Farmers Market Friends

It feels like a long time since I sat down and posted anything about life on Green acres farm.  OK, it has been a long time!  It has been a busy summer, with too many things calling for my attention!  Between the garden, chickens, goats and ESPECIALLY bees, this summer kept me hopping!  But we have had our first hard frost, the baby goats have found a new home, the chicken house and yard improvements are done, the garden is harvested, the garlic is planted and although the bee hives still need some winter prep, most of the bee work is done for the year.  Don’t get me wrong, there are still plenty of tasks that need doing, so have no fear, I am not at risk of getting bored.  But after spending much of the summer running from project to project throughout the day and evening, the pace can slow down a bit. I now have a little time to sit down and reflect on the year.

For me some of the high points were:

1) Baby goats!   How can they not be a high point!  They are just too funny to not bring a smile, even on the most frustrating of days!  And our two 2023 boys have found a home where they are adored by their human, and their new best buddy, Eleanor Pig. 

2) The bees (always)! The honey bees thrived this year and gifted me with an amazing honey harvest! 

3) Farmers Markets!   And trust me, that is not something I ever expected to be saying!  I am pretty much an introvert from head to toe!  Many years of coaching by my hubby have improved my “chit chat” skills to the level of passable, and my best friend Barbara will confirm that with the right listener and the right mood, I can talk up a blue streak (especially if you ask me about bees), but give me the choice between a social gathering, especially one where I might be expected to speak with strangers, and an afternoon puttering on projects all by myself, and you are likely to find me happily working on something all on my own. 

With that perspective, when I started going to farmers market as a vendor, it was just something I ‘had’ to do.  After all, it is hard to justify continuing to raise bees, and then more bees, and harvesting honey, and then more honey, if you don’t sell the honey! Just ask my husband!  Beekeeping equipment isn’t cheap, and working with the bees consumes a lot of time!  Since I was already visiting the farmers market in Dexter every Saturday morning to shop for local produce, it was a small step for me to join the vendors there with my honey.  I have subsequently added a few more local markets to increase my sales.  What I didn’t expect was how much I would enjoy it.  During a busy summer, markets are a time to slow down and connect.  I have made many new friends among the vendors and customers, learned about other folk’s passions and interests, and talked about bees, A LOT.   (In my defense, for the most part I don’t generally start talking about bees unless I am asked.  But beware if you ask, because you might not get me to shut up!)  Going to market has introduced me to people with a vast array of different backgrounds. There is no question that some of the new friends I have made there hold strikingly different political and religious views then I do, and if you had asked me 3 years ago whether we would be friends, I might have been unsure. But the people I have met at the market have shown me that even among those who don’t share my beliefs, the world is filled with many kind, caring, compassionate people. In these times of deep political and religious divide, holding that knowledge provides solace for the soul!  And farmers markets are definitely one great place to meet good people! After all, they start with those committed to providing their local communities with quality, locally sourced food, or unique art and crafts and are made successful by people committed to buying direct from and supporting local growers, bakers and artisans. They are the perfect example of people supporting and taking care of their neighbors! Visiting one, and getting to know the people there is well worth doing. Hope I see you at one of my markets!