I hope it doesn't get robbed.

Quoted from Parent

Have you ever tried to carry home a weeks worth of groceries on a bus? Do you realize how long some of those trips can take? It can be longer than it takes for items to start defrosting. Cabs can be costly-especially for some ofthe residents in these areas. Inaccessibility to grocery stores in low income urban areas is one of the factors in obesity among the poor. You can spend half of your food money on transportation or you can walk to the corner convent store and spend a few dollars on chips, frozen pizza, and soda. I have seen people in the dollar store buying their groceries.

I'm not saying that government grants for the green market is the answer, but it is easy to think that 1.5 miles is no big deal when you have the means not to be a resident of that particular 1.5 miles.

I think it is also important to remember that part of the greenmarket's mission is to promote locally grown items. The box stores don't have that primary mission, so instead of having local items available within walking distance there is a situation of the excessive use of gas to transport produce and people from greater distances. Ultimately though I doubt it will be able to maintain itself. Last summer I tried to buy two chicken breasts from a vendor infront of City Hall. When he told me $58 I thought he was joking- he was not.  People who not not afford cabs or busses are not going to be able to afford the prices for most of the stands I have seen.

I am really in total agreement with what you say. I guess I'm just trying to wrap my brain around the fact that Bellevue is really that 'poor' of a community. A community that can't afford cars, buses or cabs. And again agreeing with you....if they can't afford a bus/cab ride...they certainly won't be able to afford the 'green market' prices. Been there and have had he same experience as you. I wish it success.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

I don't see how anybody could oppose the Green Market coming to Bellevue.  Green Markets are a great way to SUPPORT LOCAL FARMERS AND PRODUCERS and to promote healthier eating in general and it even helps reduce energy use and helps the environment  (by helping keep farm lands as farm lands).

Obviously you don't shop green markets - downtown or at supermarkets

Quoted from Parent

Have you ever tried to carry home a weeks worth of groceries on a bus? Do you realize how long some of those trips can take? It can be longer than it takes for items to start defrosting. Cabs can be costly-especially for some ofthe residents in these areas. Inaccessibility to grocery stores in low income urban areas is one of the factors in obesity among the poor. You can spend half of your food money on transportation or you can walk to the corner convent store and spend a few dollars on chips, frozen pizza, and soda. I have seen people in the dollar store buying their groceries.

I'm not saying that government grants for the green market is the answer, but it is easy to think that 1.5 miles is no big deal when you have the means not to be a resident of that particular 1.5 miles.

I think it is also important to remember that part of the greenmarket's mission is to promote locally grown items. The box stores don't have that primary mission, so instead of having local items available within walking distance there is a situation of the excessive use of gas to transport produce and people from greater distances. Ultimately though I doubt it will be able to maintain itself. Last summer I tried to buy two chicken breasts from a vendor infront of City Hall. When he told me $58 I thought he was joking- he was not.  People who not not afford cabs or busses are not going to be able to afford the prices for most of the stands I have seen.

Highly doubtful that most of Bellevue could or would  walk to a green market if they didn't have a car but had to carry all those bags.

Local produce is sold at the local supermarkets in season.  I've seen Hannaford and Price Chopper go to extra lengths to make sure shoppers know it's local farms.   Shauls is a major farmer whose produce is sold in the supermarkets.  Antenucci's in Johnstown is another major produce farm.  Just look at the cider in the fall, you buy cider from Indian Ladder which is a hop skip and a jump from here, a major cider producer.   There's Goold's too.

Bus is only $1.50 one way, since they have the money for cell phones, ipods and pads, and the weekly salon visits, and cigarettes, (all the cash withdrawn from EBT cards), there's money for cabs.  Actually, when you think  of it, there has been a booming cab business, I mean new companies starting up.  I thought the city dictated how many cabs there were though, I don't know, don't need it, don't pay that much attention to the cabs.

We get very good buys at Buhrmaster Farms and Browns.  Love stopping there--Browns--a few times a week for fresh corn, just a tad fresher than the supermarket.

No opposition to green market, just as long as our taxes don't have to go up to pay for it, we already pay too much in taxes, and those in the city, they're far worse.  

Then there's always doing some yourself, we've had a garden, it's been smaller since we put in a pool, but if we get rid of a few bushes, we could probably be back to a years worth of tomatoes canned, and we've done so much with freezing stuff too.  


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