Is this 'middle' or 'working ' class

[FarmerSamon]

Back in 2013, I put on Facebook that I'd just shopped at a local weekly outdoor farmer's market set up in our area, and I was proud of myself for buying local, fresh, produce from a small, local, independent retailer - all locally sourced food in paper packaging - not a nasty piece of plastic in sight!! I put a status to this effect on Facebook - yes smug I know.

My Fb friend commented that this sounded 'very middle class' and I said - no you could argue it's more 'working class' as working class people are more likely to have jobs in the primary industries - so I'm supporting the local economy

Any thoughts ?

This was in 2013?

'Bafflingly vapid and self-congratulatory' is what comes to mind. The act of posting on Fb about going to the farmers' market, rather than actually going to the farmers' market.

2013? Are you in a timewarp?

I know,,, I know,,

Living somewhere that has a farmers market is pretty middle class. Being able to afford to shop there is also quite middle class. Your comment about “primary industries” makes no sense.

Erm - my time warp goes back a lot further than 2013 ... in all honesty ..

Seriously?! Farmers markets scream middle class.

In terms of the primary industry thing I think there's more jobs in forestry, fishing etc that are working class in nature than middle class ... so it's supporting the local economy

Haha being able to afford a farmers marker and the time to go there. Screams very middle class.

Have you actually pondered this for 10 years? 🤣 I'd say middle class

Yeah but working class people aren’t traditionally going to buy from there. They’re quite expensive.

Farmers markets are achingly middle class to me - a stereotypical working class market would be one that Pete or Ian Beale worked at (totally showing my age!!)

Of course it’s a stereotypically middle class thing to do. How is “supporting” working class people (which most farmers aren’t anyway) a working class activity? If the King gets his car serviced then is he working class just because he’s “supporting” a grease monkey from Halfords? Very strange perspective.

It's something run by the council actually - didn't know if 'farmer's market' is the right term - but local producers/traders visit a different town in the county each day over a week to showcase and sell local produce

Supporting local industries and businesses is being socially responsible.

I read somewhere that working class was the new vegan. You don't need to ask if someone is it, they will unfailing tell you, whether you care or are interested.

My local one is way cheaper than supermarkets, and most stallholders will haggle. Having said that, it's a small, no-frills, cash-only, bring-your-own bag affair, a few stalls offering the admittedly fairly limited sort of stuff currently coming out of the ground at this time of year, or stored from last season -- not some Instagrammable extravaganza with baristas, gingham table cloths and organic baked goods.

It's a frankly silly comparison. Being vegan is a dietary choice. Unlike being WC.

I love a good farmers market but I live in Lancashire so there's plenty about.. and in my opinion Lancashire is a pretty working class place. I'm definitely not middle class 😂 usually don't buy much tho, maybe treat myself to a nice cheese and scrounge the free samples 😅

Maybe it's considered more of a middle class thing to people that don't live in the countryside?

Who cares what it is though you do you 🙂

What is this whole 'middle class' nonsense? At the risk of sounding like a GCSE student, as far as I'm concerned there are only two classes, the working class and the non working (rich) class. If you work for a living, you are working class, that's it, no need to divide ourselves up further.

of course working class people shop at farmers' markets but in general it's definitely one of those modern cliché middle class markers along with artisanal bakers and the adoration of spartan Scandi chic.

Yeah I suppose the other aspect is, at an educated guess, w/c people are more likely to stay and work close to the area they grew up in - m/c are more likely statistically to move away. So buying local is supporting w/c

I don't think it's either. But why did you think this was remotely worth mentioning on FB. The mentioning it might be WC rather than actually going there.

I’m happily WC and would shop at a farmers market, to smugly post it on FB though you must be MC

This is what I was going to say. It isn't mc to shop at a farmers market but its very mc to make sure everyone know you have shopped at a farmers market.

Its a stereotypically middle class thing to do, but in reality some of the farmers markets can offer good produce cheaper than the supermarkets. My local market is brilliant and saves a fortune over the shops.

If they're pulling your leg then respond with how you also picked up some brioche and sourdough before arranging your daughters gap yah.