Comments on: My Love-Hate Relationship With Ellwood Thompsons Continues http://nearwestendnews.net/2008/07/24/my-love-hate-relationship-with-ellwood-thompson-continues/ Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:36:01 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: gray http://nearwestendnews.net/2008/07/24/my-love-hate-relationship-with-ellwood-thompson-continues/comment-page-1/#comment-10873 gray Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:50:05 +0000 http://nearwestendnews.net/?p=652#comment-10873 ET is in Style this week http://styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=17453 . ET is in Style this week http://styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=17453 .

]]> By: Jonah_H http://nearwestendnews.net/2008/07/24/my-love-hate-relationship-with-ellwood-thompson-continues/comment-page-1/#comment-10862 Jonah_H Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:15:31 +0000 http://nearwestendnews.net/?p=652#comment-10862 Mike and his wife, Mary, were featured in the Times-Dispatch last week. Here's the link if you want to read about them or stop by their stand. http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/search.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-07-23-0038.html Mike and his wife, Mary, were featured in the Times-Dispatch last week. Here’s the link if you want to read about them or stop by their stand.
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/search.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-07-23-0038.html

]]> By: Lesley http://nearwestendnews.net/2008/07/24/my-love-hate-relationship-with-ellwood-thompson-continues/comment-page-1/#comment-10614 Lesley Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:39:14 +0000 http://nearwestendnews.net/?p=652#comment-10614 Just wanted to reiterate what Cyndi mentioned about her experience at the Lakeside Farmers' Market. I was with her when she introduced herself to the farmers. (I was there picking up my Agriberry share - they're awesome!) Cyndi was wearing an Ellwood's t-shirt (the ET logo is very visible - almost the entire front of the shirt), she was carrying an Ellwood's bag and was handing out business cards. There was no mistaking she was there meeting and greeting farmers as a rep from Ellwoods. Ellwoods has always paid farmers' asking prices; we pride ourselves on supporting local farmers - they are growing our food, they deserve to earn a living wage and live comfortably. And, ET has been supporting local growers for a very long time. If Ellwoods could sell local produce cheaper, we would. It would help with the affordability of food and probably increase our sales. But, the company has to pay its employees and keep the lights on. There's a certain amount of money that has to come in to stay in business. The company is trying to be fair to the farmers and our customers. Just wanted to reiterate what Cyndi mentioned about her experience at the Lakeside Farmers’ Market. I was with her when she introduced herself to the farmers. (I was there picking up my Agriberry share – they’re awesome!)

Cyndi was wearing an Ellwood’s t-shirt (the ET logo is very visible – almost the entire front of the shirt), she was carrying an Ellwood’s bag and was handing out business cards. There was no mistaking she was there meeting and greeting farmers as a rep from Ellwoods.

Ellwoods has always paid farmers’ asking prices; we pride ourselves on supporting local farmers – they are growing our food, they deserve to earn a living wage and live comfortably. And, ET has been supporting local growers for a very long time.

If Ellwoods could sell local produce cheaper, we would. It would help with the affordability of food and probably increase our sales. But, the company has to pay its employees and keep the lights on. There’s a certain amount of money that has to come in to stay in business. The company is trying to be fair to the farmers and our customers.

]]> By: dennisy http://nearwestendnews.net/2008/07/24/my-love-hate-relationship-with-ellwood-thompson-continues/comment-page-1/#comment-10559 dennisy Sun, 27 Jul 2008 14:35:59 +0000 http://nearwestendnews.net/?p=652#comment-10559 jonah, we too avoid the high priced CSA stands (Amy included) if we can find equal quality produce at other vendors. Bill Heath, who is at Byrd House and also Petersburg (Saturdays) is another favorite of ours for heirloom tomatoes, better beans, beets, potatoes, smoe of which Mike has been for shorter periods of time. A run in with a Victory Farm volunteer at 17th St. (attitude and arrogance) put me of of them and also at Byrd House where initially there was no indication it was a "members" only vendor and a notice was since posted clarifying when non-members could buy, etc. but their prices certainly also are a factor. Trails End is now a CSA but we had bought heirloom beets and other things in Ashland but they have since priced themselves out of our comfort range. Victory Farms also has a reported 200 member list and at $500 a pop, they are exactly small time growers like Mike and Bill Heath are. More reason for us to deal with them. Just personal peeves I guess but I am honest in expressing them. I bear no ill will toward CSA's but they are simply not for us. jonah, we too avoid the high priced CSA stands (Amy included) if we can find equal quality produce at other vendors. Bill Heath, who is at Byrd House and also Petersburg (Saturdays) is another favorite of ours for heirloom tomatoes, better beans, beets, potatoes, smoe of which Mike has been for shorter periods of time. A run in with a Victory Farm volunteer at 17th St. (attitude and arrogance) put me of of them and also at Byrd House where initially there was no indication it was a “members” only vendor and a notice was since posted clarifying when non-members could buy, etc. but their prices certainly also are a factor. Trails End is now a CSA but we had bought heirloom beets and other things in Ashland but they have since priced themselves out of our comfort range. Victory Farms also has a reported 200 member list and at $500 a pop, they are exactly small time growers like Mike and Bill Heath are. More reason for us to deal with them.

Just personal peeves I guess but I am honest in expressing them. I bear no ill will toward CSA’s but they are simply not for us.

]]> By: Jonah_H http://nearwestendnews.net/2008/07/24/my-love-hate-relationship-with-ellwood-thompson-continues/comment-page-1/#comment-10506 Jonah_H Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:36:09 +0000 http://nearwestendnews.net/?p=652#comment-10506 Dennis, I hope it came across in my post that I really appreciate Mike and love being a regular customer of his. I feel really badly that the CSA has affected him poorly. And I know he is a responsible and extrememly knowledgable farmer, with extensive experience working for the extensions office. I hope that he can figure out a way to both meet his customer's demands, sell to Ellwood's and make a tidy profit for himself. I also will say however, that if you investigate a CSA like Victory Farms, you are buying from a small farmer, and you could split a share with another family. At the same time, Victory Farms prices continue to increase, and I'm waiting to see if they will level off. Also, for me that means I'm choosing only items that I feel are reasonably priced (ie i'm avoiding the $2 peppers, and $6 melons, and $4 lettuce). Thanks for the comment and for supporting Mike. Jonah Dennis,
I hope it came across in my post that I really appreciate Mike and love being a regular customer of his. I feel really badly that the CSA has affected him poorly. And I know he is a responsible and extrememly knowledgable farmer, with extensive experience working for the extensions office. I hope that he can figure out a way to both meet his customer’s demands, sell to Ellwood’s and make a tidy profit for himself.
I also will say however, that if you investigate a CSA like Victory Farms, you are buying from a small farmer, and you could split a share with another family. At the same time, Victory Farms prices continue to increase, and I’m waiting to see if they will level off. Also, for me that means I’m choosing only items that I feel are reasonably priced (ie i’m avoiding the $2 peppers, and $6 melons, and $4 lettuce).
Thanks for the comment and for supporting Mike.
Jonah

]]>