All of my markets this week were very slow. I'm sure it had something to do with the change in the weather, but the weather was lovely on Wednesday and the Columbia City Market was slow as well.
I blame it on the turmoil in the financial markets. People are afraid, and on some level they must be figuring that if they don't buy that organic tomato, maybe they'll have more money for retirement.
I have no idea what the future will bring, but I suspect that the next few weeks will continue to be slow, even slower than a normal October. I do think however, that in the long run, the farmers' markets will continue to thrive.
More than any other sphere of commerce, the farmers' markets offer us an alternative economy, one that's based on real value as opposed to the illusory value that generates stock market and real estate bubbles. The money we spend at farmers' markets goes directly to support hard working people who are doing something tangible to make the world a better place, as opposed to financial speculators who make money by trading pieces of paper.
Of course I'm afraid, but I also know I've had some of my best years in business during rough economic climates, so I'm just going to persevere and trust my instincts. I'll weather the next couple of weeks and the next couple of months, and hope that things feel a bit more normal by next spring.
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