If you only think of tech guys when you think of the San Francisco bay area and entrepreneurs, then maybe you should think of this too:
There are numerous food entrepreneurs in the bay area also!
I visited the Marin Farmer’s Market last Sunday – despite being incensed by some of the ridiculous rules/laws passed on both the Federal and state level that put a good number of people out of business (or made them criminals – unpasteurized almonds, raw milk, fresh vegetable juice not pasteurized etc – see links below) – and I was thrilled with the many farmers and food entrepreneurs on the scene.
Everything from organic vegan cereals to fresh cheesecakes were on hand. Bakers, fruit growers and vegetable growers were in abundance. And I especially enjoyed the creative food entrepreneurs.
EasyLiving Foods had some awesome cereal, and vegan rice pudding – not to mention their vegetable juices and biscotti!
Studebaker cheesecake was a big hit at the family party we attended for mother’s day. what a treat!
from Studebaker Cheesecake Website
Sukhi’s made some tasty Indian food including the mint chutney I grabbed along with some naan. Sukhi’s brother was running the stand and he let me sample all kinds of sauces and breads (and some dosa).
from Sukhi's website
And there were over a hundred other vendors, farmers, and food entrepreneurs there. What a display of fresh food, and certainly a testimony to our free markets.
If you enjoy a farmer’s market, share your story and politically, please become more aware of forces at work that make it very hard for a small farmer or food entrepreneur to stay in business.
I’m not sure if the government wants only large farms and everyone else working in a factory, but some regulations are so silly and so expensive, only large corporate farmers can afford to work around or follow them. Don’t believe me? Ask around and you’ll see. And if you don’t like what you see, make sure your voting and communication with your elected officials represent that.
Below is just a sampling of what one industry, the almond growers, have to go through. Just think – government regulators, with cushy jobs, get to have business life/death decisions over people’s livelihood. What if that happened to you? Tomorrow you found out your job was illegal and you got booted – what would you do? What if no one cared to help you? Think about that before you go back and hit the couch…
More on Almonds and Pasteurization – Localharvest – 2 cases of salmonella were found in almonds in 2001 & 2004 – very few incidents vs other foods now pasteurization is mandated. People can’t even choose to buy raw almonds.
Almonds treated with Propelyne Oxide can be labeled “Raw” – read more here from the Almond Board
Legal Update from 2010 on Almond Pasteurization
2012 Judge rules against almond growers – of course, now he can get back to his lakehouse and collect his paychecks. Interestingly, people who want really raw almonds tell me that they are buying from Sicily.
Oh and regulations don’t harm business – believe what your politicians say.
