Farmer's Markets

I love going to the Farmer's Markets in town.  The first I had been to was in Clovis, CA, in the historic district, beautifully and wonderfully western.  Clovis and Fresno were towns built off of the farming communities surrounding them.  These people worked the land, it was they're livelihood, even when it became dust in the 1930's and they were forced to move to land more fertile and promising.  I have a place in my heart for Clovis because it connects to the stories of my great-grandfather in Nebraska.

We didn't go to the Farmer's Market in Clovis nearly as much as I wished we could, but it was lovely and vibrant every time.  It was a place families gathered, people danced, and community was cherished.  Not all farmer's markets are this way, many more focus solely on the treasures of the land, which is not something I will admonish, but I do wish that communities more readily recognized the importance of these meetings and supported their local farms.

Here in Georgia, the market is very small, but still so very friendly.  I had a farmer, just this past Saturday, give me three heatless jalapenos (I forgot if he said they had a different name, boo me) for free:  I had also shamefully asked if finger potatoes were ginger.  I know Georgia is a place that truly loves the land: there is a rich history here of reliance and faith in the dirt.  And Wales is another land with rich history and love for nature.

I've heard a few people complain now about the acres and acres of sheep and crops.  About how slow the trains peter through these landscapes and how remote the town is, set by itself.  I don't care.  I almost revel in it, if part of me didn't feel trapped as well (I am a soul dichotomous).  Even though the university, apparently, hasn't ranked well in the "green" statistics, no one can deny that the town of Aber, the country lining Cardigan Bay, is tied to its natural greens.  I am excited to hear about the Aberystwyth Market.  I truly believe that going to local markets, shopping how the locals shop is a great way to get to know the heartbeat of a place's population. And I can't wait to hear Aber's.