Patrice Gros

I apologize for not being at the last council meeting to represent our town's Farmers' Market. I did not know it was on the agenda.

  Four years ago we joined a food revolution which is changing the way America is eating and connecting to its farming community -- we started a Farmers' Market. The market was located on Planer Hill and was a smashing success for its birth year. The owner at the time decided to list the property and we had to vacate.

  We chose to relocate to Pine Mountain Village and are immensely grateful to the Drennon family for their generous and unwavering sponsorship through the ensuing years. We have since doubled in size, and now stand as a source for fresh food for hundreds of our citizens.

A true community asset

  We did this through careful management (thank you Heather) and the belief we are a true asset to the town's fabric, by staging educational and social events like chef demonstrations, food contests and other special events.

  Our mission is to be a part of our community's essential resources the way our parks or library are. Fayetteville understands this very well and is completely resizing, as we speak, the size of its downtown square's pavement just to accommodate the market crowds.

  Our Farmers' Market board is now trying to return our market to Planer Hill. Why? Because we know by experience it is the perfect location. It has space, visibility, traffic from 23 and 62, and is now owned by the city, which would insure us a long-term future. No other public space, and we, as a board, have looked at all of them carefully, comes close.

A better future

  All we are asking from our mayor, council and public employees is to help build a better future for our town. We are asking them to intercede for us and plead with the FTA (Federal Transit Authority) or whoever owns the key to this. Maybe the public ownership of the land and the will of our people will be factors to sway a decision in our favor.

  Or maybe the fact the parking lot is mostly empty on our Farmers' Market's mornings (Thursday and Tuesday) will help. And also let's hope that personal feelings, especially from people in positions of authority, do not get in the way.

Patrice Gros

Owner, Foundation Farm

Member, Eureka Farmers' Market Board 2004-2008