Tag Archives: Donna Levitsky

growing roots like a weed?

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DSC_0355So I was looking for information on a farm I like at East Goshen Farmers’ Market this morning and put “East Goshen Farmers Market” into Google and hit enter.  What came up somewhat surprised and shocked me for the petty of it all.  The OLD East Goshen Farmers Market page that was from when the “ladies’ of Growing Roots Partners was running it. The http://www.eastgoshenfarmersmarket.blogspot.com/ .

O.k. so I could get it when it was earlier in the season and everyone is running around pre-markets to set up that this should stay up, but now?  Now it is just sour grapes on the part of Growing Roots Partners. I think (and it is o.k. for me to have this opinion) that they are just being petty at this point.  They leave the OLD site up just to confuse and make people think that East Goshen no longer has a farmers market.  Talk about PMS (Post Market Syndrome).

Growing Roots Partners should exhibit some style and take what they want off their OLD east Goshen site and then take the blogspot down – it is the right thing to do.

I will note that I checked out the market last weekend in Malvern.  I found it cramped and constipated and it sort of had an “urban” feel.  And it also wasn’t very crowded and last Satuday was a beautiful morning. Yes there were farmers I had missed but the layout of the Malvern market is such that I will still go find those farmers elsewhere (if they are allowed to be elsewhere).

I like to support all markets, but on Saturday mornings my preference is still the West Chester Growers Market for a weekend market.  It is not a huge market, but it is well laid out and flows.

When Malvern Farmers Market’s owners Growing Roots Partners grows up I will be happy to check out that market again.  Their market layout seems to reflect the market managers’ personalities.  Sorry I don’t like petty and leaving an old website up to deliberately confuse the public is wrong.  And I don’t want to hear they don’t know how to take it down because that is why they call it “push button publishing” – it is so simple a five year old can take it down.

The REAL East Goshen Farmers Market can be found  at www.eastgoshenfarmersmarket.org/ and on Facebook 

east goshen farmers market light coming to malvern in 2013

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File under taking the farmers market show on the road.

I love the East Goshen Farmers Market .  It is far better run than the Farm to City Markets I used to patronize because although not inexpensive, the price points at East Goshen’s market are a lot more attractive than the pricing I see some of the same vendors do in Bryn Mawr.  And there is a far greater variety of farms to choose from.  Also, the vibe is so awesome each week.  As someone settling into a new community after 30 plus years in another community, this is one of the little things that has helped my transition because although I do not know a lot of people out here yet, going to the market has helped be become comfortable with my new community.

East Goshen Farmers Market has so many terrific farmers, and I patronize all but one farm – the farming folk known as the Millers and Birchrun Hills Farm. Given the treatment people I know in West Vincent receive from Farmer-Supervisor Miller and the other supervisors in West Vincent, it is so unfortunate, but I just can’t patronize them.  To me it would be morally wrong to put jingle in their pockets. And that pains me, because no matter what I like to support local farmers whenever I can.

Mind you that opinion cost this blog being linked to the East Goshen Farmers Market site  (at their original request, not mine) and for the market manager Lisa O’Neill to treat me like I had a disease any time I tried to say hello.  She and her co-market manager Donna Levitsky are trying to be politically correct and  face it, I am not your average PTA mom…. and I am a blogger who doesn’t just blog about recipes and homemaking projects, so I get that, it’s cool.  I just don’t bother to say hi any longer. It is easier and makes them more comfortable – they are so busy on market days, I wouldn’t want to detract from what they have to do by saying hi, you know?

Anyway, Lisa has in all honesty produced a most fabulous market for East Goshen (I featured it in an article I wrote about farm markets and community gardens for Philly.com this summer) , and she is apparently taking her show on the road for 2013.  Malvern Patch is reporting that East Goshen’s market will be giving birth in the spring of 2013 to a mini version of itself in Malvern on Saturday mornings.  That is awesome, even if it is the exact same time and day I believe as the West Chester Growers Market which is quite simply amazing, as well as the market that is the original of all these local farm markets.

I am glad local farmers will be getting more exposure – this will be another producers only market.  That means to be there and sell, you grow it/you raise it.

One question, however.  East Goshen Farmers Market is sponsored by East Goshen Township and The Friends of East Goshen – and part of the money they say in their mission statement goes back to East Goshen Park.  So will part of the monies here go back to Burke Park in Malvern Borough where this will be held?  Who is sponsoring this market? Is the borough or is there another non-profit sponsor?  Or maybe they will start their own company or non-profit at this point? And what do Lisa O’Neill and her co-manager Donna Levitsky (one of the owners of Shellbark Hollow Farm which is a participating farm at East Goshen Farmers market) get out of this monetarily?  Not being mean, just being realistic.   A former neighbor is the market manager of the Bryn Mawr Farmers Market and I know the lady who manages the Collegeville Farmers Market. I know the incredible amount of time they put into running just one market.  Will they receive a salary for this Malvern market?  A profit-sharing slice of market profits?  Or is this all done in a volunteer capacity?  Either scenario is fine with me, I am not judging – I am merely curious how it all works.  Most markets I have come across, pay their market managers something for all their efforts. And running a Saturday morning market will sure mean more effort as they will be up with the roosters to ensure the market is set up by 9 a.m.

Here’s the update from Patch and I am looking forward to this market and Kimberton Whole Foods coming to Malvern!  I am still not a fan of the development occurring on East King Street, however, outside of Kimberton Whole Foods coming to town.  I think the development in the end will prove to be too dense and too much for the borough of Malvern to handle.

New Malvern Farmers Market Begins in Spring 2013

About 25 growers and vendors will set up shop in Burke Park on Saturdays.

ByPete Kennedy  Email the author  5:30 am

Local communities do indeed benefit HUGELY from things like farmers markets.  It brings people to town who might never otherwise visit.  And Malvern is cute.  The Bryn Mawr Farmers Market (albeit expensive) has greatly benefited Bryn Mawr by giving it foot traffic on Saturdays, and things like First Friday Main Line and Clover Market have also similarly benefited main street Ardmore.  (and if you have never been to either First Friday Main Line or Clover Market, you should check them out!)

Final note – today’s photos are of the veggies from Balsam Farms in Amagansett, NY…a little slice of heaven much like Sugartown Strawberries around here.

Hey, it is the end of September so what farms are doing the best corn mazes and hay rides and pumpkin things this year?  Let me know!  You know how I love pumpkins!!!