Comments on: Inner Sunset Farmers Market, San Francisco

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:05:12 +0000

The Farmers Market is a Cash Cow. It doesn’t matter if you like it or not its here to stay and so is the parking mess on Sundays year round which is much worse than Saturdays. After 3pm Sundays miraculously street parking starts to appear.

By: leandra

leandra — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 06:25:50 +0000

in response to the comments re: farmers markets prices.

small, local farmers are generally not subsidized by the federal government, while the large, industrial, corporate farms are handed billions. thus the prices at mainstream markets are artificially low. they do not reflect the true cost of growing healthy, nutritious food.

not to mention, using toxic fertlizers and pesticides will control plant growth with less manual labor (thus lower costs), but the impact to food quality as well as environmental degradation is not considered in the equation. its called “externalizing costs…”

i happen to know some small, local farmers and i’m avidly interested in the local agriculture industry. these farmers work 18 hour days during the high season, and after costs they are living at poverty level.

i used to think one of the benefits of farmers markets was to ‘save money’–however, i now understand that the point is to support these small farms and our local economies. Independent food sources are crucial to our city’s food security–so we need to support them, to support ourselves.

Plus, the fruits n veggies are so damn fresh and tasty!

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:15:20 +0000

I suggest for u 2 walk up & down 9 ave & talk 2 mom & pop merchants not the Trendy shops.
I’ve heard from them w/out me asking. Also a lot are upset because the Farmer’s Market was sold by being around just 1/2 the year but now its more.
The whole dialog is moot anyway its here 2 stay.

By: Blue

Blue — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:02:43 +0000

@Brian. I certainly have no interest in personally attacking anyone, I just have a different opinion from you. I have asked at Park’s Farmer’s Market on 10th Avenue specifically about the impact of the Farmer’s Market. This store is the closest physically and in merchandise to the Sunday Farmer’s market and while one of the owners told me that has been a small decrease in business, she said business was going well. I have spoken to several owners of restaurants and coffee shops who have told me that they have an *increase* in business from the Sunday Farmers’ market patrons.

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:23:49 +0000

I’ve been personally attacked on this page so I’m not giving my opinion anymore.
I suggest anyone walk around and Ask the Mom & Pop establishments by the Farmers Market if the Parking OR Business climate has help or hurt them.
Also how they like that the Farmer Market is now year around.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:00:11 +0000

I have never had trouble parking in that area of the Inner Sunset at any time of day on any day. An hour or more to find a parking spot? Those people are probably circling the block instead of parking a couple of blocks away. They need to stop being lazy and start learning how to walk a little. But guess what, its the city and there’s always going to be a parking problem so long as people insist on driving large, ungainly vehicles or not parking properly in the spots available.

By: Freddy

Freddy — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:08:03 +0000

I do not, “buy”, that the prices need to be so high for these farmers to make a profit. It seems like pretty much of a rip off. I was really disappointed. Is it only the well off that should have access to good local food? Totally ridiculous prices.

By: EJ

EJ — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:13:45 +0000

Which prepared food vendors at this farmers’ market (or others in the Bay Area) are your favorite? I’m interested in trying the best “street food” in the Bay Area.

By: paul

paul — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:08:36 +0000

Troll — you are not very polite. I do not agree with a lot of what Brian concludes, but his points are valid. In his experience, parking and traffic is worse on Sundays. I think the farmers’ market has very little impact there — the major change in traffic on weekends happened with the reopening of the Academy of Sciences, and now with the Tutankhamun exhibit, it is going to be really bad this summer.

So, Troll, please take your vitriol somewhere else.

And Brian, I am sorry that you find the farmers’ market a negative impact on the neighborhood. But for me, who has also been in this neighborhood since 1986, I think it is great. Not only it is a great place to get incredible produce (albeit, not at Alemany prices), it’s a wonderful place to meet and chat with neighbors — it almost feels like a village sometimes.

By: Danny Dawson

Danny Dawson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:19:58 +0000

After walking to the Inner Sunset Farmer’s Market this past Saturday, finding organic Kale for $1.50 a bunch was an unexpected pleasure. Non-organic bunches of the same size go for $3-$4 elsewhere in the Sunset. In addition, if it weren’t for this market, I would be unable to get Lion’s Mane mushrooms (a real treat) without trekking all the way across the city to the Ferry Building.

I also would never have known about the neighborhood association were it not for them tabling in the market.