using the name Kapnick Orchards for over 10 years.
The market manager maintains there are no vendors selling these types of products at the market. Even if there were, management would not kick them out. The commission is going to try to redo the rules to protect these vendors selling these types of baked goods.
Mr. Robertello finally gets it right. He has legally filed to use the assumed name of Kapnick Orchards under his corporations' names. Good for him after illegally using it since 1998!
Now for the Hill and Valley and Lipari products that were discussed at the last commission meeting. Isn't the manager supposed to inspect now to see if these are products from Lipari's and Hill and Valley as found on the distribution list.
just google Hill and valley kapnick orchards and the distribution list is easily found. it lists Kapnick orchards Inc. and kapnick orchards. Then check out Lipari website and their bakery goods catatlog. It's filled with freeze and thaw baked good products.
The fudge "made" and sold by Kapnicks is from a mix? The croissants, don't make me laugh. If they are homemade, the baker needs to go back to culinary school.
You'd think their website would be boasting about their "homemade" baked goods, but there's no mention of any of the baked goods being homemade. NOTHING, nor are there any signs on their stalls or products at any of the markets they sell at.
Oddly enough A2 management is only inspecting facilities and not products. It confuses both the vendor and consumer as to what is meant by a producer only market. Now the Turkish lady that sells her baked goods, they are homemade and she does the baking!
On april 24 2009 The farm R&S Farms Inc. applied to DBA Kapnick Orchards. There's no record of R&S Farms Inc. owning land in Lenawee county.
The ann arbor market now on Twitter
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There's a guy by the name o Thompson that shows up at meetings and at the market. He has never poffered any info about Kapnick's baked goods. Homemade or from Liparis frozen baked goods? Mr. Thompson won't reply or will he?
To the last Anonymous comment: If you are referring to Glenn Thompson, the self-appointed Market Czar, you can expect nothing out of him regarding the cheater known as Scott Robertello who says he owns Kapnick Orchards, Inc. (but was recently dissolved). Thompson has actually defended him in video he has posted somewhere on the internets - I leave you to waste your own time finding it and viewing it.
In fact, at the Public Market Advisory Commission meeting of April 21, 2009, the cheater known as Scott Robertello, and Thompson both spoke during public commentary time, and were there to witness a Mr. Vazquez complain during public commentary about the need to investigate Robertello/Kapnicks Orchards for violating the "producer only" rules at the market. They both had the opportunity to respond to Mr. Vazquez's allegations, but did not do so, which leads Fuzzbollah to assume that the complaint brought forth by Mr. Vazquez is very valid, and could not even be disputed publicly.
See for yourself what Mr. Vazquez had to say here:
http://a2govtv.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=2bff6cb9ac7c739a844fb2b022f6654d
Mr Vazquez's comments take up the last 4 minutes or so of the on-demand video.
Correction..Mr Robertello added his name on Kapnick Orchard Inc.'s application as owner. However it was discovered that he was not. in fact Kapnick Orchards Inc. was supposedly no longer at the market.
R&S farm Inc.(fruit and veggie farm) was created with $1000.00 at 1.00 per share each by sharon shaffer and scott robertello. this farm does not own any land in Lenawee county.
Kapnick farm market Inc. was created and is a retail store. Created with $1000. at 1.00 per share. this corporation rents from Janice Kapnick.
Mr. Robertello will need to pay $200,000. to keep his shares of the retail store upon Janice's death. If he doesn't then he loses his $1000. So for $2000. he did not purchase Kapnick Orchard Inc. just created new ones that don't own any assests.
Until 4-24-09 the DLEG corporate division stated these businesses should not have been using the name Kapnick Orchards as Janice Kapnick's corporation Kapnick Orchards Inc.was still active and a for profit corporation still using that name.
If Kapnick Orchards Inc. was sold or tranferred to either Kapnick Farm market inc. or R&S farm how come these corps do not have assets such as the land or ownership of the bakery store?
Mr. Robertello worked for Kapnick Orchards Inc. but did not ever own or purchase the Kapnick Orchards Inc. Janice Kapnick still owns the assets of her now dissolved corporation as of 04-04-09.
forgot to mention
none of the legal documents the city requested from Kapnick Farm Market Inc. and R&S farm Inc. had any mention of them using the assumed name of Kapnick Orchards. No lease agreements nor sales tax or MDA licenses were issued to Kapnick Orchards with regards to these corporations.
Is Mr. Robertello a baker? a farmer? as he does personally attend 4 markets per week far removed from actual physical farm work.
As far as I know, Kapnick Orchards - or whatever they are calling themselves today - is still selling their baked goods at the Farmers Market. Interesting to see that when other vendors are complained about, and then investigated, it happens quickly and the offenses corrected by suspension or banishment from the market, as was the case recently with the carrot vendor who was accused of not growing their own produce. The pet treatment of Kapnick's and Scott Robertello is a sign that the Ann Arbor Farmers Market is not really serious about maintaining the integrity of a 'producer only' market. Too bad. Look for sales at the market to decrease as the public looks for alternatives to lying and cheating by unscrupulous vendors.
This tells me that the Market Manager has no real power, the Market Operating Rules don't mean Krapnick, the city is impotent, Jayne Miller is not doing her job, and the Public Market Advisory Commission is a paper tiger and a waste of time.
I've always considered baked goods as an art form of sorts, just like cooking. There are pre-made frozen dinners, then there's homecooked meals from scratch or like the tamales sold at the market..
There are premade frozen pies and frozen breads. or cakes and cookies from premade mixes like betty crocker or Jiffyor Lipari. then there's homemade pies, breads, cookies, cakes made from scratch.
Molly the manager of the market seems to be having trouble with these concepts. Which of these products should not be allowed at market under the homegrown homemade label? The city is advertising the concept that this market is a producer homegrown/homemade only market. I vote to end this "baker's" career as a baker at this market since they are not freah and homemade.
http://www.michigan.org/Property/
Detail.aspx?p=G5261
Have searched several listings for Kapnick Orchards and all advertising maintains it is a u- pick farm. None of their advertising lists them as selling already picked fruits such as their apples at their farm market.
If one looks at other similar farms they advertise as a u-pick and advertise that they also sell already picked fruits from their orchard in their stores/farm market.
I also came across the hill and valley and lipari info on the internet as suggested by one of this site's bloggers.
Has the market manager or vendors determined if this type of "production" is allowed under current market operating rules or city code?
Fuzzbollah, I sent(in March)some proposed Market Operating Rule language to the PMAC, written by a REAL baker - Scott Newell, who owns Big City Bakery in Ann Arbor. See the proposed language in my next post - since I cannot enter in more than 4,000 HTML characters in one post here on your blog.
The Public Market Advisory Commission and the Market Manager, Molly Notarianni have not replied at all to my emails and complaints regarding Mr Robertello's suspected fraudulent practices.
When I was on the Market Commission, I tried numerous times to get Scott Robertello to follow Market Operating Rules, and also worked with numerous Market Managers to get them to enforce rules.
Scott Newell, also a former Market Commissioner, stated many times in commission meetings that the so called 'baked goods' sold by Scott Robertello through Kapnick's Orchards were Thaw-and Bake, and that they should not be sold at a "producer only" market.
Its such a damn shame to see Big City Bakery not selling at the Farmers Market. Scott Newell had to stop selling there because he was being undercut by Robertello using Kapnick's stall spaces. Mr Newell is a Ann Arbor city taxpayer and resident. Perhaps he should complain to the Mayor and City Council for not protecting his rights at the market.
Anyway, Fuzzbollah, keep up the good work.
Fuzzboola, here is the proposed language:
Ann Arbor Public Market Advisory Commission
Proposed Rules governing the sale of ‘baked goods’ at the market
DEFINITION OF BAKED GOODS
Definition of seller: A seller is the producer of the item or items sold. There can be NO RESALE of pre mixed, pre formed or pre baked items not made by the seller. The seller must be the producer/creator of the item/ items sold as defined below.
If the item is a baked good then that item must be MIXED, FORMED and
BAKED BY THE SELLER in exact accordance with the following definitions:
Pies: No pre made thaw and bake or pre made thaw and serve pies are allowed to be sold at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. Pie fillings must be mixed by the seller. Any canned fillings must have additional new ingredients which distinguish it from the original canned product added by the seller and the pie shell must have been mixed by the seller and formed by the seller. The pie must be baked at the business address given on the application which must be the true location of business and production of the item.
Cookies: No pre made thaw and bake or thaw and serve cookies are allowed to be sold at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. Cookies must be mixed by the seller and formed by the seller and baked by the seller. Any pre mixed ingredients must have additional new ingredients added by the seller at the address location given on the application which must be the true location of the business and production of the item(s) for sale at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.
Breads: No thaw and bake or thaw and serve breads are allowed to be sold at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. Breads must be mixed by the seller and formed by the seller and baked by the seller. Any pre mix ingredients must have additional new ingredients added by the seller at the address location given on the application which must be the true location of the business and production of the item(s) for sale at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.
All other baked items: No thaw and bake or thaw and serve baked goods are allowed to be sold at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. All other baked goods items must be mixed by the seller and formed by the seller and baked by the seller at the address location given on the application which must be the true location of the business and production of the item(s) for sale at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.
Other baked goods examples:
Brownies may be from a pre-made box mix only if new ingredients are added to said mix. Brownies must be mixed by the seller and formed (rolled, cut, etc) by the seller and baked by the seller, at the address location given on the application which must be the true location of the business and production of the item(s) for sale at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.
Pizza must have crust mixed by the seller and formed by the seller and ingredients added and baked by the seller, at the address location given on the application which must be the true location of the business and production of the item(s) for sale at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.
EXCEPTIONS: The thaw and bake rule can be waived ONLY if the seller mixed and formed and then froze the items themselves. No thaw and bake items are allowed to be sold at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market unless the seller froze the items they mixed and formed and baked themselves.
Example:
Breads can be mixed, formed, frozen, (baked or unbaked) then sold only by the seller who makes them.
Pros: Since most of the baked goods sellers at the market already meet the above criteria, they will be affirmed in the knowledge that the items offered for sale are unique and comply with Market Operating Rules, and also will gain the public’s trust.
Cons: Those vendors who violate these rules will be forced to either increase their costs of operation to comply with the rules (possibly increasing prices paid by the consumer), or they will have to forego the income they would otherwise make at the Farmer’s Market from baked goods.
Thank you Mr. Vazquez, for the proposed language for baked goods vendors at the market. The proposal seems to be very reasonable to me, and I encourage you to continue pushing the PMAC, the Market Manager, and the City's Parks and Rec Dept to do the right thing. Its too bad they never listened to you in the first place, and drove you off the Market Commission.
check out managers comments about "growers" and "baked goods"
at the recent commission meeting.
"Growers" at the market must grow what they sell. however Molly maintains there's no precedent set for baked goods! so the "producer" or "baker" does not have to actually make a product, they can just buy frozen premade crap, bake it then sell it to customers?.
Poor management!! Yes indeed
I've read several rules from other markets around the country and they do not allow this type of crappy ass product at their markets.
Fuzzbollah deleted the last post, because it had a phone number that the author may not have wanted published.
___________________________________
Here is the comment:
Fuzzbollah,
I'm hoping to write about this Kapnick issue for the Observer. Would you be willing to give me a call and talk to me about this? I am at xxx-xxxx ext xxx.
(I've written about buying and selling and the inspections at the market before.)
Thanks.
Vickie Elmer
___________________________________
Fuzzbollah welcomes inquiries such as Vickie Elmer's, and also encourages you to check out her blog WorkingKind.com
Vickie posts as Vickie WriterLeft
As Fuzzbollah, an internet entity, would like to keep some semblance of anonymity for the moment, correspondance should be directed to fuzzbollah@gmail.com , where I would be happy to "talk".
While on the subject of investigative journalism, perhaps the simplest way of verifying whether Scott Robertello is buying mixes and pre-made baked goods and then selling them at the Ann Arbor Public Market as "Kapnick's Orchards" baked goods would be to acquire bills of lading from Lipari's showing what was ordered by and delivered to Kapnick's Orchards Inc, Kapnick's Orchards, R&S Farms Inc, Kapnick's LLC, and/or Kapnick's Farm Market Inc (or whatever they are calling themselves today - as the city is allowing multiple business entities to sell as 'Kapnick's').
A "baked goods inspector" should be hired by the city, or the current inspector should receive specific training in how to recognize mass produced baked goods and differentiate from those made from scratch. The baked goods rules proposal should be adopted and abided by.
The affidavit signed by Robertello as part of the application to sell at the market contains a provision that allows the Market Manager to request additional information from a vendor in order to verify that goods sold at the market are produced solely by the vendor. To allow this particular vendor to continue to bend the rules by using baked goods mixes and thaw and bake pies flies in the face of a "producer only" market.
Robertello deserves the same amount of scrutiny as he wanted to have against Erie Orchards when he and other vendors filed a complaint claiming Erie was selling peaches from elsewhere (which was later determined to be unfounded). Erie Orchards lost thousands of dollars worth of business and was forced to defend themselves against this complaint from competing orchards selling at the market.
In the event of customer dissatisfaction, a dispute must be resolved to the satisfaction of the customer, and in a timely manner.
This business entity attends several other markets in the area. Perhaps they should be allerted and asked if their markets allow these types of products.
Ms. Elmer should interview this particular vendor and simply ask him about being a baker, the recipes he uses, whether they are handed down from Janice Kapnick or relatives,( did his corporations purchase the recipes, where do they get their ingredients, any from local sources? etc. put him in the spotlight as a baker???!!!!
I say go to the source. writer, customer and market manger and have a chat with this jerk.
Management should refrain from calling this a producer only market if they do not follow up on a customer complaint.
I googled and found this business entity retains a liquor license. How many farms at the market make money selling liquor to support their farms. This is a retail store. what's it selling at this market?
here's some news... The Heim Farm and Kapnicks were inspected in the same month. However, a consumer or vendor must have complained as Heim farm was told by the city it wanted to make another inspection (carrots) to see if Heim was growing them. Heim refused the inspection and was removed from the market. In this case of Kapnick's, the city knows of complaints about these baked goods but refuses to ask this vendor for another inspection to verify whether or not these products are homemade or frozen from Liparis. Seems doubtful one's business would show up on the distribution list of Liparis and Hill and Valley if it's not true.
What does the baker of these products tell customers?
the manager should stop claiming to the press that this market is a "producer only" market when it certainly is not.
was waiting for these corporations to finally file with the state of MI corporation division as dba Kapnick Orchards. The paper trail is gold, from the very beginning when Mr. Robertello maintained he was owner of Kapnick Orchards Inc. in 1999. when it turns out his corporation Kapnick Farm Market Inc. is only leasing Janice
Kapnicks assets, from her trust.
another of his corporations R&S Farm Inc. no one knows how this corporation gained seniority at the market other than Sharon Shaffer and Scott Robertello are owners. It doesn't own any land and the application maintains several acres in other parts of Lenawee county from other apple farms are rented. No info on market application about this corporation at all! For seniority and transference, what part of Kapnick Orchards Inc. was sold or transferred to R&S farm? Has R&S farm Inc. and kapnick Farm Market been subletting space at the market since they are leasing and R&S farm Inc. not being any part of the original business of Kapnick Orchards Inc.? What should we tell the daily vendors that cannot get an annual stall yet? the one's that have been waiting a long time before R&S farm Inc has been in business. Also in 2001 How did R&S farm Inc. all of a sudden have fruits to sell when it was just started and owns no land that was owned by Janice Kapnick? already purchasing?????? buying and selling??? the city does not have any info on this corp, filed in their office. The city only maintains that sharon and scott own the corp. set up with $2000.00 yes one thousand from Robertello and one thousand from Sharon Shaffer, no assets...
Thanks for the site Fuzzbollah,
the city has ignored all contact it has received regarding this vendor,from both vendors and consumers, including the private labelling as found in the case of Hill and Valley Products
there's going to be a new farmers market in ann arbor. they regard baked goods as "baked goods artisans". There are great bakeries found locally. It doesn't sound like this vendor/baker is out promoting their baked goods as "fresh/finest ingredients homemade," etc. such as Zingerman's, big city bakery etc
I don't think their products would be acceptable to the new market
Thanks for letting us know
the manager is making an obsene amount of money for the work she does/doesn't do. now she's asking for more money (to cover her raise) from farmers for stall fees. what a slap in the face to market vendors. Is she spending her time twittering? Seems she is advertising for certain vendors on twitter. Meanwhile she's done a half ass job on the market website advertising all vendors. Stop twittering , get rid of the buying and selling, finish the website and stop telling customers this is a producer only market. thanks
how about vendors that had rain pour from the gutters into their stalls.. how come management hasn't fixed it yet are talking about raises and paying Jeff Straw out of the market fund.. what is he for the market? the money is being sucked up by these individuals. They should be ashamed maintaining they need more money.
I'll make certain not to purchase any products from this vendor. thanks for letting the public know. The manager should be fired for allowing this kind of stuff to be sold in Ann Arbor's market.
does this vendor know this kind of shit products are not wanted by ann arbor residents at the market... gross disgusting and false advertising.
shame on this vendor and the market manager.
this vendor is as sleazy as they come.
1. Scott robertello claimed he was partners/owners of Kapnick Orchards Inc. NEVER TRUE!
2. claimed he married into the Kapnick family marrying Sharon Kapnick! Sharon is married to Bruce Shaffer.
He claims he purchased the farm. NOT TRUE! Janice kapnick leases her assets to 2 corporations. and the third corporation R&S Farm Inc. is and has never been part of the Kapnick Orchards Inc. business entity. This corporation "rents trees" from other farms.
Shame on Sharon shaffer Kapnick and janice Kapnick.
However, since the city gave R&S Farms Inc. seniority, and was never part of the original business entity of Kapnick Orchards Inc., all other vendors can do the same thing. we will not have to sell our businesses, just lease out the assets if we want and also we can add other business entites to the transference.. Thanks Jayne Miller!!!!!!!Gotta love yah!
And we don't really have to produce what we sell... Oh those baked goods!
the manager,customers and vendors know the difference between homemade baked goods from scratch and the crap this vendor is pawning off as "homestyle".
Ann Arbor consumers are not stupid Mr. Robertello and the opinion of many is that your baked goods should not be sold at this market...
this guy used slug around the market as if he owned it. don't see him do it anymore.
Is it true Heim Farm will be placed on the daily vendor list after being at the market for over 30 years?
is it true the manager supports organic growing practices but has refused individuals to educate consumers about the potential harm & dangers of GMO's? Certified Organic means NO using GMO"s.. The manager should be interviewed as to why she has refused to allow this information to be presented at the market.
Everyone knows by now farming other than organically is poisoning people and the environment.....
Not sure what exactly is happening with Heim farms. Here's a blurb from an Ann Arbor Observer article: Another grower, Glenn Heim of Chelsea, was expelled outright. The sanctions grew out of a new farm inspection program, launched earlier this year to investigate complaints that some vendors were violating market rules by selling produce they hadn’t grown themselves.
A burly man with a corner stall near the market’s south end, Heim is known for his brown-bag signs that sometimes misspell names of the vegetables he sells. According to Notarianni’s letter, inspector Matt Demmon asked to see Heim’s carrot plantings during a routine inspection in mid-August. Heim allegedly told Demmon that because his carrot crop had failed early in the season, he planted a new one at his cousin’s farm. But Heim refused to give Demmon his cousin’s address, and eventually refused outright to let Demmon inspect the other farm. That was grounds for expulsion under market rules. (Heim did not respond to a letter and several phone calls from the Observer, but Jeff Straw, who oversees the market as deputy manager of Ann Arbor Parks & Recreation, says Heim has appealed the expulsion.)
Apparently the complaint process worked for expelling Heim, but doesn't work when Mr Vazquez complains about Kapnick's so-called baked goods.
Regarding Organics and GMO's, I'm not sure what the manager supports as education. Perhaps you should send your question to Glenn Thompson, self-appointed market czar, as he seems to know soooooo much about organics.
This is with regard to a few market items.
1. the city finally posted Oct.-Dec. 2009! hurray for the market
2. the city posted the new agenda dates however all those meetings are dated 2009 not 2010 (idiots)
3. Nov. Minutes Mr. Thompson finds it okay for Kapnick Orchards to maintain their products are made from scratch only to find they are not.
Please refer to the Current magazine article Nov. 2009
"Know What Your Getting" A great quote by the worker. Here you have a worker trying to fool a consumer..What gives Glen?
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