Green Bean

Mum, and other stall holders had warned me that selling at Riverside Market in Cardiff on a match-day is not much fun. On the river, opposite the Millenium Stadium, the usual sunday morning city centre calm becomes a scrum-down as the roads are closed, buses diverted and upto 70000 fans head down the embankment to the game. The commited regular customers who come to the market faithfully week in week out either come early on these rare days to avoid the crowds or they stay away and wait until next week.

I thought it would be a good idea to be positive and try to turn a problem into an opportunity. Make something of the occasion, take the chance to show off the market we are proud of, extend the conversation that already exists between the consumer and producer, but also marginalised community; the homeless, the developing world producer, the immigrant and refugee ethnic community. Many - most of those rugby fans are a new community, new actors, new audience to the market, lets show 'em what we've got.

It wasn't even hard to dream up a terretorial, national, pride in your country, heritage, team kind of line. floating in the rafters at the theatre we have a dragon ex sea monster rucksack-worn giant that could be borrowed. The  Draig Goch --- Red Dragon of Wales... stretching it's wings, light and bright swooped along the river capturing in a view the market, thousands of people, the stadium, and something to be proud of and give joy. That's not to mention the tremendous,  gourmendous treats on offer..

And a table full of daffodils. That was at the core of it all. I wanted to sell daffodils, and if my regulars wernt all coming... though many (including readers here) did... then how about some "big fat yellow ones" to take to the game, along with flags and hats and all the regalia?? Regalia that included.. to my bemusement.. yard long plastic inflatable daffs. Thousands and thousands of them!!

Bemused... to miffed, as fans turned down my generous offer of real Welsh daffs.. "well iss gay innit.. you can't hit the Irish man in front over the head with 'em... an besides these are really welsh ennay?" and depression sets in as i realise these automatic plastic worst of chinese tat inflatable daffs are sponsored by Really Welsh, Emmit's brand new hope.

And here the story takes a twist as we see a little inside  the "buy local"  game.

The multiple retailers are falling over themselves at the moment to garner a share of the now mainstreaming enviro market. Amongst initiatives to reduce packaging, erect wind-turbines on top of stores and carbon neutralising comitments are the endorsements for local... or at least locality-ised procurement. This is a big story and greenbean looks on wide-eyed as it plays out before us. But Sunday, yesterday, I found myself in the thick of it's inflations.