For the Record. This post includes a link to all my posts on the Farmer’s Market controversies. The city of Bloomington instituted new polices to manage any future protest of a vendor (s) for any reason.  Covid had its effect on the Market in 2020, and the targeted vendor chose not to  participate in the Market in 2021. They did choose to take legal action against the City. I do not know the status or disposition of the case.

May 29, 2019 thru July 2020.  Farmers Market Controversies: For the Record. Wanted: Tolerance, Understanding, Collaboration, Progress. Blog post maintained throughout the controversy including a timeline of key events and links to media coverage.  About 50 pages with links to several thousand more pages.

Jan 1, 2020 (Update). A Better Way to Deal with the Bloomington Farmers Market Controversy

• • The effects of the controversy involving the Bloomington Farmers Market (BFM) identify an opportunity to take a fresh look at the methods and strategies for how the community addresses challenging issues.The methods applied so far to address the BFM situation have resulted in a reduction in market attendance in July from 40,000 to 16,000. They have also resulted in unflattering local and national attention, which attracted the interest of what is perceived to be far-right and far-left groups. These groups’ involvement contributed to the perceived need to shut down the market for two weeks. This shutdown had an adverse economic impact on almost all the vendors.

Nov 3, 2019. Part 3:  Discord in the community – better strategies needed?   Saturday’s (Nov 2, 2019) “circus” at the Market sponsored by the “Purple Shirt Brigade” with support from No Space for Hate and witnessed by the city’s attorney was interesting.

• • The situation with the market does raise a question:  Are the policies and actions regarding protests creating and supporting the conditions that will lead to a  justification to permanently close the market?   The protestors are currently targeting a specific vendor – Schooner Creek Farm, and the city claims that given the constraints of the First Amendment, they are powerless to stop it.

Oct 8, 2019. Bloomington Herald-Times, Guest Column by Tim J. Clark. “Bloomington Farmers’ Market – What’s Next?   Submitted on Oct 8, 2019 (submission id 171) as a Guest Column for the Bloomington Herald-Times.  It was not accepted for publication. Despite a request, no explanation was provided.

Oct 4, 2019. Part 2:  Discord in the community – better strategies needed? This post introduces a method that can be adapted as needed, to address some of the issues associated with the controversies surrounding the Bloomington Farmers’ Market.

Sep 25, 2019. Update: Sep 24, 2019 Bloomington Farmers Market Discord.  Background. The controversy with the Bloomington Farmers Market started in Nashville. A summary of the issues provided in my post: Discord in the Community …

Sep 4, 2019. (Updated Sep 14, 2019). Part 1 – Discord in the community – better strategies needed ?

• • The controversy over personal beliefs and professional conduct involving the Farmers Markets in Nashville and Bloomington, Indiana escalated to the point that resulted in regional, state and national attention.  The issues are unlikely to be resolved any time soon by applying current methods that include demonizing the opposition until they admit the error of their ways.   An attacking (suboptimal) approach typically results in making a situation even worse.