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Attended the fair on Sunday and, aside from the $7 infamous yet disappointing pie cone, it was great! The bong comment, last week, went right over my head and now I understand. Still, mingling with the crunchies, the kids had fun, we ate a lot of good fair food, watched the herding demo, let the kids pet the ginormous steer and pigs, and window shopped the arts and crafts. Had a great day.
The vendor foods offered at the fair do appear to be fairly expensive. We have gone for the past 5 years, and so far have never tried any of the vendor foods.
We have been bringing our own food with us. If you fill your day with workshops, there is no gap to allow time for standing in a long line.
This year the selection of workshops being offered was noticeably brief; so we had gaps in our daily schedule. However the MOFGA provides a wonderful meal three times each day for the volunteers and staff. This was the first time that we had eaten that food
As for the vendors, we have a sometimes poster here on CD [MRVphotog]who has been a food vendor at the fair for a number of years. If MRVphotog comes back to post here again, he can easily explain the difficulties that vendors have getting through the many hurdles that MOFGA sets for vendors. He was kind enough once to explain the difficulties to me. Which tend to drive up the costs.
The vendor foods offered at the fair do appear to be fairly expensive. We have gone for the past 5 years, and so far have never tried any of the vendor foods.
We have been bringing our own food with us. If you fill your day with workshops, there is no gap to allow time for standing in a long line.
This year the selection of workshops being offered was noticeably brief; so we had gaps in our daily schedule. However the MOFGA provides a wonderful meal three times each day for the volunteers and staff. This was the first time that we had eaten that food
As for the vendors, we have a sometimes poster here on CD [MRVphotog]who has been a food vendor at the fair for a number of years. If MRVphotog comes back to post here again, he can easily explain the difficulties that vendors have getting through the many hurdles that MOFGA sets for vendors. He was kind enough once to explain the difficulties to me. Which tend to drive up the costs.
With 3 kids, workshops weren't really on the agenda for us so we had plenty of time to eat. The vendor food is certainly expensive ($9 italian sausage, $8 gyro, $5 potato chip french fries) but I expected that so it wasn't a big deal. But I had read so much about these darn Pie Cones - how they are an CGF mainstay and enormously popular. Well, I braved the long line and $7 price tag and shared one with my wife. We both said, "what is all the fuss about?" Anyway, like I said - we had a good time and I'd go again.
With 3 kids, workshops weren't really on the agenda for us so we had plenty of time to eat. The vendor food is certainly expensive ($9 italian sausage, $8 gyro, $5 potato chip french fries) but I expected that so it wasn't a big deal. But I had read so much about these darn Pie Cones - how they are an CGF mainstay and enormously popular. Well, I braved the long line and $7 price tag and shared one with my wife. We both said, "what is all the fuss about?" Anyway, like I said - we had a good time and I'd go again.
Friday we were walking around the fairgrounds, saw the Pie Cone vendor and looked at their process briefly. Neither of us have ever eaten one, nor did they look like a good idea.
I am not aware if I know anyone who has tried one [other than you that is].
Having just finished the food vendor application process I have a new appreciation for anyone trying to sell food inside the Common Ground Fair. I understand that they have a mission which would be hypocritical for them to suspend for less than healthy (non-organic or unsustainable) food. We will have to completely re-source our product so that ALL our ingredients are organic and from Maine where possible. This means spending more money on raw materials. Our paper products also must be recyclable or from biodegradable material so that adds to the cost also. There is also a vendor fee which is reasonable and extra charge for differing electrical needs. Vendors are also charged 5% of their gross. Vendors know this going in so can make the decision to not participate if they choose.
Having just finished the food vendor application process I have a new appreciation for anyone trying to sell food inside the Common Ground Fair. I understand that they have a mission which would be hypocritical for them to suspend for less than healthy (non-organic or unsustainable) food. We will have to completely re-source our product so that ALL our ingredients are organic and from Maine where possible. This means spending more money on raw materials. Our paper products also must be recyclable or from biodegradable material so that adds to the cost also. There is also a vendor fee which is reasonable and extra charge for differing electrical needs. Vendors are also charged 5% of their gross. Vendors know this going in so can make the decision to not participate if they choose.
I went to Whole Foods in Portland and bought organic veggies for Christmas only because one of our guests is a organics type who can't eat normal food. The prices were at least double what I would have paid at Hannaford's. There were lots of bruises, blemishes and in some cases molds present on those organic veggies you just don't see on the regular stuff. I thought the over all taste and quality of the organic stuff was below par as well. The squash was runny, the turnip was tart and the shallots were mushy like they had been hit by frost before harvesting.
I drew the line on the $2.49 a pound free range organic turkey for $65.00 though. The $17.00 Butterball was just fine.
They do make some excellent bacon at Whole Foods that they smoke right there on the premises although it's $8.69 a pound!!
Having just finished the food vendor application process I have a new appreciation for anyone trying to sell food inside the Common Ground Fair.
Great!
What type of foods?
Quote:
... I understand that they have a mission which would be hypocritical for them to suspend for less than healthy (non-organic or unsustainable) food. We will have to completely re-source our product so that ALL our ingredients are organic and from Maine where possible. This means spending more money on raw materials.
Once you have worked out local - sustainable - organic sources you may wish to incorporate that into your normal product line.
Quote:
... Our paper products also must be recyclable or from biodegradable material so that adds to the cost also. There is also a vendor fee which is reasonable and extra charge for differing electrical needs. Vendors are also charged 5% of their gross. Vendors know this going in so can make the decision to not participate if they choose.
The vendors I have known usually are already vendors in a selection of other venues before attempting the Common Ground Fair.
It is wonderful to see more vendors getting into this venue.
On occasion we see folks who have been programmed into thinking that organic - sustainable - local produce is not a viable option. i hope that you enjoy this endeavor and that you find it profitable.
I went to Whole Foods in Portland and bought organic veggies for Christmas only because one of our guests is a organics type who can't eat normal food. The prices were at least double what I would have paid at Hannaford's. There were lots of bruises, blemishes and in some cases molds present on those organic veggies you just don't see on the regular stuff. I thought the over all taste and quality of the organic stuff was below par as well. The squash was runny, the turnip was tart and the shallots were mushy like they had been hit by frost before harvesting.
I drew the line on the $2.49 a pound free range organic turkey for $65.00 though. The $17.00 Butterball was just fine.
They do make some excellent bacon at Whole Foods that they smoke right there on the premises although it's $8.69 a pound!!
I know some vendors who sell at the Farmer's Markets in Portland. Though I am not familiar with the 'Whole Foods' chain.
Did you write a letter to the 'Whole Foods' produce manager to tell them about your experience?
My Dw is a produce manager is a large chain in Bangor, if any customer had an experience like yours, it would have had a huge effect on their practices.
I went to Whole Foods in Portland and bought organic veggies for Christmas only because one of our guests is a organics type who can't eat normal food. The prices were at least double what I would have paid at Hannaford's. There were lots of bruises, blemishes and in some cases molds present on those organic veggies you just don't see on the regular stuff. I thought the over all taste and quality of the organic stuff was below par as well. The squash was runny, the turnip was tart and the shallots were mushy like they had been hit by frost before harvesting.
I drew the line on the $2.49 a pound free range organic turkey for $65.00 though. The $17.00 Butterball was just fine.
They do make some excellent bacon at Whole Foods that they smoke right there on the premises although it's $8.69 a pound!!
As a long time gardener, I suspect that the problem with the organic stuff you saw there wasn't that it was organic, but rather it was a much slower selling product line that didn't turn over nearly as fast and probably came from a long distance away. (Organic of course, does *not* necessarily mean local.) In general, from what I've seen, supermarket "organic" stuff is nasty for these very reasons.
The organic stuff I grow or buy locally from local producers is always FAR superior to anything in the supermarkets, the latter regardless of whether it's organically or petro-chemically grown.
As a long time gardener, I suspect that the problem with the organic stuff you saw there wasn't that it was organic, but rather it was a much slower selling product line that didn't turn over nearly as fast and probably came from a long distance away. (Organic of course, does *not* necessarily mean local.) In general, from what I've seen, supermarket "organic" stuff is nasty for these very reasons.
The organic stuff I grow or buy locally from local producers is always FAR superior to anything in the supermarkets, the latter regardless of whether it's organically or petro-chemically grown.
You're probably correct to a point. It just goes to prove the point that economy does trump organics in the market place. Average people are not willing to pay double the price they would pay at a chain supermarket for something that is supposed to organically grown if a lower priced alternative of equal quality is available. Given that the products that are grown organically(and invariably cost nearly twice as much), sit in the stores much longer than the lower priced alternatives this could account for the perceived lower quality. The stores simply leave them out longer before they consider them to be spoiled.
A family with three or four kids would spend a fortune seeking out organic alternatives on a weekly basis. That's why many of the people shopping in these trendy stores are in a higher income bracket when compared to the average Maine family. They have the extra income to spend on the organic food. They can afford to eat healthier.
Volume wise there is no doubt the Hannaford chain sells tons more produce than Whole Foods does in Portland.
I have no problem with organic anything. It makes great sense not to buy food that has had chemical pesticides used on it, chemically fertilized, or was watered with questionable water sources. It's easy to find this type of produce in the summer. In winter you have to take what you can get and pay extra for it. When a turnip costs you $4.50 you really have to want that turnip. Especially when the same sized turnip will cost you about $1.50 at a regular supermarket. I can tell you as a comparison the butternut squash I bought at Bell Farms in Auburn at Thanksgiving was far better than the ones I bought at Whole Foods for Christmas. Now if they would lower the bacon price at Whole Foods to around $4.00 a pound I might just visit them more often.
I went to Whole Foods in Portland and bought organic veggies for Christmas only because one of our guests is a organics type who can't eat normal food. The prices were at least double what I would have paid at Hannaford's. There were lots of bruises, blemishes and in some cases molds present on those organic veggies you just don't see on the regular stuff. I thought the over all taste and quality of the organic stuff was below par as well. The squash was runny, the turnip was tart and the shallots were mushy like they had been hit by frost before harvesting.
I drew the line on the $2.49 a pound free range organic turkey for $65.00 though. The $17.00 Butterball was just fine.
They do make some excellent bacon at Whole Foods that they smoke right there on the premises although it's $8.69 a pound!!
It's not the price-you just feel better about buying it...lol
Being a public forum many things we don't share-but I have to share this one
Years ago I also had an organic family member, at the time i was a meat manager at a major grocery chain- so i had the ability to create my own retail
labels(description) from the hobart scale- every holiday that this woman would visit, I'd create my own tag "organic turkey from Tom's turkey Farm" and it was a regular frozen turkey thawed, and filmed wrapped (so it looked different)
I d make it a point to show her the label, so she would eat some turkey- well she raved about it every year, "how superior these turkeys were from a "store-bought" one. The other family members thought i was nuts buying a $60.00 turkey, but I stated I was just trying to be "sensitive and understanding" (since I was the host) (note-I only did this one tag once a year-never in the meatcase for the public)
More and more stores want to buy local and push local farmers-I've seen many stores host a "product demo" of local products- sample the product, so customers can taste it, so hopefully, they buy the items. Grocery stores want to sell more organic items, but like maineah stated , the retails are just so high, you incur a loss (the difference in cost is can be huge)
The last time i went to whole foods in portland, i bought an orange-couldnt see a price on the stand-it was the same oranges hannaford was selling-when i got to the register it was 2.00!!! and hannaford had them 2 for a dollar.
My son got a small meal at the "meal bar" mostly pasta, and that cost over 10.00!! (didnt see a price around the meal bar)
parts of the store looked nice, but quickly came to a conclusion, they are selling and marketing a "feel-good" theme-much of the product isnt any different than hannaford-for twice the cost.
I believe there is a Maine Food Alliance that is trying to organize collectively and sell/push/market more maine produced products-I do try to buy more local products.
Last edited by mainebrokerman; 01-02-2011 at 05:36 AM..
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