Thanks for thinking this through.

I’ve struggled with that since moving to Tucson from Boulder several years ago. Right now, the Tucson area has 22 “farmers markets”, according to the most comprehensive list, published weekly. Only the three markets run by the Community Food Bank require and limit those able to sell to those who grow what they sell. Three others have a small base of direct marketing farmers and ranchers, but the numbers are limited — primarily because we also have a limited number of producers available to direct sell at farmers markets.

Another issue here is the tendency of our “farmers markets” to operate year round. Depending on the market manager, there may be little leeway to not show up 52 weeks each year — a strain on any local producer. Also, the year-round market ignores any opportunity to educate consumers on seasonality of local fruits and vegetables. Instead, there’s a steady supply of produce from California and Mexico brought to these same markets by distributors. Only the seasoned and dedicated “local” customer bothers to ask the right questions.

Here, the most common definition of “foodshed” might include four counties surrounding Tucson: Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz and Cochise — covering farmers, ranchers, orchardists and other producers within about 100 miles. Some argue that our foodshed should also include parts of northern Mexico as well, with a common historical food heritage.

Back to the farmers markets. Here in Tucson, more than half of the “farmers markets” include only one producer/vendor who may have fresh produce, a small portion of which that vendor actually grew! The rest of the vendors are artisans, other types of products and perhaps a chair massage. At least three of the new markets in the last year are located at shopping centers and malls — as “attractions” to bring customers to the permanent mall businesses in a sagging economy.

My belief is that broad customer education is the only workable way to address these “market” conditions — combined with serious efforts to increase the number of new food producers (whether farmers or urban gardeners) who are interested and willing to grow food for others here in the Sonoran Desert.

I agree we need to reduce the confusion of Sprouts and Sunflower — neither of which carry locally produced fruits and vegetables on anything other than an intermittent basis.

Still, our apparent inability to supply our “farmers markets” with enough farmers is a much more serious and long term issue. This is where the focus needs to be today.