Monday, October 30, 2006

Do you want a farmers market in the neighborhood?

Act quickly.



The Bloomingdale Farmers' Market!
coming spring 2007

We need pledges for financial donations and letters of support for a matching grant application due Nov 1st! We realize this is short notice, but any help is greatly appreciated.

The Farmers' Market will be a weekly open-air market every Sunday on R street between 1st and Florida Ave NW. The market will feature produce, meat, and dairy from local organic farmers, all of whom accept WIC and CSFP checks.



Support the Bloomingdale Farmer's Market!
Send an email to:

or



And let us know if you can pledge a donation.
$5 to $500. Please send us an email and pledge anything you can.




An Example of a possible letter of support follows:


my name is______, I have lived in Bloomindale for 5 years, and I am a big supporter of Farmers' Markets. I buy organic food at Whole Foods that I must drive to since it is so far away, and I go to Farmers' Markets in other neighborhoods. In fact, i must leave my neighborhood for most of my grocer needs, organic or not.

Our neighborhood is strongly in need of a local Farmers' Market where people can spend time together, shop for healthy food, and contribute to local business...




or something to that effect....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

We had a farmers market on N Cap and Florida two years ago - it failed. Why would this be different? I don't mean to be negative, but I can't see committing matching $$ to this project without seeing a plan that would offer details...

- JM

Sean Hennessey said...

JM,
i don't blame you for being negative. Prospects do seem to dematerialize. Why did the cool soap place close? Ellas could have had promise. the truxton tavern never came through. will hellers really open?

I dont know why exactly the farmers marker.. which has actually been three years ago now.... stopped. Anyone?

I remember that they had had problems with location and had to switch spots. then the following spring was when Joe Mamo announced his plan for the lot.

What makes Stu's idea different?
Well, for one it will take WIC and CFSP.

secondly, it is three years later and the neighborhood mix is different. i often hear people talking about hopes of a market in the area. People that already shop at farmers markets elsewhere in the city.

Thirdly, by then the Big Bear Cafe will ( hopefully) be open and the foot traffic will be different than North Cap and Florida was three years ago. I'd be that those likely to go to the Big Bear will likely go to the farmers market and vice versa.

perhaps stu will comment will some specifics????

Mari said...

If you had been to the farmer's market on N Cap and Florida you would have immediately seen why it was such a failure. Little variety, poor looking veggies, just not appealing.