08/07/2026
This week we’re celebrating National Farmers Market week. Today I took a few moments of quiet time in the garden to reflect on just what it takes to have a farmers market and being a farmer my thoughts took me to the very first steps.
From this Farmers point of View…
To have a farmers market you first need the Good Earth beneath your feet, and the knowledge of what good soil looks and feels like. You need healthy seed , the proper window of time to sow those seeds along with taking time to sow other seeds of kindness out into the world. A farmer must be a patient soul to wait and watch growth.
You need sunshine, and you need rain and you need faith to believe the bounty will be even more than you expected. You need a strong back, not only for working but for when you loose a crop, for any of the many reasons, you have to let it roll off your strong back, be able to stand tall and remind yourself of these two words my daughter taught me, “that’s farming!”
You need to harvest, bring it inside, glancing at each fruit or vegetable or flower for quality before you put it in a bouquet, a box or in a basket for transport to Market. And you’re far from done.
With buckets overflowing holding stems of beautiful flowers before you, all picked from your gardens, begins the making of hand tied bouquets, each one feeling prettier than the one before. Wrapped in brown paper that’s been hand stamped with your logo and placed in water for healthy transport.
There’s a truck to be loaded late after the sun goes down and more to go in it come early morning, before the sun comes up.
You prepared the earth, you seeded, you cared for seedlings, you planted, you grew, you harvested, you’ve prepared it all to take to Market, and somewhere in this full journey, you’ve laughed, and you’ve cried. But it’s a satisfaction like none other to be a Stewart to the Earth.
Oh, and I almost forgot we aren’t finished! once you get to Market you have to set up. The time flies and you do your best to make your space look inviting. Finally you’re ready for today’s market! You have the pleasure of greeting your faithful regular customers the ones that show up every Saturday morning ,rain or shine hot or cold, who have become like friends and family and whom you appreciate more than they could know. Every week is also a joyful opportunity to meet new people from all walks of life. All you can hope for is a successful market that makes all your efforts worth the love and energy you put in every day.
It is with Grace and with Gratitude that we thank each and every one of you whom support us at the Old Beach Farmers Market every Saturday morning 9-12.
(Pictures are a little glance through the years)
