Letter: Become a Friend of the Coastside Farmer’s Market

EDITOR’S NOTE: Coastsider was proud to sponsor the Coastside Farmer’s Market in 2008. Please take a minute to read this letter and think about what you could do to keep this important institution on the Coastside.

If having a locally focused Market in your community  that keeps your Coastside farmers thriving and attending markets here where they live,  keeps at least a million dollars circulating in the local economy, creates meaningful  jobs for local youth, serves as an incubator for small artisanal businesses, and provides all of our local, community based and community serving nonprofits a forum for engagement,  I hope you’ll consider joining the Friends of the Coastside Farmer’s Market.   

Why, You Ask? 

Because small, locally focused and Independent Certified Farmers’ Markets are rare in this county. The economics suggest that without the full funding support of a major partner such as a municipality  or benevolent organization, small, locally focused Farmer’s Markets like ours will fail. Ours is the exception that proves the rule. 

So Far. 

The requirements for compliance with federal, state , regional and local authorities that ensure for the public’s health, safety and trust are no different for our Markets than they are for a market the size of Ferry Plaza. Operational costs are considerable, increase every season, and there is only so much we can pass on to our local farmers, fishermen and food producers. 

Then consider this sticky wicket:  the vast majority of the big-ticket expenses come due in the off season, when the bills for permitting, certifiyng and re-licenses fees along with annual insurance premiums, etc ad nauseum come, along with the ongoing expenses for phones, website hosting and the like. 

For the past 2 seasons a small group of business owners have stepped up and offered their financial support in the form of modest sponsorships to help me defray the expense of presenting these Markets. 

This year it’s not going to be so easy for some of them to continue to shoulder the whole burden.  And that’s where you come in.

We believe that this Market is of great value to the community, and so we are asking the communities we serve to help us sustain and enhance this resource by becoming a Friend of the Coastside Farmer’s Markets.  Your contribution of as little as $20.00 a year will allow us to continue to present a locally focused Market that is scaled to the community and truly responsive to the needs of our local farmers and neighbors.  Your contribution allows us to continue to host our local non profits at no cost to the organization, present public information events, and will help us reach our "Green Goals" faster. Plus the window stat you will receive is quite good looking, and goes with all vehicles. 

Who: You
What: Become a Friend of The Coastside Farmers Markets
How:  By sending us a little cash - just 20 bucks, more if you have it, less if times are tight for you but you’d still like to help.
Where: Box 474, Half Moon Bay , CA, 94019
When:  By March 17th, 2009
And: For your generosity, you get a groovy window stat that tells the world you believe in supporting your very local agricultural economy and community. Flash your badge at our vendors and they’ll be extra nice to you.  And your support will get us that one little bit closer to a sustainable enterprise.  Pretty Cool, Yes?

What Else: If you have a local business, ask me about sponsorship opportunities!