Many retailers expressed the importance of connection between actors in the food system, and in inherent difficulties in making them. Although the degree of desire varied, most retailers expressed a need for connection with people in the food community and the food itself, its story and history. “[It’s] all about connection…I really want people to feel connected to the farms and know who’s producing the food…when we live in a city we’re cut off from that, and we think food comes in a Styrofoam package covered in cellophane” (R1).

Despite this desire for connection, forming initial sourcing relationships and general connections could be difficult simply because of the complex many-to-many relationships involved. Time and effort was required to contact all the retailers, find the information to do so, and sort through the information about people’s products, ideology, seasonal variations and delivery routes. Additionally, once aggregated, all this information had to be appropriately redistributed by the retailer to make sure it could be used as needed. In sum, set up for this was time consuming, intimidating, and required continued maintenance. Many retailers relied on working for retailers with such established connections prior to attempting to set up their own operation. Additionally, many of them met their initial purveyors at the farmers market.

For the majority of retailers, the farmers market acts as a monitor, a pulse of the season, especially important for chefs who plan and prepare their meals by the season. “To be connected to farmers and farmers markets is the most natural thing in the world a chef can do…talk to other people, not just chefs, people who go to farmers markets who just like to cook” (R4). Yet, retailers also noted a lot of time is required to create this connection. Although excursions to food sources are delightful for some, they require effort. R4 explained, “I used to be very overwhelmed going to the Ferry Plaza Farmers market... a lot of people say that... and then I realized I had to do it.” In contrast, R18 noted, “I love to go out and work hands on with people.” R13 concurred, “Get out of your own routine, walk into the field, and see what other people are doing... it takes away a lot of mystery.” R4 explained, "People always say they want to go to farms, but the reality is.... they don't...they've got their lives…We have some activists on our staff but not a lot.”