No More Downtown Farmers' Market

[Towntalk]

As a child, I recall sitting with my mother,Grandmother and Great Grandmother haggling over baskets of freshly picked vegetables with the neighbor ladies. Each family would set up a little stand on their front porch, and because it was a neighborhood thing, each family had something different so none of us were in compition with the other families, and toward the end of the day our next door neighbor would come over with a plate of home made sugar cookies, and we would have a feast ... the older ladies with their sugar cookie and tea, and us with our sugar cookie and a cold glass of milk. Oh, and by the way the cookies were as big as dinner plates.

[Peggy Gurney]

Oh I absolutely understand Rick's point of view. Four Seasons is a flea market.   Our local neighborhood farmers markets are smaller, and have that more neighborhood/neighborly atmosphere, which is what is intended. If I want to spend half the day walking through a flea market, then I go to Four Seasons.


If I want to buy local fruits/veggies and a loaf of freshly baked bread, then peruse hand made items, locally grown plants, then sit and yack with a neighbor over a cup of coffee or a glass of home squeezed lemonade, I go to the farmers market in my neighborhood.

BTW, I went to the North Side farmers market this past Saturday at its new location at the MyCap parking lot on Fifth Ave.
That place was packed, so they must be doing something right.

[Towntalk]

  I'm overjoyed that we agree about all the saloons downtown. I've been harping on this for lo these many years to no avail because so many folks like to wallow in booze while breathing in heaven knows what, and Peggy I can also appreciate your problems with Four Seasons, but I can also understand Rick's view on this topic, for there are,as Rick said, those who  ...  well reread his post below.
By the way to digress for a brief moment ... I took a trip back home today to put some flowers on the family graves and on the way counted no fewer than five deer that had been hit by either cars or trucks on I-80 in Pennsylvania, and on the way back home a 6th deer road kill. Those dead deer were just left there by the side of the road to rot. Just think of it a moment ... hundreds of pounds of deer meat left to rot.

[Peggy Gurney]

I can certainly agree with you on the downtown part, Rick. I've said many times that I feel the rest of Youngstown is often ignored to focus on downtown. One of my biggest gripes is it seems they feel they have to have a bar on every corner and every other store front, to bring people downtown. So it is almost like a neon sign glaring bright that downtown Youngstown's biggest asset is it's nightlife.  Forget family-friendly, except for the occasional family-style restaurant (and even those have bars and/or lounges), and the many festivals throughout the summer. Other than that - it's the bar scene.  I feel that all of this focus on downtown has caused a lot of resentment among neighborhood residents. In fact I know it has, because they have told me so.


I can see why you'd include the Wick Park area in the "approved areas" in your list, but I'm not sure that I agree. I'm the secretary/treasurer for the Wick park Neighborhood Association, and I can tell you that we work hard, very hard, to make things happen in this area.


Also, there are other areas of town that are "happening" areas. People are working hard to make their areas and their neighborhoods up and coming places. Brier Hill, Idora, North Crandall, Oakhill, etc.


As for Four Seasons. I don't like going out there. Too many people, very crowded, and my son can't handle that.  I like these smaller neighborhood farmers markets, as do many people, evidenced by the numbers that they are attracting - the north side farmers market. the new Idora farmers market, and there are 2 or 3 others.  I'll take those any day.

[Rick Rowlands]

Why does no one mention places such as Four Seasons where every Wednesday and Sunday there is fresh fruits and vegetables as far as the eye can see?  That plus a huge flea market.   If I were a farmer I would be setting up shop out there where my customer base is going to be.  Downtown just doesn't seem to be the right place for selling fruits and vegetables, both with the parking issues and the long carrying distances involved.  It is also another thing to clog up an already clogged part of town.

But I have noticed a certain contingent who think that downtown is the only part of Youngstown worth anything, and will try to cram as much down there as possible while ignoring the surrounding neighborhoods.  So if an activity does not happen in the "approved" worthwhile parts of town then it is ignored.  The "approved" areas being downtown, Mahoning Commons and the North Side around Wick Park. 

[Peggy Gurney]

There are plenty of other items to purchase at the farmers markets. Personally, I frequent the North side farmers market, as I like to buy herbs, fresh flowers, fresh baked pies and breads.  There are also sometimes new arts and crafts, and household items that someone has made. There's frequently local entertainment.  It is a fun time.

[Towntalk]

I'd love to my friend, but the transportation problem ... I wish that I didn't have to rely on others for transportation. I would also love to hear your band in a jam session. Unfortunately my friend Bob who is my sole source of transportation has strange work hours and can't always take me to places I'd like to go.

[Youngstownshrimp]

TT, Since you are close to the Poland Library now, you should attend Friday movie nights at Yellow Creek Theatre and see how the production people live again 

[Towntalk]

If I were a vegan, I would frequent the farmers market, but I'm not ... I eat red meat ... fish ... and as for vegetables, for my salads, I strictly use Iceberg Lettuce, white and red onions, tomatoes, and Spam. I'm also a heavy user of cheese so 90% of my grocerys must come from my beloved Giant Eagle.

[Youngstownshrimp]

Yeah, all the nonprofits with their job justification, got tired of the farmers market approach and found out right away that "bottom dollar" and their corporate onslaught, made urban farming a failure even before it started.  What is new to continue the sucking up of grant money for their high paying salaries?

Another real estate bubble perhaps, or Youngstown T-shirt sales

[Peggy Gurney]

That's a real shame.

[Towntalk]

This is a perfect example of what is going to happen to all the downtown events that are not run by either DeYor or Covelli. I'm not going to point fingers at the person responsable for this, but I don't think that it's necessary at this point in time.

[jay]

The Downtown Farmers' Market has come to an end.

Reason?
The city was not helping (real phrase censored) the organizers find a suitable location for this year's summer market.

Lyndsey would have helped if she were still there.