[basil_hayden]

None of this typed compost explains why the same berries from the same farm are the same at the Farmer's Market as they are at Whole Foods, except Yuppie Market and possibly volume discount.

But we can hurl stones at each other all day long.

Sorry I asked.

One last thing though - picking grean beans is a kid's job frankly, but none of the "veal chops" these days could take it.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Loki', 'Y')ou all sound like spoiled brat consumers who don't know the real cost of food. Spend a few hours picking green beans by hand and tell me they're not worth $2/lb. But most of you are useless paper pushers who think your pencil sharpening skills are worth $50k/yr.

[Ferretlover]

I don't know... See Monsanto? Yummy!
Maybe not now, but if a person gets hungry enough, I bet they'll get up off their tushes and do some gardening-whether it's in their own plot or working for someone else.
And, unless it's for their family, I will also bet they won't share with anyone else.
Six, are you saying that illegal aliens-no matter what race or sex or gender-have squatter's rights based on the length of their illegal stay in this country?

[Shaved Monkey]

Sharing and gardening go hand in hand
You can only eat or preserve so much.
I had an Apricot tree that produced a tonne of fruit, I ate my fill,made jam and dried apricots and pies but so did all my family, neighbours and friends.
My lemon fruits in Summer, friends lemon fruits in Winter.
You grow anything and you will have abundance at different times to your friends,family and neighbours sharing makes sense.

We tell our group of friends what we have an excess in via facebook

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ferretlover', 'S')ix, are you saying that illegal aliens-no matter what race or sex or gender-have squatter's rights based on the length of their illegal stay in this country?

[Alan Cain]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ferretlover', '
')And, unless it's for their family, I will also bet they won't share with anyone else.
Six, are you saying that illegal aliens-no matter what race or sex or gender-have squatter's rights based on the length of their illegal stay in this country?

[Ferretlover]

I see your comparisons may have some merit; however, I am refering to those who have snuck (sneaked?) into our country, knowing that the way they are entering is illegal.
I see a big difference between those lawbreakers and those who came in legally.

[Pops]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('basil_hayden', 'N')one of this typed compost explains why the same berries from the same farm are the same at the Farmer's Market as they are at Whole Foods, except Yuppie Market and possibly volume discount.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Alan Cain', '
')
Well, here in the USA, we are all squatters; we white folks at least claim such rights based on the length of our stays here.

[basil_hayden]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('basil_hayden', 'N')one of this typed compost explains why the same berries from the same farm are the same at the Farmer's Market as they are at Whole Foods, except Yuppie Market and possibly volume discount.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ferretlover', 'S')ix, are you saying that illegal aliens-no matter what race or sex or gender-have squatter's rights based on the length of their illegal stay in this country?

[Alan Cain]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pretorian', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Alan Cain', '
')
Well, here in the USA, we are all squatters; we white folks at least claim such rights based on the length of our stays here.

[Loki]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('basil_hayden', '
')
Loki I thought I was trying to be sensitive to farm workers as I've been one. To be honest I could pick a pound of green beans in about 1 minute. Think you're worth $120 an hour? Because that's alot more than I get paid. Sure, there's seeds, fertilizer, planting and other farm chores and input expenses to get those beans, but I'd bet you're still at $50 an hour to pick beans, which frankly is overpriced.

[basil_hayden]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Loki', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('basil_hayden', '
')
Loki I thought I was trying to be sensitive to farm workers as I've been one. To be honest I could pick a pound of green beans in about 1 minute. Think you're worth $120 an hour? Because that's alot more than I get paid. Sure, there's seeds, fertilizer, planting and other farm chores and input expenses to get those beans, but I'd bet you're still at $50 an hour to pick beans, which frankly is overpriced.

[Pops]

Sorry for being rude Basil.

I always complain that our biggest problem is greed and boredom and I'm as bad as anyone.

Having said that, I try to spend my money in my local area even though it means I can't buy as much. Unfortunately we have a poor excuse for a farmers market in my little town and it's just to far to drive to the bigger town but we shop at the local supermarket - a chain local to just a couple counties, the local True Value, the independent feed store co-op, gas station, saw shop and only go to the big town / box store if we can't find a suitable substitute for what we want here.

I easily paid $25-50 more to buy a chainsaw in my little town, but in the long run having the store nearby is important, not just because walmart or home depot could decide at any time to close or discontinue carrying them or I might not be able to afford fuel to drive the 40 miles to the big town but also because the guy that owns the shop will spend some of his profit here in our little town too (instead of it being sent to wherever the Walton kids live) - that's how local economies work and not buying local is the reason why small towns are dying.

Rant off

[basil_hayden]

I do the same Pops, and rail against Walmart supporters regularly. But stuff at Walmart is generally optional while food is not (never buy food at Walmart, icck). I was just trying to make sense of the pricing at a Farmer's Market, if it was different elsewhere besides this ripoff state I live in, and what inputs I haven't considered.

My conclusion is Farmer's Markets are for Yuppies, which I am not, and small farmers unfortunately have to count on income from corporations instead of accessory income from locals.

I still buy my veggie starts at farmer's markets in the spring, but plant, grow, harvest and store at home.

And I still go to farmer's markets for the fair atmosphere, but for the finished products, not the raw materals.

[dsula]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', '
')Personally I wouldn't support that anyway. There are millions of illegal immigrants here now and most of them have children here so that's that -- the kids are US citizens.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dsula', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', '
')Personally I wouldn't support that anyway. There are millions of illegal immigrants here now and most of them have children here so that's that -- the kids are US citizens.

[dinopello]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('basil_hayden', 'A')nd I still go to farmer's markets for the fair atmosphere, but for the finished products, not the raw materals.

[Alan Cain]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Loki', ' ')I make $9.25/hr, how much less do you think I should make? $5/hr? $1/hr? And I make more than the farm owner (the lowest paid worker on the farm). How about we just pay you to eat our green beans? Would that make you happy?

Pops, summed it up for me quite nicely, thanks as usual. And more diplomatically than I'm able to muster after too many hours of farm work in 90+ degree heat this week. I'd like the whiners to actually spend a week or two doing farm work. Might put their useless air-conditioned office drone existence into perspective.

Seems clear to me that the primary enemy of the small farmer is the consumer. Monsanto is a minor threat compared to the fat, lazy, greedy, whiny American consumer. Useless eaters indeed.

I'm thinking a famine may do this country some good.