ann arbor is overrated.

Get Up Stand Up, Stand Up for a Space at the Farmers’ Market

This reggae follow-up to last summer’s indie-folk video sensation “The A-Squared Environmental Blues” (thanks, Brandon!) confronts head-on the theme of…well, we can’t quite figure it out, so we’ll let them put it in their own words: “This cultural attack focuses on the greedy and shortsighted actions that have brought the [Ann Arbor farmers’] market to a crossroads, and points towards the solution — equal access for all.” It’s less accessible than its predecessor, but the boob-flashing at what appears to be Leopold’s at various points throughout lends it a certain immediacy.

50 Responses to “Get Up Stand Up, Stand Up for a Space at the Farmers’ Market”

During a commission meeting. cat calls and comments about commissioners were coming from the audience.
Peter Stark turned his camera on the audience and what you see is what was captured.

The he/she in the video is vendor Carol Scott. This was shot while filming a market commission meeting inside council chambers.
Carol Scott proceeded to break the video equipment of local organic farmer Peter Stark . Soon after this shot was taken, she was appointed by Mayor and council as representative on market commission. She has never apologized nor has she supplied $$ for the broken equipment.
She claimed to others it was an accident.
posted by libby on February 8th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Oh oh, you used the b-ob word.
posted by David Boyle on February 8th, 2008 at 2:39 am
Tsk, tsk.

I’m offended.
posted by Brandon on February 8th, 2008 at 8:51 am
On my website (click below on fuzzbollah), I have tried to highlight some of the problems at the Ann Arbor Public Market, problems which have festered for many years. I will be posting more substance in the future, and am trying to convince the author of the video (deepgreen) to add the lyrics to the song, or post them on my site so that viewers could pick up on more of the players mentioned in the vid.

Also, the recent postings on ArborUpdate on the market have been a valuable addition to the history and sociopolitical context upon which numerous and recent battles have been fought. The question to ask city officials is: why was the Market Commission disbanded in July?

Look for a new market song soon - specifically about former market commissioner Carol Scott’s boob flashing incident. OK I’ll let the title slip out: Market Gals Gone Wild!!
posted by fuzzbollah on February 8th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Oh oh, you used the b-ob word.

At first I was thinking, “Bob, Bob…Dascola? Johnson?”

I think I showed a lot of restraint by avoiding any references to melons.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on February 8th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Compared to fuzzbollah, you’re Miss (or Mister) Manners.

(And yes, we got the “melons” farmers’ market dub-entendre…)
posted by David Boyle on February 8th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
BOB?? Bob who?
posted by me on February 8th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Did someone call me? Those melons look a little spoiled to me. Not the image I want in my head.
posted by bob on February 9th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
There are 2 problems with the market.
vendors buying and selling and Jayne Miller and Jessica Black knowingly allowing it to happen.
posted by bob on February 12th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Why is management telling vendors and consumers the products labeled Kapnick Orchards in stalls 124-126 are NOT from the corporation Kapnick Orchards Inc.?
Management maintains the products are from 3 other corporations, none of which can legally use the name. The city has no documentation or proof that these products are anyone elses products but Kapnick Orchards Inc. and Mr. Robertello is NOT nor has ever been an owner in this corporation.
After requesting documents through a FOIA regarding this matter, the city stated it was confidential. When has the true source of food products ever been confidential?
Fraud?? YES
posted by Peter on February 18th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Farmers Market mismanagement. Jayne Miller

Planning and Development Services mismanagement. Jayne Miller

The old YMCA and the homeless fiasco. Jayne Miller

Golf Courses losing money for 10 years. Jayne Miller

Notice a common thread here?

Why is she still employed?
posted by mucho gusto on February 19th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Why is she still employed? Jayne Miller

In front of the market commission she stated “anything I ask for I get” Long time employees are hard to fire? Your guess is as good as mine. Not enough people are writing to the council and Mayor.
A petition might be needed?
posted by JT on February 19th, 2008 at 11:47 am
That quote demonstrates her arrogance and the arrogance of her boss, doesn’t it?

JT, Ms Miller does not have union protection and serves at Fraser’s discretion.

She golfs with Raja Fraser. She stabbed Ron Olsen in the back after he protected her incompetence. She’s Raja’s hatchet babe, the one who does the dirty jobs that the professional bureaucrats at city hall have the sense to stay away from.

She must have something on someone high up.

Petition? Don’t make me laugh. The city administration is not interested in what their constituents have to say, witness the recent liquor license vote. Council wimps are not willing to stand up and speak truth to power.
posted by mucho gusto on February 19th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
OK, time to check out arbormarketwatch.blogspot.com for the lyrics to Sloppy Cover Up Job, and yeah, thanks to Jayne Miller for the inspiration (immolation?).
posted by fuzzbollah on February 19th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Add the emerald ash borer swindle to the list of Jayne Miller’s “accomplishments”.

And the fudged/botched/ incomplete Dennison survey in Planning and Development that resulted in a “1″ rating for the department she manages. What was the cost of that fiasco, Raja?
posted by mucho gusto on February 19th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
I am so tired of conspiracy theories and especially the Farmers Market. What this boils down to is vendor Peter Stark and his cronies have a vendetta going against another vendor, Robertello, who apparently has not done anything so wrong that he violated any laws or for that matter, market rules. Still, Stark and his people will not give it up no matter what.

They blame city officials who they claim are in cahoots with the gangster farmers (armed!) Robertello included, who control the market, and who have been paying off the city government for years. The corruption reaches all the way to the city administrator and the previous mayor.

Mucho seems to hate several people in city government and it would be easy to guess that he used to work at the city and no longer does. He holds Ms. Miller and the city administrator responsible for his dismissal.
posted by LauraB on February 20th, 2008 at 2:07 am
LauraB prefers to shoot the messenger rather than offer her version of the facts.

go, mg, go!
posted by tankertruck on February 20th, 2008 at 8:28 am
LauraB,

Mucho Gusto is not a hater. Mucho Gusto doesn’t know these people well enough to hate them. Mucho Gusto does not respect them and wants spineless council people and taxpayers to hold them accountable for their irresponsible mismanagement.

Ms Miller has been involved or in charge of all the fiascos I listed and has yet to be held accountable.

The emerald ash borer millage vote was an attempt to bamboozle taxpayers by inflating the actual cost of tree removal and add to Raja Frasers city hall construction slush fund. Ms Miller was tasked with selling the public on the vote and couldn’t even “button it down” the second time

The Farmers Market fisaco is the result of poor city management and oversight. Ms MIller is the bureaucrat in charge of the Market, regardless of the actions of the market characters involved.

Planning and Development Services has recently purchased a million dollar software program that will not improve service delivery. Ms Miller and Mark Lloyd are completely clueless about what it will or will not do and it’s eventual actual cost. Regardless of how much they say that they “have their arms wrapped around it” and it’s all “buttoned down” it’s a lie to preserve their own jobs. The software is not properly supported by by city IT staff. There was only one bidder and the California company CRW was chosen over a Michigan company BS&A, who was not allowed to bid. The CRW software does not serve the needs of city engineering department and there is no module for tracking the rental housing records of the 30,000 rental units in A2. BS&A costs $20,000 a year and is used by many municipalities in MI and has been in use in city hall for at least 5 years. CRW total cost of ownership is yet to be determined due to tech support costs, data conversion (in SQL programming language), training and new hardware costs. The A2 Tax Assessors office will not change from BS&A to use the CRW software. CRW charges extra $$ for the data conversion and charges the city for travel expenses from California for tech support. BS&A is located in Okemos. This is only the beginning of the software fiasco in PAD.

The old YMCA has cost the city several million dollars, shuffling its homeless residents to apartments in Yspilanti and now the failure of a development deal to build on the site. The YMCA will be demolished and a replaced with a surface parking lot. No resolution or it’s total cost to the taxpayers is in sight on this fiasco. Ms Miller has been tasked with managing the YMCA fiasco.

The A2 golf courses lost $$ for many years while council and the public was told that they were solvent. Now the city hires a consultant that tell them they need to serve booze to make them solvent. The total costs of that venture are unknown and the recent liquor license sale, rigged by the city and over the voices of some staff, the liquor board and the public, has made that a problem for council and parks. Ms Miller ran the golf courses while we were being lied to about their solvency and is in charge of them now.

The Dennison survey and it’s required follow up on employee morale has cost of more than $200,000, has been an utter failure except to reveal the contempt that management has for employees in city hall. Dennison is the administration’s report card and they got a failing grade. The ratings of almost every city department was in the lowest percentile with virtually no improvement in the half hearted and incomplete attempt at follow up more a year later.

What say now LauraB?
posted by mucho gusto on February 20th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Jayne Miller is responsible for the housing market?
posted by Dale on February 20th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
LauraB…
Conspiracy theories? What about conspiracy FACT!! Robertello and his shadow companies that pretend to operate Kapnick Orchards Inc are not THEORIES!! Look over State of Michigan business records, which show there is not a line of succession.

Why do you say that vendor Peter Stark is not in the right on this one? Have you really researched this one? Why is a complaint by Peter Stark not heard before the very body that rules over the place where Peter Stark and his family derive their livelihood?? What about REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES?? Why can’t Peter Stark have FRIENDS too?? We are not cronies, being PAID at the behest of some magnanimous overlord, we are CONCERNED CITIZENS who have seen something gone HORRIBLY WRONG in OUR COMMUNITY and WANT IT CHANGED!!

Bureaucrats like Jayne Miller have stood in the way for YEARS!! LauraB, are you really Glenn Thompson in dragname??
posted by fuzzbollah on February 20th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
LauraB.
Get your head out of your ass.
I suppose your going to tell us Carol Vena and Denise Brock are 2 separate businesses, each deserving of 3 stalls each.
Management won’t respond to the Northville Market finding it to be only one business. Mother and daughter.

Give up on the vendetta crap it’s become tiresome.
Every consumer has the right to know where their food is coming from.
Just a note… the state of mi corporations department recommended
filing a complaint with attorney generals office with regard to robertello’s businesses.
Check out mi legislation about corporations using unregistered assumed names.It’s serious business.
posted by Donna on February 21st, 2008 at 2:27 am
Thank you, LauraB, for letting us know which jackass is responsible for all of this vitriol. I don’t know which vendor Peter Stark is, but I’ll figure it out and be sure to avoid him.

Meanwhile, I think I’ll go have a tasty piece of Kapnick pie and a cup of Kapnick coffee. Crazy thing, Kapnick’s growing and roasting their own coffee beans now. Coffee in Michigan, and a year round crop too! Amazing.
posted by Parking Structure Dude! on February 21st, 2008 at 9:50 am
coffee berries growing in Michigan! what a treat, locally grown coffee. How much per pound? Is it magically delicious?
posted by Sherry on February 21st, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Mucho gusto my hat is off to you I wish there would be more citizens like you. a democracy is better when citizens like you come forward with the truth I am a farmer who has been selling at the market for 30 years. most farmers like me are 100% behind Peter but are afraid to come forward because of the harrassment by the market mob and management. Peter helped start the first storefront copp in 1971 and has always been at the forefront of a fair honest and open food system for the community. As far as cash payments, check the commision meeting records. Robertello stated” It was a tradition” and his wife said” we did it a lot” The threats with a gun is also on record. if you check out the Mich liquer board you will see that robertellos “farm” store sells alcohol and tobacco and sold cigerettes to minors. I know of no other “farmers” who sell those kinds of products. I was across the isle and saw robertello assualt Peter. If you knew what kind of agrichemicals robertello sprays on the food you eat you may have second thoughts. I ran into some one at kitchen port the other day who used to sell at the market and heard the same kind of crap that is allowed to go on at the market. Since i do not live in a2 i did not now about the other short comings of jane miller so thanks again to mucho gusto please keep up the good work.Real farmers work very hard and it shows. Robertello stated at a commsion meeting that he bought premade frozen baked goods and sells them at the market that is agaisnt the law this fact was stated to two vendors and a commisioner by Louise at a sub committee Louise said robetello purchases his baked goods from a place called Lapelies. robertello also sells apples in june and july and august way out of season Nemith used to do this but stopped when people found out that no farmer athe market had a controlled atmosphere room. you see apples only last 6 months in regular cold storage. buying and selling is agaisnt the law so Laura get your facts straight. the 1991 article in the observer talks about price fixing at the threats to control farmers. When Carla henderson who work for the city was quoted in the a2 news and said things are not fair at the market and need to be changed right away she was transferred right away and was made to be quiet. robertello and wassem filed a false complaint agaisnt their competion erie orchards and erie was kicked out of the market for a year until he hired a lawyer. remember the sexual harrassment lawsuit by a parks worker the independant investigator sent a draft to parks and rec but they ignored it. so i guess luara b thinks threats with a gun and physicall assualts are ok Now I now what kind of person you are. so Jane miller is going to drive the city farther down maybe the citizens of a2 need a recall so money can stop being wasted. laurta b needs to start her own farm get in line and sell at the market and find out the truth you know put up or shut up but i doubt she could work that hard.
posted by farmer joe on February 22nd, 2008 at 11:06 am
hey parking structure boy
It used to be that if you did not have a “permanent stall at the market you had to pay about 400% more to rent a stall and permanent stall holders could take as many stalls as they wanted before a “daily” stall farmer could get even one. Gracia used to take ten stalls. Peter got this changed to make it more fair and give customers more choices. If you want to avoid peple who help the community that is your choice. I tell all my friends to buy from him cause he does so much for the real farmers and the community. What have you done for other people that has helped?
posted by farmer joe on February 22nd, 2008 at 7:17 pm
It’s evident that Laura B is one of Robertello’s cronies and they have a vendetta against vendor Peter Stark.
Peter is a remarkable presence at the market offering Ann Arbor residents not only chemical free produce, but also hundreds of varieties of plants that have not been adulterated with chemicals. The horticultural greenhouse business is heavily laden with chemical use, chemical fertilizers, growth hormones, etc. which ends up in your gardens. His plants are on display in many of the nations top botanical gardens and in the private gardens around the country.
Robertello along with his cronies like you have tried numerous attempts to destroy his integrity and continue to fail at every attempt. When will you give it up?
posted by donna on February 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 pm
I suppose I should not indulge you with an answer, it only encourages you. This will be my last on this topic.

I don’t know Mr. Robertello but I do know some of the farmers at the market where I am a regular shopper. I think it is a wonderful place to buy food. I buy from Mr. Stark and I agree that he provides a very good product and I trust it to be truly organic. I just wish he would cease with the constant agitation. It keeps several of the farmers on edge, if you talk to them you find this out.

As someone else said here some weeks ago, are we really to believe the “Farmers Mafia” bribes or intimidates city officials, bribed the previous mayor, makes threats, is armed and otherwise strong arms their way to massive profits? At the farmers market?

There seems to be plenty of space at the market for all to sell their produce and artwork. There are only a very few days of the year when sellers are crowded to the sidewalk. Mr. Stark always seems to have a good place to sell so it is hard to feel sorry for him or to feel he has been slighted.
posted by LauraB on February 23rd, 2008 at 10:25 am
LuaraB
No one said bribres were paid to the mayor. it was to two past market managers since you are not a farmer as i said before, most of us farmers are 100% behind Peter. Yes threats were made to a newly elcted commsioner several years back The market is a microcosom{SP} of the real world. There are good and bad people everywhere. You must be naive not to understand this.One word you used is agitation which has been used in the past to describe women who wanted the right to vote, workers who wanted unions, African Americans who wanted equl rights and those who opposed the Viet Nam war. Do not feel sorry or feel that Peter has been slighted although he has been shoved several times. Peter is standing up for everybodys right to a fair and just system and those who are agitated are probably ones who are violating market rules and city code and thus create a disadvantge for those vendors now and in the future. The cash payments are on record so please check it out. I will not name the person who was threatened with a gun for their own saftey. The city spent over $60000 of the vendors money and had the public put their input into a new design for the market. This design created a circular traffic pattern so all vendors would be able to share equally in the customer flow. The market mafia shouted it down. that was my money not yours wasted. Ask the agitated farmers you know if they would trade places with those down dead mans alley or way down by fourth street. If they have regulars they wont mind going there. Women still do not get paid eqully for the same job and there is a far greater number of black to white in jail and blacks are usaully sentenced longer than whites for the same crime. So, should we stop bringing to light these inequities and stop trying to make our town and world a better place. Look what happend to Valerie Plains when her husband came out with the truth.
I am truly greater there is this forum for us. LauraB why dont you buy some land and grow some food and see how hard that is and then sell at the market at the end of the line and see how hard that is. After a couple of years of doing that you may have a different view Let me know how that goes for you.
posted by farmer joe on February 23rd, 2008 at 8:54 pm
the word should have been grateful not greater for this site and free speech. one thing about the ash trees. Lamont brothers, on the west side of whitmore lake road just south of N. Territorial had the contract to take all the dead ash trees from a2. I know charlie LaMont and he said the city stopped paying on their contract so he stopped taking in the dead trees. Lamonts shut down and are gone. Was it a result of being stiffed by the city? I havent seen him to ask. But if Jane Miller is behind this also, she has screwed another person over just like most of the farmers. Jane Miller has got to go so say it loud hay hay ho ho Jane miller has got to go.
posted by farmer joe on February 24th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Laura B. seems ypou lack credibility and integtrity. Making statements that you don’t know Robertello. Consider the following.. the only persons claiming vendetta are 2 vendors that had and recently have complaints filed against them are Robertello and Denise Brock and Carol Vena. Do you know Peter? Maybe you should talk to him prior to making false statements. You’ve lost your credibility as a blogger.
posted by Donna on February 26th, 2008 at 11:06 am
The following items are correspondance from the State of MI corporation division. Certainly after reading you will understand the serious nature when corporations do not follow statutes they are required to adhere to. Also consider that Kapnick Orchards Inc. has relinquished their seniority. Your response unwittingly uncovered these facts.

I recently received the following statement in response to a complaint as to what business entity is doing business in certain stalls. The City stated the following…Specific entities include Kapnick Farm Market Inc. R & S FarmInc. Kapnick LLC and R & S Farm are linked in terms of ownership and control and are used by Scott Robertello, Sharon Shaffer and Kapnick Farm Market Inc. to produce goods marketed under the name Kapnick Orchards. That this well defined business entity, which exists for the purpose of producing Kapnick Orchards goods. The letter also states Kapnick Orchards Inc. has been historically used by Janice Kapnick, the Kapnick Family in operation of Kapnick Orchards.

From: Murphy, Kit L (DLEG)

Subject: RE: Corporation Division Web Inquiry

The name “Kapnick Orchards” is not available for use. There is a active corporation that is using the name,
I.D. 076438.

There have been no assumed names filed for Kapnick Farm Market Inc., Kapnick LLC, or R & S Farm Inc.

The assumed name for a corporation on file with our office has to be on file with us before they can use it. Otherwise the name should be not be used.

They would all have to file the 541 form together and the name will be used jointly among all the mentioned entitles. There is also an additional page on the 541 form to add the different entities that will be using the assumed name. If you have 5 entities using the same assumed name “Kapnick Orchards”, they all have to each submit a 541 form and include all the other entity ID numbers and names that will be using the name on the additional page. Sounds like several of the entities have been using the name and there is no registration of the name. At least there is not in our office.
I am curious, who sent the letter or statement?

Thank you for contacting the Corporation Division. The county clerk’s offices file DBAs for sole proprietorships and general partnerships. The attached document is for a DBA for Kapnick Orchards on file with the county clerk’s office and therefore is not a assumed name for a corporation or LLC on file with this agency.

Corporations and LLCs file at the state level and any assumed names under these types of entities are filed here at the Corporation Division, not at the county clerk’s offices.

The corporations and LLCs cannot file at the county clerk’s office, they are filed here with the Corporation Division.
The 3 entities that you are referring to “Kapnick Farm Market, Inc., Kapnick LLC and R & S Farm Inc. do not have an assumed name on file with our office for “Kapnick Orchards” therefore the owner(s) should not be using that name or advertising it under their corporation or LLC .

You are correct, corporations cannot file a dba with the county. They would file the assumed name with the Corporation Division, which is this office.
The name should not be used under the entity because it is not on file with our office.
We don’t have enforcement powers for entities. If there was a complaint filed, the Office of the Attorney General would be contacted. If there was an inquiry made about an entity using a name other than the entity name, and the name was not on file with our office, or there was a annual statement or report or any other of our forms sent in using a different name, other than the entity name, we would send the 541 form to them. Whether they choose to use it, it is not up to us to enforce. Down the road, there could be some legal issues against the corporation. That is why it is important that people who form a entity look over the statutes they are required to adhere to.

If the name is not registered with our office under the corporation, they should not be using it, that is what the statute says.
The assumed name for a corporation on file with our office has to be on file with us before they can use it. Otherwise the name should be not be used.

We are not an enforcement agency, we file formation documents only. The statutes we administer does not require us to police entities. The complaint may be sent to the Attorney General’s office. They have a complaint form on their website.

www.michigan.gov/ag

Consumer Complaint information link is below

http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164-17331-42077–,00.html

—–Original Message—–

Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 3:08 PM
To: BCSINFO
Subject: file BCS/CD 54189.52.
89.52.

BUSINESS CORPORATION ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 284 of 1972

450.1217 Transacting business under assumed name; certificate.

Sec. 217.

(1) A domestic or foreign corporation may transact business under any assumed name or names other than its corporate name, if not precluded from use by section 212, by filing a certificate stating the true name of the corporation and the assumed name under which the business is to be transacted.

There is a corporation by the name of Kapnick Orchards, Inc. and the entity is currently in good standing. Therefore, the name is not available for use.

You can look up filed documents on our Business Entity Search link on our website. www.michigan.gov/corporations. The link is located to the right of the main web page. The ID of the entity is 076438,

The corporation is a wholesale and retail selling produce, baked goods, garden supplies and groceries.

—-Original Message—–

Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 2:43 AM
To: CorpsMail
Subject: business name or assumed name

Hello,

This is with regard to asking assistance in the following matter. I wish to establish the business entity/entities and owner/owners that produce goods marketed under the name of Kapnick Orchards, or exist for the purposes of producing Kapnick Orchards goods. The products being sold are packaged baked goods labeled Kapnick Orchards, and fresh vegetables and fruits grown and labeled Kapnick Orchards.

Because the nature of the products being sold is food, it is imperative information to a consumer to know the exact source that is selling food products.

Does the Corporation Division have any business entities or assumed name certicates on file that meet this name and description as stated above? Any help in finding true producer and ownership would be appreciated.

Thank You,

The name “Kapnick Orchards” is not available for use. There is a active corporation that is using the name,

I.D. 076438.

There have been no assumed names filed for Kapnick Farm Market Inc., Kapnick LLC, or R & S Farm Inc.

You are correct, corporations cannot file a dba with the county. They would file the assumed name with the Corporation Division, which is this office.

b. Corporations and LLCs

Most corporations and limited liability companies operate under their corporate or LLC name which, of course, is on file with their state filing office. If, however, a corporation or LLC decides to do business under a different name, many states require it to file an assumed or fictitious name registration. All you have to do is complete a simple form and send it to the state filing office with a modest filing fee.

It?s important to use your correct corporate or LLC name since this makes it more difficult for anyone to claim that your business entity is a sham (believe it or not, lawyers call this ?piercing the corporate veil?) and impose personal liability on you. If you?re going to do business under a name that deviates from the official name on your Articles of Incorporation or LLC Articles of Organization, it?s essential that the name be properly registered.
posted by consumers on February 29th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
So, in an attempt to lend credibility to your conspiracy theories, you post an extremely long and poorly formatted correspondence with the State that implies you falsely attempted to register a business you knew was already operating? Yeah, ok.

Next.
posted by ryan on February 29th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Ryan, no one falsely attempted to register a business name .
The attempt made is to figure out which business entity consumers am purchasing their food from that is labeled and sold under the name Kapnick Orchards. The city says one thing the state records state another, and the owners of the corporations state something else.
So Ryan which business entity is selling at the market?
Anyone?
posted by consumers on February 29th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
You’re right; I mis-read and was wrong. You did not attempt anything of the sort and I apologize for the accusation.

You are, however, tiresome so I, like LauraB, will cease baiting your troll-some nature.
posted by ryan on February 29th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
the county dba was filed in 2005 by Scott and Sharon
posted by consumers on March 1st, 2008 at 10:35 am
hey ryan
no one is talking conspiracy but you some one is just telling you the truth grow up there is quite a bit of lying and cheating in the world and in your own back yard if you dont care about it or want to change it dont be smug like I said to Laura B. Buy some land work your butt off and go down and get in line to sell at the market and then let me hear you talk hope you like to work real hard
posted by farmer joe on March 2nd, 2008 at 10:47 pm
It seems many of the bloggers here are customers of the market and not vendors. Many of you do not rent the space and do not have a contract with the city, and certainly don’t pay the bills as a farmer.
IMO one of you, in this instance, Laura B. purposely & personally tried to intimidate a vendor(Peter) by blogging inconsiderate ,irresponsible, and inaccurate information about him. Why did she do it?
Is she trying to get Peter to quit coming to the Market? Trying to ruin his business?
Laura B, next time you’re at the market introduce youself to Peter. Tell him what you blogged here. He might even give you a deal on his produce , as he does with many of his Ann Arbor customers.
It is my experience that many A2 market customers try dealing down farmers prices.
disrespectful to the farmers? Yes
Let’s talk about the buying and selling as this puts a damper on the whole market and especially for our local farmers such as Peter, Tantre, Brines, Garden Works , Paul& Annie ,Ken King Frog Holler.
I mention these names because some have been vocal about buying and selling and it seems many of the bloggers here are familiar with them. Thanks for your time.
posted by vendor on March 3rd, 2008 at 2:51 am
not certain why the city has reinstated inspections when they know they have already allowed plant dealers and buying and selling. What will these inspections achieve? Even if they find something they will turn a blinds eye as they have already done in the past. They were given the names of several plant dealers already and did nothing.
Oh yeah that’s right they are long time vendors and we will let them sell here anyways “it’s our policy”
posted by janj on March 5th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Kapnick’s is overrated. Allegedly they don’t make their own pies from scratch, just buy thaw and bake, sprinkle some sugar on them, heat ‘em up and sell them to unaware customers at our market.

The Gracia klan is overrated too. Last year I saw them selling potted flowers that looked like they were purchased from Krogers (for $10), had a frilly ribbon tied to the flower pot, and sold at our market for $25. What a ripoff!!
posted by fuzzbollah on March 6th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Must be the plant dealers buying and selling.
Empty greenhouses in early march suddenly filled with flowering plants mid-to late march ready for sale 1st week in April.
It’s quite obvious when their plants are in full bloom the first week of April.
many purchase pre-finished plants like Kroger’s K-mart , etc. does. Perhaps in the fuzzbollah case they were purchased from the same very large grower where dealers buy their flats for the season.This is not news to management. Past manager was given a list of dealers and she threw the list away. why do you think you can get a full flat of flowers for 3$ in mid April-mid may.

Homestyle or homemade baked goods? there IS a difference.
posted by sherry on March 7th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Does anyone remember the Deiterle family? They started in the very early years of the market. First the parents then their son took over the stalls. I admire them. Another family, Gracia, let’s see there’s Delores with her stalls, her daughter got stalls , Delores’s sister has her own stalls (but on several occasions has been found to use the same business name as her sister Delores., then her sistern’law Carol got her own stalls and Carol’s daughter got her own stalls, (denise) stalls being rented to 13 & 15 year olds. Oh yeah and Denise uses the same business name as her mother. Don’t think this was the policy ever ever. No other family at the market has done this. 16 stalls in all to one family. I think this is shameful. All have stalls together in the main isle. Now is this considered fair competition to any of the remaing vendors. absolutely not. and yes, many many many vendors refer to them as the maket mafia.
Mr. McDonald city attorney stated this has been our policy in the past and will continue to be policy.
posted by JanJ on March 8th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
The info will be sent to Department of Ag and the Attorney General’s office. One cannot simply use another business entities name.
When someone fools around with anothers corporation papers going from a holding corp to “leases” and stock from the corps have been illegally exchanged (found by the liquer control) something is going on.
Let the right people explain the many lies told especially stating “the market manager said I could”. Have never met anyone report to the police claiming to have married into a family gaining instant seniority, when they haven’t . Wondering why Robertello did this?
posted by farmer on March 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 am
Just like the mayor of Detroit, the mayor of ann arbor has his own cover up going on. Not as big as Kwames. John Heifte was directly informed about a cash payment of $50 from the growers association to the market manager. The mayor said if it is only once because $50 is not that much. Of course he was informed about the other cash payments. He does not want you to know this. Remember he is a politician. Jane Miller and those others under her all knew about the cash payments and when Carla Henderson was quoted in the a2 news and said at the end of the article” Things are not fair at the market and they need to be changed right away” she was demoted. Check the recored on that one.
posted by alight on March 26th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Has anyone had time to review the Sept. 2007 market assessment?
It reports the frozen baked goods and the buying and selling.
Funny there are still peddlars after the city inspections!
posted by janj on March 28th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Victoria Fox married Mr. Robertello last year. She’s now known at market as the apple lady. According to the rules she cannot keep her stall as artisan because she actively participates in Scott’s stalls.
posted by mmd on April 12th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Ms. Fox now displays her art in stalls 124-126. Are her products Kapnick farm Market’s, kapnick llc, R&S farm or Kapnick Orchards??
posted by mm on May 10th, 2008 at 8:41 am
I bought a peck of delicious Kapnick peaches yesterday. And two Kapnick pineapples. I’m going to make pie.
posted by Parking Structure Dude! on May 12th, 2008 at 10:23 am
PSD maybe you can help explain why Ms. Fox assaulted a vendor on Sat.
Peaches aren’t in season,,, and pineapples? come on now don’t be an ass. Which corporation did you purchase them from, Kapnick Orchards, Kapnick LLC, Kapnick Farm Market, R&S farms Inc. or R&S Farm the partnership.
posted by mm on May 14th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Which corporation? Um, the sticker on the peaches said “Meijer.” That’s a corporation, right? But the pineapples said “Dole”, which I think is more of a farm.
posted by Parking Structure Dude! on May 15th, 2008 at 9:20 am
mm, do you really think psd bought pineapples from krapnicks? I don’t think psd bought shit from krapnicks, oh wait a second…

maybe psd DID buy shit from krapnicks! they were cited on dept of agriculture inspections for rodent droppings on their premises!!
posted by fuzzbollah on May 15th, 2008 at 9:07 pm

Get Up Stand Up, Stand Up for a Space at the Farmers’ Market

50 Responses to “Get Up Stand Up, Stand Up for a Space at the Farmers’ Market”

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