How the wealthy hijacked farmers' markets

Inflated prices at bougie city farmers' markets have turned people away from shopping directly at the small farms that rely on their patronage.

I love a good market. I love to hop from vendor to vendor, perusing their wares and offerings while getting to know the people in my community. I think it’s one of the most human things any of us could be doing - and something that is seriously lacking in our everyday society.

That’s why I want to reiterate I am not attacking farmers’ markets in this article. Farmers’ markets are still a million times better than spending your money at corporate grocery stores. And, not every vendor at these markets inflates their prices - I am making a generalization in this article from the 30+ farmers’ markets I have been to countrywide over the last 5-years.

Today, when I visit a farmers’ market in any given town, village, or city, I find myself in the middle of a ‘bougie’ get-together for the town’s wealthiest folks looking to mingle and fill their time with something to do. I don’t blame them! But, after years of yuppies and wealthy millennials flooding these markets, looking for things like the oat milk matcha lattes that they were accustomed to while they lived in Brooklyn or Venice, I find that farmers’ markets, today, are curated to appease the inner-city affluent.

The yuppies have priced out the everyday folks who are looking for reasonably priced produce that justifies them skipping out on an Aldi run for the week.

I have found myself shocked by some of the pricing I have seen at farmers’ markets throughout New York State. I have seen $8 cartons of eggs, $10 containers of yogurt, and $30 cheese selections for the richest of people to place in the center of their charcuterie boards. Again, don’t get me wrong - I completely understand why vendors are taking advantage of the fact that their average shopper is well-off. The vendors are merely meeting the demand for their goods.

The problem is that everyday people, especially lower income individuals, cannot afford the $14 jar of pickles at the farmers’ market. The price disparity is why average Americans still trudge their way into a grocery store with food that’s covered in pesticides: it’s all they can afford.

If only there were healthier options that fit their budgets.

I am here to tell you there ARE… it just involves a little more driving.

We need to go TO the farmer

Many American farmers will never sell at a farmers’ market. They don’t have the time, resources, or staff to make it a reality. Others will inflate their prices for the wealthy at the markets who can afford the cost increase. This inflation in prices, many times, occurs to cover the costs of bringing their food to these markets in the first place.

I can’t tell you how many farmers up here in Washington and Saratoga County wake up at 4AM on weekends to drive their produce into the Union Square Market in New York City. Again, good on them for taking advantage of available patrons. But to justify 7+ hours of driving and wear-and-tear on a vehicle, of course the farmers are going to increase their prices.

I am making the argument for going TO the farmers. That’s where things like CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) come into the mix. CSAs are an amazing way to buy directly from farmers and take home food that is oftentimes below the market rate. But, like with most CSAs, it requires YOU to GO to them.

I have patronized dozens of farms, farm stands, orchards, and wineries that are within 60-minutes of my farm in Upstate New York. Every single time I am blown away by how cheap it is to buy food that was harvested RIGHT THERE on their land.

Let me show you a few examples:

This half bushel of apples was only $15 from a local orchard near me. If I attempted to buy this many apples, grown at this orchard, from a farmers’ market or third party seller, it would have been triple-the-price… at least! By going TO the orchard, they usually offer me deals, too. There is reward for being with the people who grew your food in person.

Here is a dairy farm that is about 8-minutes from my farm. They have one of the most impressive operations I have ever seen, including massagers for the cows to use.

A half gallon of milk from this farm is only $1.99. A gallon of milk is $2.99. All of their dairy products are priced well below the market average at local grocery stores. They also allow people to bring their milk jugs to refill them at the farm, and offer direct doorstop milk drop-offs to people in the area.

You will not find this dairy farm at any fancy local farmers’ markets. They are busy managing their thousands of dairy cows and stocking their impressive farm store for anyone to visit if their heart so desires.

Here is another farm stand I found last week. Like the Amish pricing I have experienced locally, jester squashes were 2 for $1! At another stand this week, I was able to get massive bulbs of garlic for only $0.99 each. Anytime I visit Amish farms, I am able to get onions, squash, garlic, and so many other vegetables for well under $5.

(Another example: I get a flat of eggs (32 eggs) for only $5 from a farm stand about 20-minutes from my farm. That same guy sells me sustainably harvested pork for only $5/a pound as well).

I could go on and on… but my point here is that farmers’ markets have hijacked the purpose of ‘community agriculture’ and made them another city fad with inflated prices. I would like to see more true farmers’ markets, out in the country where they belong, requiring people to go TO the farmers and the land that grew their food.

I make one day of my weekend a “farm stand tour day” and acquire all my food for the week, locally, for a fraction of the cost at grocery stores or farmers’ markets. The country is so gorgeous and tranquil, and the people are so warm and welcoming, that obtaining my food turns into a whimsical adventure. Not to mention, you are supporting local families, small farms, environmental preservation, and the people who need the money when you shop at these places.

I believe we should be making it easier for family farms to stay afloat. In an instant gratification world where we expect everything we order to land at our doorstep the next day, it’s time to start thinking about HOW we can spend our money to make a difference. Maybe it’s a little more inconvenient for you to go to these farms - but that inconvenience could make the difference in a farmer’s life.

Turn farm stand patronage into whimsical road trips

I would encourage everyone to pull out a map and make a ‘farm stand loop’ near your home that you visit every weekend. For those reading this that live in the epicenter of a city, like New York City, then the Union Square Farmers’ Market may be your best option. But for the rest of us in small cities and the suburbs, there is no reason why we can’t make the 30-minute drive to show a little love to the people who feed us.

No one is making us swipe credit cards at corporations every day - we are the ones who have gone on autopilot. Being conscious with how we spend our money could start the kind of revolution I’ve been hoping to see.

For those reading this who are struggling to make end’s meet, consider carpooling with people in your neighborhood to go to the farms in your county. It’ll be worth it when you arrive to a farm that’s charging barely anything for its food. And don’t be afraid to talk to the people there.

Farms can’t always control how much they have in stock at any given time - if they have too many eggs that week, for example, they may strike up a deal with you. I ended up with free pumpkins a few weeks ago because the farm had more than they could transport.

(Farmers are more than willing to BARTER as well - consider growing one thing to offer, like microgreens, which can be grown indoors)

Who knows, maybe someone should make a ‘farm tour bus’ business that picks people up and brings them to these farms, physically, once per week, so the farmer can focus on working their land and not hauling supplies into nearby cities!

If someone starts this business, please tag me. I would love to see how it does lol.