I went to the Farmer’s Market this morning as part of my quest to purchase more local foods. It’s hard to remember to shop there, because it isn’t open every day. I’ve been determined make the Farmer’s Market a regular Saturday habit, though, since I read Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and was appalled to realize just how much fuel goes into transporting food in this country.
Buying from local farmers just makes sense, and the food is better too.
I bought squash and green tomatoes. I even remembered to carry my own cloth bag with me so that I wouldn’t have to use a plastic bag. I felt terribly virtuous for doing so. I would have felt even more virtuous if I’d remembered I had the bag with me and what it was for. I stood there holding my cloth bag in my hand while the nice lady double-bagged my fresh veggies in plastic.
When I realized what I’d done, I’m sure the proper response would have been to transfer the food and give the plastic bags back, but I just stuck my plastic bags inside my cloth bag and went on with my day.
I also bought asparagus plants today. Not asparagus, but asparagus plants. Ambitious of me considering they aren’t scheduled to even produce anything for another two years. If I remember what they are in two years, this will be something of a miracle.
But then the book that inspired me to garden did promise miracles in its very title. Sometimes they happen.
We didn’t get home in time from the beach to go to the farmer’s market…I hate I missed it but I’ll be there next week for sure!