perusing the grocery aisles in lansing, michiganLansing, Michigan offers a range of options for procuring groceries, depending on where in the capitol city one shops. Options range from farmers markets to corner stores to supermarket chains. In hopes of examining these dynamic shopping options, I set out to investigate three distinct locations. My first stop was the Grand Ledge Farmers Market (GLFM). The GLFM takes place every Saturday morning in a park along the Grand River in a quiet suburb located just West of the city. Only four booths were present at the market, which seemed like a small amount of vendors. It wasn’t clear to me if this was the norm or a symptom of cold weather and being late in the season. Of the four booths, two were selling a range of produce that was unique from the other, one man was selling farm-raised meat and eggs, and the fourth was selling homemade soft pretzels and dream catchers – a Native American charm that has oftentimes been appropriated and sold by the white community.
During my time at the market I only saw five other customers (all of whom were white). I looked conspicuous taking photos of the tiny market, which luckily led to a conversation with one of the farmers, who was happy to talk to me about his business. He explained to me that gardening is a part-time hobby for him and that he enjoys being able to feed his family and only sometimes makes a little money. “You should go talk to John,”[1] the man told me, “he’s been doing this for years and is a full-time farmer.” John, who appeared to be more reserved, was not as quick to offer information about his farm. I eventually led our conversation toward farming practices and organic certification. Each product had a sign guaranteeing that John’s produce is GMO-free. Although GMO safety is hotly debated (Harmon 2016), many health-conscious consumers prefer GMO-free and organic products. John, like the other farmers market vendors, was appealing to the health conscious who were concerned about eating GMO-, pesticide, antibiotic-, and grain-free products. Each of the vendors cultivated products that they themselves ate and fed to their families. They offered full transparency of the products, which is oftentimes missing within the industrial food system (Warner 2013). My next stop was Sunset Market, which is a nondescript store in downtown Lansing. The store is located in a food desert (McMillan 2012) where neighborhood inhabitants require a vehicle in order to reach fully stocked grocery stores. Sunset Market’s exterior advertises its notable services: “Fresh Meat,” “Check Cashing,” “Boost Mobile,” and “Moneygram.” The store clerk greeted me warmly when I entered the small store that was crowded with rows of items for sale, as well as items still in the boxes they were shipped in. There were no fancy, brand name store displays to be found. The smell of raw meat and pungent spices permeated the space, transporting me to the Brazilian markets I frequented while living in Boston. The deli case featured chorizo, beef liver, sliced deli meat, smoked turkey, and more. Signs behind the deli counter advertised 16-55 pound meat bundles that allow customers to purchase various types and cuts of meat in bulk. They did not include the price, leading me to believe it may change according to market value. Taped to the deli case was a handwritten sign advertising the week’s Mega Millions Lottery payout – perhaps the most noticeable piece of advertising in the store. None of the meat was advertised as “grass-fed” or “hormone-free.” The meat’s origins were hidden, although I did not ask. Of the limited produce that was available – cabbage, iceberg lettuce, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, lemons, limes, carrots, onion – none of it was advertised as “Organic” or “GMO-free,” as were the products I found at the farmer’s market. Sunset Market does carry a lot of bulk spices and grains, however, as well as a number of international brands. Amongst popular US brands like Hormel and Heinz were Middle Eastern brands featuring products described in Arabic on their labels. There were numerous Latin American brands such as: Goya, Jarritos, Topo Chíco, La Preferida, and Café Bustelo. Alongside Michigan-made fried batter mixes were tortillas of all types, cornhusks, and dried chilies. The store’s staff spoke to customers in English and Spanish alike, treating everyone with the same Midwestern courtesy. The store clerks were not rude when two customers, still dressed in pajamas about not being able to cash a check. They said hello to each customer, referring to many by name and asking after their family. When I checked out, they introduced themselves to me and asked if I am new to the neighborhood. Sunset Market is located in an area of Lansing where inhabitants must drive a minimum of four miles to reach a large grocery store chain. By accommodating customers from a variety of backgrounds, Sunset Market is able to answer the needs of the blue-collar neighborhood, as well as providing a social environment for patrons. Wal-Mart Supercenter, on the other hand, offers little to none of these socializing aspects. Customers can’t walk to the store, which is located in a shopping center off the highway on Lansing’s west side. Wal-Mart is housed in a garish warehouse with an open ceiling, cement floor, and fluorescent lights. Employees became invisible amongst the endless rows of home goods, small appliances, electronics, crafts, clothing, automotive supplies, toys, alcohol, groceries, and more. The grocery aisles were stocked with multiple brands of every processed food item imaginable. Cheaply priced pop was prominently displayed in center aisles, alongside bulk boxes of snack foods and paper products. No part of the store appeared natural. Wal-Mart’s produce section larger variety of than Sunset Market and the GLFM combined. Upon closer inspection, I found that much of it had been cut and pre-packaged in a facility in Arkansas. This was a stark contrast from the GLFM where the vendors grew the products they sold and shared an intimate knowledge of their products’ lifecycles. Many customers hurried through the store with their carts stocked full, hardly noticing each other except for the Midwestern, “Sorry,” as they bumped into one another. The employees were silently re-stocking shelves and checking out customers at the cash registers. None of them were as willing to chat as the farmers were. Although visiting three stores does not provide enough information to make generalized claims about the capitol city’s grocery shopping scene, I have made note of some glaring differences. Advertising is one major differentiator between the GLFM, Wal-Mart, and Sunset Market. However, it is clear that each location features a different socializing aspect that answers to the vendor and client all the same. [1] Names have been changed to protect the privacy of my interviewees.
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