This past Saturday was my first official weekend free from selling coffee at the Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market on Yanceyville St. After four years of waking before dawn to brew coffee for sleep deprived farmers and eager market patrons, I have passed my small business on to my sister Janet. She is eager to fill the community's need for Old Mill products, freshly roasted coffee from Carolina Roasting Co., as well as her own unique glass artwork.
I, on the other hand, was happy to sleep in that rainy Saturday morning. Around 8 am I headed down to the farmers' market with my two sons to enjoy a leisurely morning of shopping and chatting with our friends. We purchased our weekly staples of milk, fresh eggs, bacon, hydroponic-grown lettuce, zucchini, tomatoes, red peppers, hot chili peppers, and a cantaloupe. It took us two hours, two muffins, and two cups of coffee before we were ready to say good-bye.
As we left the farmers' market that morning the rain had subsided and I wasn't mentally or physically exhausted. I was energized. It reminded me of the feeling I use to get when I was a patron, happy and enthusiastic about everything!
I am thankful for the years that I sold at the farmers' market. We have farmers, bakers, and artisans that have dedicated their time and talent for Saturday upon Saturday, year upon years, generation to generation. And though the vendors may make it look easy, this is not an easy job. Standing on the hard concrete floor can take a toll on your feet and legs. Chatting with hundreds of people within a short time span can send you home with enough conversations in your head that getting a nap is almost out of the question. And if you have children that you bring to the market, well, that just makes it more chaotic as you try to teach them the art of entrepreneurship, keep them entertained, keep them safe, keep them fed, and do your job effectively. Wow, it's making me tired just thinking about it.
And that's just the time that you are at the market as a vendor. For our farmers there are fields to plant and harvest, animals to feed and slaughter, droughts or floods to contend with. Like having children, the work is never done. As for our local bakers, many are up late the night before baking large quantities of goodies to insure that their product is the freshest, most delectable, as well as diverse food you can find in one building. And many of our local artist work full time jobs during the week, create in their spare time, and spend the weekends selling what they love. As creator and coordinator of Farmers Appreciation Day at the market, I truly am thankful for the dedication of the people who make the Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market what it is today. Being a vendor there for just four years put it into perspective for me.
So I left that morning happy and energized after being in and around so much great energy. While I cooked lunch I was able to catch one of my favorite NPR shows, "This American Life" with Ira Glass. It was good to hear his voice. It was good to hear the stories.
After lunch I took my three children to a movie, something we have never done on a Saturday afternoon. We saw “Wall-E”, a movie about a small computerized garbage compactor that had been left behind on Earth to clean up all of the garbage left by humans. The humans had gone to live on a space ship where they didn't have to walk but sat in their huva chairs, talked to screens in front of their faces, and ate everything from a cup. They had lost all memory of how things were grown or how to do anything for themselves. A relevant movie. I wondered if the woman ahead of us who threw out the huge container of uneaten popcorn understood the film. It did have a good ending.
As Saturday night approached my children and I headed out for a walk through the neighborhood. We hadn't walked too far or too long before we saw some neighborhood friends playing ball in their front yard. An impromptu play date that left the children exhausted and ready for bed.
I enjoyed this first Saturday with my family. I am ready to spend my week looking for a new job, cooking and caring for my family, and then doing it all over again next weekend.
And I'll also look forward to another Sunday of NFL football! Carolina Panthers26, San Diego Chargers 24! Yes, it was a really great weekend!
A special thanks to my friends, neighbors and customers for this commissioned poster by Denise Landi-Cowhig. I looking forward to a leisurely cup coffee with you on Saturday mornings!