A Farmers Market Story
I was visiting Hollywood Beach, Florida. Walking on the boardwalk, I discovered Josh’s Organic Market and Juice Bar. After a totally refreshing mostly green vegetable juice, I started to look around at the vegetables themselves. They were glowing in colorful delight and something seemed a little strange. The washed out shades of veggie colors from my supermarket shopping habits were nowhere to be found. I noticed a sign said, ‘picked within 24 hours’. Josh, busily scurrying about offered me a taste of a few things. The celery was deep dark green, thin and strong and so full of flavor, that the thought of putting a dressing or something on top of it seemed preposterous. Next was spinach which was curly from edge to center with a yummy, rich, long lingering flavor. Where the heck was I? Well, wherever I was, I was happy. The smile on my face had me running around to strangers saying gotta try this, gotta try this!
The locals there were lucky enough to have this available every Sunday. The song that comes to mind is, Tradition, from Fiddler on the Roof. At the moment it’s playing in my head as… Nutrition! I was eating food full of nutrition. Full of life from the inside out. Josh used a foliar (leaf) spray that was seaweed based to infuse precious minerals into the produce, and to support an amplification of what was naturally there. It really made me think that the closer to source you can eat a whole food, the better it is for you. We used to do this all the time, but in the last several generations we’ve become more and more disconnected from our food, and overall.
Genetic modification of foods and factory farming has become mainstream and I’m guessing that hasn’t helped. So, this is what I’m thinkin for getting produce…
- Supermarkets… ok… if you have to
- Organic markets… better… but you still lose nutrition getting the food from farm, to packaging place, to store, to you
- Farmer’s markets… really good… full of nutrition, recently harvested, mostly small farms instead of factory farming, more heirloom options, and local… hasn’t had to travel long distances so less overall world energy used
- Back yard… i’m planting my first garden this year in years. It’s small and a start, and I’m already excited about doing more. So much so, that I’m signing up for a Biodynamic farming course at the Rudolph Steiner College in Sacramento starting in September.
These days I go to the local farmer’s market every Tuesday. Over half my produce for the week comes from there, plus I’m getting to know the farmer’s themselves, making new friends, seeing old ones, and just feeling really good supporting something that seems important.
PS: the photos came from the Farmers Market in Healdsburg, CA (Saturday mornings). My town, Ashland, OR, has a great one if you’re passing thru (Tuesdays from 8:30-1 at the Old Historic Armory on East Main St.). And if you’re in Hollywood Beach, FL… I’m jealous.
