Farmers Market – Simplest form of social community.
Before there was Twitter, before there was Facebook, even before there was the Internet there was already a social community in the simplest form. This social community is the farmers’ market. Today the casual observer can witness commerce, building of relationships, and discussion of various news topics taking place through websites such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkIn. These same functions take place and have taken place in the farmer's markets for hundreds of years.
First, commerce is the underlying principle of the farmer's market. The farmer has for centuries sought to sell their surplus to the needy customer. Whether vegetables, potted plants, or hand made products, commerce has always been the driving force behind the farmer's market.
Second, the building of relationships, believed to be the driving force of Facebook and Twitter, also is an important attribute of the farmer's market. Today with the onslaught of food integrity issues, the idea of being able to purchase food from the person who grows it, is so important. For the consumer wishing to purchase organic produce this relationship can be very productive in achieving the goals of the organic produce customer. This can contribute to the social well being of the community.
Developing a relationship with the farmer can give the consumer insight into how he/she grows the food, the issues the farmer is concerned about, and ways the consumer can better understand the issues affecting the farming community.