BOWDOIN ST.

FARMERS’ MARKET

The Bowdoin St. Market in Dorchester is an effort of the Bowdoin St. Health Center as well as
The Food Project. The Health Center teams with” local businesses and other community based
agencies to identify and design programs that address community health concerns”, including
nutritional services.

Flats Mentor Farm, located in Lancaster, MA, is dedicated to supporting immigrant farmers
develop sustainable farming enterprises. Farmers growing at the Flats currently sell at 40
markets around Greater Boston. As a farm that is committed to opening up the local foods
movement to those otherwise left out, it was important to attempt to support new markets such as
the one at the Bowdoin St. Health Center. 2008, the first year of the market (??), a farmer from
the Flats attempted to sell at the market. Attendance & sales were so low that the farmer could
not sell enough produce to pay gas to drive in to city from Lancaster, (~80 miles round trip), and
decided to not return.

This year, a new system was put in place. Due to the inevitable low attendance of a new (years 1-
3) market it is not economically viable for farmers to have typical a stand there. Instead, the food
was dropped of by a marketing intern (myself) and sold by high school interns working this
summer with the Manager of Community Health to raise neighborhood awareness about the
nutritional benefits of shopping at farmers markets. Under this model, the farmers could sell
vegetables at a reasonable retail/ farm stand price without the typical trade-offs of selling at a
farmers market (time commitment, cost of stand, fuel, etc.)

The helath center was willing to supply materials- they requested that the farm send an inventory
list of all things needed for a farm stand. Instead, FMF dropped off materials to use – tables,
food bins, signs, recipies, markers, index cards, etc. were stored in a closet at the helath center.

It is important to pay attention to what the market demands before selecting what produce to
bring. The variety of Asian crops that gives FMF stands an edge at many of the well established
markets across Cambridge and Boston does not hold the same weight at a new market.
Customers unaccustomed to shopping at farmers markets are often unfamiliar with what regional
farms have to offer, and are often hesitant about the appearance of food grown in non-industrial
polycultures. Our strategy was to bring a small amount of a variety of crops, about 5 bunches of
7-10 different items. This would provide varittey of choices as well as serve as an educational
showcase of what is being grown.

At an average price of around 2.25 per bunch, we typically brought about $100 dollars worth of
produce to the market. For the first few weeks, we only sold about half the produce we brought.
While some items (scallions) sold consistently, other items we had to reduce to three bunches the
next week. Because of the educational nature of bringing a variety of produce to a new market,
it is important to stick it out and continue to bring items that did not sell the week before. Since
the attendance was so low initially, our sales numbers were not sufficient to make definite
projections from- for example; we brought 10 bunches of lettuce but only sold 1. We did not
however to decide not to bring lettuce back at all – instead we continued to bring between 3-5
buches. As attendance grew over the weeks, we increased sales to 4 bunhes. Progress is visible
but progress is SLOW and it is SMALL. For independant farmers dealing with larger markets,
trying to survive off their vegetable sales, there is simply no incentive for them to drive 80 miles
round trip and spend 5-6 hours to bring 100 dollars worth of produce and leave with $75 in
pocket.

Individuals, agencies, etc that have an interest in community nutrition, environmentalism or

otherwise want to do good for their community through increasing the availability of local foods
must understand these realities of a beginning market. In recent years, the officialas in food and
health policy have taken actions to put money towards subsidizing farmers markets, so they can
be more economically viable in low-income communities. As is the case with the Bowdoin st
market, the health center pays an indivudual to organize the market, raise community awarness
of the importance of the market, supervise the stand at market, and work with high school interns
on these points. The city’s Bounty Bucks program, as well as wic coupons and farmers market
coupons all subsidize local food so that a farmer can get paid a good price, and residents can get
more for their money at a farmers market than at a conventional grocer.

The Food Project is a very important partner in the initive to get fresh food into urban areas of
Massachsetts. They are “dedicated to [selling their] sustainably grown vegetables as affordably
as possible – aiming to match the prices of conventionally grown vegetables at local
supermarkets or bodegas.” A well funded non profit organization, TFP is able to start new
markets in locations in Lynn, Roxbury and Dorchester, sell food at low price and donate what is
not sold to food pantries. This model however does pose an added challenge to sustainable
growers who would like to support the market by selling along side them, but rely on produce
sales for their income and therefore cannot compete with the conventional produce based pricing.

The small farmer remains a missing link in the reform of the urban food system. Farmers must
be included when meetings between agencies are held.. They must be given financial incentive to
pave the way for inner city farmers markets, or it will remain only economically feasible to
serve middle and upper class neighborhoods alone. It is known that it takes 3-5 years for a
market to get off the ground. This is in part because a new market faces the classic dilemma of
the chicken or the egg. Many more people will come to a market that has a wide range of
vendors, rather than just two stands as was the case at Bowdoin St. this year. (Flats mentor Farm
& The Food Project) Many vendors however will not bring to a market unless they are confident
that it will be well attended. This dilemma is coupled with the fact that it simply takes time for
people to change their shopping habits.

How then, can the interests of small sustainable farms be included in continuing efforts to make
the local foods movement more inclusive?
-One possible incentive would be for the new market organizers to use some of their
funds to guarentee to buy a set limit of leftovers from the farmer at the end of the market. The
produce could be donated, or slightly marked down and sold to a private food service enterprise.
FMF’s Bowdoin St. iniative atemted to make this connection with Glynn Lloyd of City Fresh
Foods – a food service company located on Bowdoin St. that includes in its mission the belief
that “ business is a powerful vehicle for empowering our youth, developing the community, and
nurturing the environment”, steering them to make “Purchases from local organic farmers in
season to use the freshest natural ingredients”. While they are willing to be a partner in the
future, FMF was unable to make to do business with them during the pilot program due to issues
of planning/timing, communication between the farm and City Fresh regarding what produce
items city fresh could use in their menu, as well as personelle shifts at the farm and health center
that complicated the process. These can be avoided if arrangements are made earlir next year.
-Vendors participating in new markets must work together to draw more customers to the
market, rather than compete. New market organizers should facilitate this process. The Food
Project is a good example of this effort by being responsible for EBT machienes and bounty
bucks. The Food Project perhaps could support small farmers by adjusting their prices towards
what is viable for the farmer. Bounty buck subsidizies, especially if expanded to WIC will ensure
affordability at the market. Storage, preparation, and simple recipes should be provided for all
produce coming to the market.
-A new market plan for the state of Massachusetts may be useful. Markets could follow a
4 to 5 plan
year 1: The Food Project, or similar non-profit runs a stand. Stand can be supplemented
by other growers/ bakers etc. to maxamize variety. These supplemental items should be
purchased by organization (or market organizer) to ensure that farmer does not suffer losses.
Stand must accept subsidy coupons. Bounty bucks program must be in place.
Year 2: Two more farms should be join TFP at the market. Some funds should be used to
purchase left overs, or otherwise support the farms. Bounty dollars still critical.
Year 3. Two more farms join the market. Funds are now divided by an increased number
of vendors, but increased attendance makes sales more viable. Bounty dollars still critical.
Year 4: If market is running successfully, TFP may not be needed- efforts may be moren
needed at a new “new market.” If high attendance has been documented, farms receive no
financial incentives, and may be asked to pay a small fee. Bounty dollars still critical.