September 11, 2011
I spent another great day at the farmer’s market. This time I was at the Callingwood Farmer’s Market in the southwest area of Edmonton. I did not have a lot of people at my stall. I was at the end of the line and not many people bothered to walk all the way down. Especially since the weather was very poor. Still, it was great to be experiencing the atmosphere of a farmer’s market.
I don’t remember going to any farmer’s markets as a child. We had our own very large garden. And I hated weeding it. I still hate weeding gardens. To this day, I weed as little as possible when I have a garden. I weed only long enough for the vegetable plants to get larger than the weeds, then I leave them to fend for themselves.
As a child, I remember taking our vegetables around the neighbourhood and selling them door to door. I was a “farmer’s market vendor” even back then! Just without the farmer’s market.
I did not take my own children to the farmer’s markets that often. If we happened to come upon a farmer’s market and did not have anything else on the agenda, then we would stay awhile. That rarely happened so they grew up without experiencing the bounty of the farmer’s markets.
As I stood in my stall today, and watched the crowd go by, I felt saddened that my children had not been brought up in this environment. I regret not giving them this experience. Watching children hop around while waiting for their parents to make a purchase was delightful. I realized how meaningful it could be for children to attend a farmer’s market on a regular day. How this small act could turn into a family tradition, connecting today’s children with the children of years ago. Those children looked forward to the one day when they “went to town.” Today’s children can look forward to “farmer’s market day.”
There is always so much to see at a farmer’s market. The senses are overloaded with material. Colourful sights to dazzle they eyes. Delectable aromas to entice the nose. Exciting sounds to entertain the ears. Tasty treats to tempt the mouth. Sensuous surfaces to awaken the hands. And all one has to do is show up to enjoy it all. It’s one of the very few activities that a family can enjoy for absolutely nothing. Unless you make a purchase, attending a farmer’s market is free.
Now that I am a vendor at these farmer’s markets, I do not have to worry about “making time.” It’s on the schedule, every week. Before the market opened, I made sure that I purchased some fresh vegetables to take home: carrots, Swiss chard, and radishes. Whenever I got hungry throughout the day, I would think about how good that Swiss chard was going to taste when I got home. That kept the cravings at bay. I wanted to ensure I had room in my belly for the delicious vegetables that I had boughten.
There’s something about the farmer’s market that makes me want to eat healthy food. I do not want to eat any fast food that might be available at the concessions. I want to eat wholesome, fresh food. This probably has something to do with the sight of all the fresh vegetables and fruit lining the stalls. The fact that I was promoting healthy eating through selling my flaxseed probably had something to do with it as well. It would not look good eating a hot dog as I stood behind my display of healthy eating materials!
If you want to stop by and say “hi,” look for me at the St. Albert Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and the Callingwood Farmer’s Market on Sundays up until Thanskgiving.
For information on the Callingwood Farmer’s Market, click on the link: http://www.callingwoodmarketplace.com/farmers-market
For information on the St. Albert Farmer’s Market, click on the link: http://www.stalbertchamber.com/pages/farmersmarket
For information on my Canadian Goldenflax Seed, click on the link: http://canadiangoldenflaxseed.com
Ms. Martha Urquhart 