Photo Diary: Shared City
Youngsuk Jun, Wesley Chiu, Nai-Hsuan Cheng
On a sunny Saturday morning, our group visited the University District Farmers Market, to our surprise it was bustling with people. Unlike Safeway or QFC, the farmers market was filled with activities and music; it felt more like a fairground than a street market. On the weekdays the very location is a car park that is owned by a community center namely the University Heights Center for the Community, which once a week, every Saturday provides the private space for local farmers to sell their produce. This is supported by a non-profit organization called Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance (NFMA) who supports local farmers of Washington by educating the consumers of the importance of preserving local farms and the benefits of organic food. The University District Farmers Market is founded in 1993, and is Seattle’s oldest and largest farmers market. Each Saturday, people can find a great selection of pesticide free crops, cage free eggs and fresh meats and seafood. In contrast to the super markets corporations in America, the local farmers cannot fight for themselves when it comes to selling their crops and produce. Slowly local farmlands are disappearing due to suburban development and the high competition from the large corporations. As a result the prices at the farmers market may seem more expensive in contrast to large super markets such as Safeway. Yet through the charm of the atmosphere the Farmers Market provides, consumers will slowly pay more attention to the benefits of locally grown food. This is a significant example of a ‘City Sharing’ space that has a positive impact amongst the surrounding neighborhood and community physically, socially, and economically.
No comments:
Post a Comment