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about.me
Darlene Wolnik
Community activist, public market consultant and writer
Working since the 1980s on social change issues while encouraging civic activity across North America. I provide support and consulting for localized food systems, especially farmers markets. Bicycling, clean water, pocketbook issues, true wealth generation, reanimating public spaces and direct action democracy are also within my focus. Have blogged for a decade, have published essays and non-fiction since 2001.
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Click here to read about sailing alone and anchoring together….
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Public Markets Book Club
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Books to explain, extol, evaluate or expand the world of public markets for those who manage them an...
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Category Archives: food safety/rules and regs at markets
Editorial: County should not over-regulate farmers markets
This is from St.Louis which has received new proposed regulations for farmers markets from the state that to the editorial writer sound like “special event rules warmed over.” Very well put.
The need to push back on over regulating market farmers does need to go in hand in hand with a well managed risk mitigation strategy on the markets behalf. In other words, we should run ahead with good, appropriate rules rather than boo from the back.
No “Fundamental Right to Produce and Consume Foods”
In case you forget, food system organizers live and work in a parallel universe of food sovereignty . That other world is held in trust for the corporations who get to feed off our innovations and human-scaled ideas.
Santa Rosa dispute
Wow. This article gives some information on a dispute between vendors and management at a California market that has, sadly, gone to court. The article (which certainly needs more information from both sides) and the ensuing comments show that this issue has been coming for a while in this community.
Long ago, when I was learning non-profit management, I proudly related to my supervisor at the end of the day just how I had stopped an argument between 2 senior staff while the entire staff was driving to a site. I expected congratulations, but instead my excellent boss said to me: “Well, I’m glad you stopped it, but I would expect you to have seen the argument escalating long BEFORE that point and steered the conversation and tone to other directions before it got to inflammatory words that now everyone remembers throughout their day. So, next time plan ahead and try to orchestrate good interactions from the beginning. It’s your job to give everyone the best chance to succeed at their job and that also means reducing tensions that are unnecessary.”
Good advice still.
rules on street vending
Using law students to create a framework of smart guidelines is the right thing to do in this case. If we want to encourage small businesses to flourish once again in the US, then we need to allow tiers for different types of businesses. I know most markets are not skirting laws, but wouldn’t it be smart to connect with law students in every region to assist markets too?
Seven days, seven ways to celebrate farmers markets during National Farmers Market Week
Our national voice for farmers markets, Farmers Market Coalition(FMC) has launched their great Seven Days, Seven Ways campaign to celebrate the many ways markets benefit the farmers, shoppers and community. Take a few minutes to see the list of economic, social and human measurements FMC has used in their report (culled from markets own reports) and make a mental note to visit the innovative markets that FMC honored this year.
Layers of partnerships
Today, The Humane Society of the United States and the United Egg Producers announced in a joint statement that they will work together to urge U.S. lawmakers to craft legislation overseeing the living conditions of the 280 million hens involved in U.S. egg production. This would mark the first federal law regulating the treatment of animals on farms.
Kids lemonade stand shut down and fined
Remember these kids when your vendors complain about market rent…
