Market Day Again

Another market day here at the Point despite cold weather that definitely keeps people at home and not visiting their P.R. cottages and the market.  What between the small turnout of people and one's tendency to shop if you are there (as a vendor), the day easily moves into a net loss as a financial matter.  But it is actually, for us, not about the selling as much as about the fun of being there and talking to people.  Although there weren't a lot of people, there are always some people who choose to talk to Ed about his photos, especially, or to me about why I'm getting rid of these wonderful CD's.  Today, I was so taken with one woman's careful selection of five CD's that I gave her one that I had been very ambivalent about selling because I felt that she would surely give it a good home.

The market is having its second year problems, of course, but the vendors were numerous today, relative to the space they were in.  There were some fresh vegetables (carrots and leaks, anyway) and samples of vegetable juices; jewelry, knit and sewn items, fiber art (not mine), chocolates, canned goods, pies, photographs and cards, plants and dog treats, and a few household goods.  Last year's market organizers who had some considerable commitment to getting this off the ground (and one of whom had an internship to do it) have been replaced by other who have volunteered for the task, and that kind of transition is always hard.  Also, although it started out being thought of as a farmers' market, there really aren't enough farmers around the Point (at least entrepreneurial ones) to make it work.  Thus, the small amount of produce must be joined by something else, turning it into Community Market.  Last year, that included art and craft items, baked and preserved goods, and household goods.

This year, there is some kind of push for everything to be handmade, handgrown, or handcooked.  Which makes for a different kind of 'market,' of course.  Not exactly a 'community' market, although at least open to some members of the community.  And now called 'The Saturday Market.'

This discomforting break (discomforting at least to me because I'm inclined to go with including not excluding people when you are trying to get something started, and especially when you are in a place where it's hard to get things going) was added to when somebody complained to the County that people were selling home-cooked items.  The County's Public Health Department doubtless has at least 3,000 rules about that.  And most of those rules don't look to it being a good idea.  And then the County, it turns out, has even more rules about 'Farmers' Markets,' which include individual sellers of foods (not produce) paying for permits, etc. etc. etc. down the the last of the 3,000 rules.  The County may or may not care about enforcing all these rules, but it's another obstacle, in either case.

Life in Point Roberts: it's always something.  I'm finished selling CD's, however; the collection is now reduced to a reasonable size and unless I take to selling our excess plates and bowls, my selling days may be over.