LAUSR

You will find produce of such similar appearance and quality that they could have come from a mold. Although I have begun with the United States, I suspect that the followingwill pertain to supermarkets in the countries arbitrarily designated as being considered developed. If you compare a tomato from a supermarket with that from an heirloom garden, the difference is profound. The modern tomato is round, uniformly colored, capable of transport long distances, reasonably disease and pest-resistant, and with acceptable flavor. These changes in the tomato are the results of years of geneticmanipulation. The heirloom tomato is of irregular shape, mostly red, softer and less able to withstand transport, have some disease and pest resistance, and have a flavor that outdoes that of the modern tomato. What has happened is the modern tomato has been genetically manipulated to travel long distances, fit into specifically designed cartons, and be able to accept the bumps of travel. The heirloom tomato is probably not going tomake it further than from the garden to the kitchen, but its flavor will make up for the unusual shape and lack of travel capability. It is possible that the heirloom tomato could be transported a short distance to a local Farmer’s Market, and that is really the subject of this musing. A Farmer’s Market, as it is understood in the United States, is comprised of growers, most of which are small-scale. However, it could also be a venue for medium-sized growers to sell some of what they produce. The concept is that the growers gather at a location that is likely offered for use by a municipality to temporarily set up stalls, and offer their produce to consumers. The location is likely an open format and subject to the vagaries of nature. The consumers are likely locals from the community or surrounding communities. Occasionally, especially if the Farmer’s Market is located along a major road, there will be consumers who are passing through and want some fresh produce for when they get to their destination of the day. Some consumers will be eligible for some sort of governmental support in the form of vouchers that are used to purchase food products. Another aspect of the typical Farmer’s Market is the temporary feel of the site, where it is probably set up one, or a few days, during the week. Often manuscripts are submitted to this journal that describe the marketing aspects of small-scale growers through local markets. Most of the manuscripts are from developing countries where the concept of a local market is more important to the consumer than the ephemeral nature of the Farmer’s markets