I’m trying my best to stay present. To stay in the moment and appreciate the world, not sucked into a screen, and not to continuously view the world through a lens. I have a notebook that I wrapped with a piece of an old quilt top from my great-great-grandmother back when I first thought I lost my notebook last fall. I pushed myself to write reflectively at least a little bit each time we stopped so I wouldn’t forget the fine details that were so important for me to remember. I put down my phone (read: camera) and soaked in the true colors of tomatoes and zucchini, of the way the sunlight hits a blade of grass in the late afternoon or creeps through the tree line to blast a field in the morning light. In doing so, some things get left out till I am writing my next entry. It also means that sometimes the pictures are grainy and not worth adding to the post.
Part of me is still trying to piece together what I would describe as the whirlwind KOA tour of the upper Midwest from June 2023 – more on that later and, hopefully, blog entries. It is also a realization that in addition to writing, I am working on other projects that I would like to see come to fruition, and in doing so, I will have to slow down my writing to make that happen. Slowing down is not a bad thing, but a wonderful thing. So, blog entries will be once every two weeks, and with the hope that I can (a) commit to this and (b) also make my other projects happen, I am looking forward to great things.
Regardless, it has been plaguing me for weeks that I haven’t written about the delicious farmstands in both Weatherford, Texas, and Brandon, MS. So for today, I’m correcting that nonsense. Without further ado:
Weatherford Farmers Market, Weatherford, TX
Tucked in the middle of town on a side road with tight parking spaces is a covered stand that I would wager is large enough to park a tractor and cart in lengthwise but probably not in height. Popping inside and turning to the right is a pathway that opens up toward the exterior, with stools, chairs, and wooden items taking up space for sale and for use in other events. Interesting, but there was nothing we had the space to drag across the country with us in such tight quarters. The back wall was filled with local canned goods and a fridge with eggs, dairy, and other cold storage goods. The lower shelves that surrounded the cash wrap were where the fresh vegetables and fruits lived. Green beans, blueberries, zucchini, plenty of potatoes and tomatoes, peppers, and dried beans are plenty. Leading up to the cash wrap are the finer delights in life, including an assortment of candies and nuts.
Digging in my purse for my wallet, I delightedly purchased green beans, some Granny Smith apples, and potatoes. I skipped the seasonings despite my wanting for fear of an extra jar on a shelf that gets used once and goes to waste. We are creatures of habit, and that includes how we season our food.
Returning to the truck, I get the full report on Benny and Vito. It appears that another dog was spotted, and the two of them erupted in a barking chorus to alert poor Jamie that marauders were afoot. Good grief.
Cockrell Farmstand, Brandon, MS
Two ears of corn, a couple of tomatoes, two zucchini, and a pint of blueberries – I was in heaven. The very difference in smell alone has my spirits soaring. No matter which grocery store I go to, if the vegetables and fruit don’t smell like food, I can’t buy them. They were picked too early, mass-produced, and shoved in a shipping container for long-term cold storage. It will “ripen” on the shelf or in your fridge, but it isn’t the same as vegetables growing on the vine, in the sun, that have been small farm-sourced and brought to the stand. Small-source food honestly tastes and smells differently and cannot be replicated in big box store style.
Delightedly clutching my treasures, I paid the attendant at the cashier’s stand and headed to the truck so the four of us could head back to the Airstream and prepare dinner.
See you in a couple of weeks - NT
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