Mushrooms at the Sebastopol Farmers Market, please!

I was wondering if anyone knows why Sam Kim/Bohemian Well Being Farm (the mushroom guy) will no longer be at the Sebastopol Farmers Market on Sundays? He was gathering signatures from his loyal customers last Sunday in an effort to try to stay at the market, as I guess he was told that there is no room for him there any longer. I gladly signed! He is such a lovely man, and I love his mushrooms - the shiitakes are the best that I've ever had! Truly unique and delicious. I buy some every week.

I would really miss him if he leaves the market. But why should he have to?? I don't think there are any other mushroom vendors at the market... what's the deal? Is there anything that can be done? I really don't want to have to switch to the Saturday Santa Rosa Market just for good mushrooms!

I know there is a lot of upheaval going on with the Market right now due to the Barlow issue, and that space is limited and tight there... but I want to put in my vote for Sam Kim to stay! There must be a lot more BWBF mushroom fans out there who share my feelings... are there??

If there is some explanation for this, I would love to hear it - though I doubt I could be swayed from my strong Sunday Market mushroom advocacy and agenda!

From Paula:

The Sam Kim/Bohemian Well Being Story is a bit of a high drama novella:

Steve from New Carpati Farm has been selling mushrooms during the high season (May through September) for many years (He is small so he doesn't occupy a full space). In addition, because Paul's Smoked Salmon was gone all winter I had a vacant space available. These two realities allowed me to invite Sam to sell through April. We actually signed a contract (which I do with all new vendors) wherein he agreed that he would sell through April.

When I reminded him of his contract a few weeks ago he balked and argued that he should stay - pointing out that he has built a customer base, etc. My quandry is two fold: Do we have room for two mushroom growers? And, where will I put Sam when Paul returns? (Obviously space is exceedingly limited.) Many people have asked me to keep Sam so I talked to him and said "I don't know if the market has room for two mushroom growers but we can try and see how it works; however, you will have to move from your current location." He said, "I must have this location because I need the sun to my back." I said, "OK, if you refuse to move then I can't keep you. I will not ask Paul to vacate the stall that he has occupied for 10 years for your convenience." He argued this point relentlessly. I held my ground.

Last Sunday was the 11th hour. He lobbied customers and me all day long. The information he left out of his discussions with customers was the information I just gave you. At the end of the market last Sunday we had our 50 millionth conversation about his ongoing participation. I repeated myself - "You must move if you wish to stay and Steve from New Carpati must be considered because he has longevity." Finally, after an exhausting hour long conversation wherein he continuously insisted that Paul should move, not him, he finally understood that I would not give on this issue and agreed to move to a different space.

This is just a skeleton of the story. The interchanges between us about the issues were difficult and seemingly endless. He is, by far, the most hard headed, demanding, insistent man I have ever dealt with - and I have been dealing with hard headed farmers for 19 years! (Just for fun, when I told Princess Aisha about this saga she said, "Oh Paula, don't be upset, all Koreans are like that." I said, "Oh Aisha, how would you possibly know that?" She laughed and said, "I know these things, Paula. Just look at their political leaders if you don't believe me.")

At this point in time, assuming that Sam willingly moves to another space without endless argument, and assuming that Steve from New Carpati is OK with the competition, Sam will return. It is a work in progress.

Thanks to kimcuddy for giving me the opportunity to explain the nuances behind the scene at the farmers market.

Paula

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Posted in reply to the post by sylviawrath:

I was wondering if anyone knows why Sam Kim/Bohemian Well Being Farm (the mushroom guy) will no longer be at the Sebastopol Farmers Market on Sundays? ... If there is some explanation for this, I would love to hear it - though I doubt I could be swayed from my strong Sunday Market mushroom advocacy and agenda!

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Is it your policy that vendors at the market have to sell unique items? If there isn't room for two mushroom sellers does that mean you would prefer only one apple seller or a single flower vendor etc.?
Ron

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Posted in reply to the post by Barry:

Do we have room for two mushroom growers?

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Posted in reply to the post by Ronaldo:

Is it your policy that vendors at the market have to sell unique items? If there isn't room for two mushroom sellers does that mean you would prefer only one apple seller or a single flower vendor etc.?
Ron

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From Paula:

Hi Ronaldo,

The market is a family, a community. The higher goal is for everyone in our little community to make a modest living. My job as manager is to organize the market as best I can to implement our policy of taking care of each other.

The way I try to accomplish this task is to watch and pay attention to what our customers support. We have enough customers to support two cherry sellers, maybe three because cherries are so popular. We can support two apple sellers - three is a little too many. During high tomato season, you can even have too many tomatoes! Each product has its own breaking point where too many is too many and no one goes home with enough money to pay their bills.

I don't know if we have enough customers to support two mushroom growers. We will experiment over the next few weeks and see. If we don't the grower who has been in the market family over the long term has priority. A new grower/vendor can move deeper into the family system over time. This is a very common occurrence. It takes patience, understanding and a desire to belong to the community - paying their dues as the saying goes. (Sam, for example, sold all winter when Steve, our regular mushroom guy, was gone. Over time, as more people eat more mushrooms, Sam could probably end up becoming a more integral part of the family.)

Part of the reason why the Sebastopol market is so sweet and enjoyable is because vendors are secure in the knowledge that the market is supportive of their work. If you know anyone who sells at the Marin markets you will probably hear that competition among vendors is ferocious and cut throat. When your livelihood is feeling threatened you have a whole different energy than when you are feeling secure.

Thanks for asking the question. I hope my answer makes some sense.

Paula
Sebastopol Farmers Market Manager

Paula,
Thank you for taking the time to explain the situation and market realities... I now completely understand, and respect your loyalty to farmers with seniority. That seems very fair. Jeesh, you have a tough job! The Sunday Sebastopol Farmers Market is awesome - it's the best I've been to in the Bay Area, for many reasons. Thank you for your work, and I personally hope the market stays where/how it is! I will probably give the new (old) mushrooms a try this Sunday, and will still keep buying from Sam Kim if he's there - keeping up hope that he'll eventually find a permanent place at the Sunday market (and find the shade that he is seeking in his new spot)!

Amazing fresh mushrooms are a fabulous kitchen staple, folks! Support your local mushroom farmers - now is the time!
Thanks, Kim