“The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all. It is the healer and restorer and resurrector, by which disease passes into health, age into youth, death into life. Without proper care for it we can have no community, because without proper care for it we can have no life.”
Wendell Berry
The farm season is drawing to a close. Dried squash vines lie haphazard in the fields like cords coming from behind computers and monitors. Tomato plants hang in their cages, curled from mildew and early morning frost. Island farms are jewels in the crown of island life. Saturday Market is almost over and many of us are mourning the loss of fresh Swiss chard, kale, and those beautiful salad greens laced with Johnny Jump Up flowers.
To raise your own food and then market it to others is a brave endeavor. Your vegetables could rot in the rain, your cow escape and be killed by a car on the highway, or a sudden heat wave could wilt all your lettuce. But, a farmer meets each challenge with resolve. She will plant again, buy a new cow, make more cheese, and artfully arrange whatever is fresh in the stand.
My favorite part of going to the farm stand is wondering what is available. To peek into the farm fridge and find not only fresh milk and eggs, but, Fromage made with tiny chives is a delight. Holding a bouquet of curly kale makes me giddy. Knowing my farmers personally is comforting because I trust their claims. If they say they are organic I believe them and see first hand what means they achieve this end. Eating is important to my family and island life makes us aware of abundance not just quantity.
I am writing for 31 days this October about Island Life. Click here to see the other days of writing.
Welcome FMF friends and thank-you for reading my words.
Oh, now I need to go to the farmer's market in the morning. I think I'm going to need to come back and read your series. I'm highly intrigued. :)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Melinda (Your neighbor at FMF)
Oh, do come back, Melinda. I liked visiting you.
DeleteI love going to the Farmers market. Sad it's season is over. And the Wendell Berry quote. I love WB! I'm in the 42 spot this week.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to find another WB fan.
ReplyDeleteI never realized Johnny Jump-Ups were edible!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Nickers and Ink.
They are. Best if you pluck the petals and drop them into your salad.
DeleteBeautiful! I love farmers markets - we had a great one where we used to live, but I need to make more of an effort to find a good one here. There's nothing like buying goat cheese from the farmer who raised the goats and made the cheese themselves!
ReplyDeletevisiting from FMF --- Sarah Jo
Farmers markets are the best and this is a great reminder to make more of an effort to get to them.
ReplyDelete