We have this farmer’s market held twice a month in the center of the town I live with my parents. The size of the market varies according to the season and is getting smaller compared to when I was small, due to the decrees of local farmers and population of Sado island. Now there are about 20 booths set up on the street. Most of the venders sell vegetables but some sell flowers, fruit, fish, see vegetables, seeds, bamboo baskets, etc.
I like going to the market. The venders only bring seasonal and local food, which is what I think is great and something I want to support. I can see changes in variety each time I go to the market and that’s also fun for me.
What I enjoy the most though, is the conversation with the venders. The people who come sell at the market are almost the same every time and I go there regularly so we remember each other. I feel somewhat at home. The venders (who are mostly old ladies) are also very friendly, kind, and talkative. I often ask them questions about the items they have or just how they are doing. They answer my questions frankly.
One day I sew a vender selling kiwi fruit, which is kind of rare to find in the market. So I asked her if she grows them on Sado. She then said, “Oh, they grow in our back yard. My family started growing them just for ourselves but we get so many that we bring some here now. We don’t spray anything on them. They are very sweet and tasty.” Of course I bought some from her :). Anyway just a small conversation like this brightens me up so much for some reason and makes me like the market so much.
But I get sad sometimes at the market. The main reason is because I feel sorry for the farmers. They grow food working so hard everyday and share the food with me and other consumers. But they can’t make a living just by growing food because vegetables are so cheap and there is not much support for them. Majority of people, even in Sado go to big supermarkets and buy much cheaper food grown on huge scale farms and/or imported from overseas.
Well but those local farmers might become the most powerful when society collapses. All I can/should do now I think is to respect farmers, learn from them, and become able to grow my own food.
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So nice that you have at least such markets there.
But anyway, the best thing is to grow your own vegetables. I wish you much luck with that. And, after all, doing that is not too hard, you just prepare the soil, plant, weed, water and then harvest. Of course, it's a lot of work, but when you think that it will be your own vegetables and you won't be dependent on anyone, it makes you feel good :o)
I hope the seeds I bought in Japan will grow :o)
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