An ethnographic study of an urban periodic marketplace: Lessons from the midville farmers' market

Abstract

An ethnography of a midwestern farmers' market captures patterns of farmer/vendor behaviors and buyer-seller interactions. We used a variety of methods and media to produce a thick description of this periodic urban marketplace and to reveal a series of successful marketing practices. The paper uses an extended case study format as a baseline for interpreting the role of retail institutions in the social construction of community.