Char's Gardening"As the Garden Grows, so does the Gardener"

I would like to make it very clear that the “great” idea of starting a farmers market was all mine.  The Navarre Garden Club had nothing to do with it and it seems I misunderstood the NGC president Sharon.  I am a new member to the NGC, and at a point in my life where I would like to become active in the community.  But I now see I am pretty clueless to how this works.  It seems in my desire for fresh produce, I have stirred a pot I did not know existed.  As of this time my “great” idea is being laid to rest.

Are you kidding me.  Does not almost every community have a Farmers Market.  Well, that would be every community but mine.  I went to my monthly garden club meeting today all excited because as chair of the Civic Development Committee I thought I had a great idea.  I want to bring a Farmers Market in our town.  As chair for the Civic Development Committee, I figure the farmers market could fall under something I could head up.  There are lots of farms in the north part of our county, surely some of them would like to bring their produce to sell.  I’m rather new to this community so I was unaware of a previous effort to bring a Farmers Market to our community.  The best place for the farmers market would either be at the central park or at one of the parks along the beach.  Sharon, the president of our garden club, was, I think, trying to save me a lot of trouble when she all but said, “it’s not going to happen.”  It seems the Greater Navarre Beach Art Association tried but failed to bring a market to our community.   The reason for their failure angers me.  The chamber of commerce is against it.  I am not political but I hate “Good ole Boy Politics.” One of the members of the chamber of commerce, a realtor, doesn’t want a farmers market placed on the beach because that would  be competition for “her” store.  The main public park doesn’t allow money making businesses on it’s property.  The latter makes sense to me, but using politics for personal profit at the expense of the community, now that just drives me crazy.   I’m at a loss as to where to go from here.  I was hoping someone out there might have a suggestion as to what could be done.  I don’t want to be bullied, but at the same time don’t want to waste my time on a battle that can’t be won.

Are You Kidding Me!