Early Bird

Yesterday was my early, early morning class. I say “early” twice I suppose because it really is quite early…for me at least. I’m not a morning person at all. But it does feel good to get going early and after a very energetic workout, I always think I can conquer the world. And these “early morning” days usually do turn out to be my most productive days. So I’ll acknowledge that maybe it’s a good thing to be a morning person. But most days I’m not so much.

So while driving into downtown, before the sun had even peeked over the horizon, I heard mention on the radio something about our local farmer’s market and I recalled that it is on Wednesdays too (not just Saturdays)…which yesterday just so happened to be. Since I was already out & about, I decided to head over to the Farmer’s Market after my class ended, where I figured I would be quite the “early bird” and get the best pick of the produce.

I hadn’t been there in a while because the last time I went I was a bit disappointed at the lack of produce…jams, syrup, bars of soap, sure…but no produce. Why in the world I thought there would be all this fabulous fresh produce in late June (especially in this northern region of the world) is beyond me…but perhaps it was my anxiousness for long-awaited hot summer days and the season to cook up something special with some very fresh ingredients. I’m so tired of buying produce at the grocery store only to bring it home and find out how yucky it is (for a variety of reasons).

I had a wonderful time yesterday morning, being out amongst all the other “early birds” (who, it seemed, were all toting their earth-friendly canvas bags...while I felt just a bit out of place with my powder blue gym bag slung over my shoulder) and picking out the best of the best produce from our local farmers. I wondered what delicious meals those around me were dreaming up to use their newly purchased produce in. And I bemoaned my own blueberry-growing problems with a berry farmer who kindly commiserated with me. We talked about the destructiveness of voles and other critters, but agreed on the sheer delight that comes when growing things does go well. I picked up some green beans, tomatoes, and blueberries (from the kind “berry farmer” man). But I think I’ll come back next week for more. The lettuce looked so good and green (imagine that…not brown and soggy). The potatoes were a vibrant red. And the bright orange carrots with their stringy green caps still intact were appealing too. I don’t know why I held back so much. But I guess I have an excuse to go again next week. Until my own tomatoes start to turn red. Why aren’t they red yet? I’m anxious and impatient so maybe next week I’ll talk to a “tomato farmer” about this.