In January a ban on independent fruit and vegetable vendors took hold, these past weekends have been filled with Farmers Market delight. The following is rough timeline.Jan 2010 : I was randomly exposed to the talk around town that Armenia would be 'cleaning up its act.' The first article i happened upon had been in an AmCham (American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia) Magazine that had been left behind on a coffee table while i waited for a seminar to begin. A little heart broken at the prospect of supermarketizing Armenia, i remembered the good point made by Benathan that focused on wasted resources. Their description of the scenario was made in such a way that made me laugh at the image once considered charming: 10 stands lining a major thoroughfare outside yerevan that not only sold the exact same thing, but also looked completely identical, save the patterns on dresses worn by sweet 65+ women. This scene is similar to the one found in Borat in which he proceeds to ask the supermarket attendant what each item (cheese) was despite them being identical. heh!
Jan-April : Vendors that either didn't get the notice, didn't believe the notice, or spat at the notice received warnings and tickets from local police. Yup, it was heart-wrenching to see an older adult on their foot stool while several standing police officers encircled them with arms on hips. "Really? More than one officer is needed for this?" I tended to justify this silly looking reality with topics related to accountability and witness protection that, could possibly not work out so well for the citizen... as in 3 or 4 words against yours could sit funny in the court o' law. What to do, what to do. some protested.
Around April - July : I'd "viva!" inside myself when when vendors would find spots INSIDE the neighborhoods - off the streets - and do their vending. The vendor family for our neighborhood entry/exit way came around the end of June. They first came with just a couple of items, a box of tomatoes and some potatoes and well now, some days they outdo supermarket variety - a little exaggerated but you get the picture.
5th week of August : The second week of our neighborhood's farmer's market complete with musical and dance entertainment by costumed children! This city initiative to get money flowing back into the areas outside of Yerevan is pretty commendable.
The week before i was asked by a coworker if i would be attending the market's first installation. It was impossible for me to miss it as it stood in front of the neighborhood, it looked successful. yip! Though, there were reports of it being unsuccessful because the prices were higher than expected. In response, i gave a quick 101 on American farmers markets, how people don't mind the higher prices because they know it goes straight to the farmer, cutting out over-resourced middlemen, etc.With the help of a loved one i was able to take my tourist stance with camera in hand, shake a little like only a nonArmenian can to the live Armenian music, and praise the sun gods for such glorrrious food.
viva!
