Perhaps if a group of concerned vendors formed their own group and approached the council with an offer to take the market off of their hands, it could be returned to being producer-only and self-regulated to keep out the “Wal-Mart Shoppers.” Since this change doesn’t take effect until next year, there might be enough time to get something like this done. And if you need another borough resident to back the plan, count me in.

As for the sarcasm relative to Wal-Mart, you did indeed detect a little of it, but it was meant in jest rather than derision. I was using Wal-Mart as shorthand for any out-of-area produce. Now that you have me thinking about it, I’m far more worried about out-of-area produce coming to market with similar quality, driving down the prices of locally grown produce. (Yes, I know, how anti-free market of me, but if we’re going to subsidize anyone in the agriculture business, shouldn’t it be local producers? I know I prefer to eat locally grown, and I’m happy to pay a little more to keep those farmers who grow it in business.)