Today I visited the Oak Creek indoor winter farmers market. And you know what? I really enjoy farmers markets. No, I don’t go to farmers markets looking for bargains (though there are usually a few bargains to be had). For me, it’s all about the excitement and sites and sounds and textures and aromas…it fills all my senses in remarkable ways that few things can. Even just picking up a beautiful piece of fruit or veggie and gazing into its’ color and shape and feel gets me thinking about the journey it took to grow and mature through days and nights and storms and sun and cold and hot…and probably even a hungry and mischievous rabbit or two (yeah, my garden gets hammered every year by a cute little thumper or two…they’re just too cute for me to get totally mad at them though).
What’s more about farmers markets, and for me is probably the most important part, is all the incredible people who sell their produce and products at farmers markets. Hey, aren’t they farmers? Well, many of them are farmers. But more and more farmers markets (especially indoor winter farmers markets) are including makers and producers of incredible and unique products. Cookies and scones and bread mixes and salsas and hot sauces and meats and peanut butter and skin care products, etc. And all these products are NOT items that were previously purchased only to be resold at a farmers market. Oh no. These are products made by the vendors themselves. Small business artisans and innovators that have pride in their products and are ever so willing to enthusiastically talk with you about their incredible products. And it’s just so incredible to purchase something unique and full of so much cool that can only come from the personal touch of someone’s hopes and dreams wrapped into that product.
And let’s not forget about our incredible local farmers and everything that flows from their labors of love. The pride that those folks have in the successes that they bring to the market. Their hard work and nurturing translates into incredible taste and nourishment that helps sustain us in ways that grocery store produce just seem to lack. And I love talking with farmers. Talking about the growing season. Talking about the subtle differences between two different types of apples. Mushrooms that I had no idea existed and advice from the farmer as to the best mushroom for a newbie to cook (and how to cook it easily and with success). Eggs from a farm where the farmer has named each of the hens and can even show videos of the hens out enjoying their lives around their free range home.
I know that farming is hard work. And not many people can do that kind of work. And more and more we’re losing people who do that kind of work. But luckily there always continue to be new dreamers and hard workers who wish to keep a small craft community of farmers and producers moving into the future.
And this whole thing reminds me of trends in my dental profession. In days past, every dentist was a small business artisan. Each of those dentists had incredible pride in the things their two hands could do to help care for people and give people a better quality of life. All too often these days dentistry is falling to big money corporate giants. Yeah, dentistry is crazy expensive to keep the doors open and the lights on. But I can’t help but lament the diluting of the heart and soul of dentistry. Yes, corporate dentists provide top notch dental care. But that extra spark and pride and motivation that can only come from pride in ownership is gone. And I don’t believe we’re in a better place because of it.
So, I will continue to hope that we can keep a few dreamers and hard workers in dentistry who can continue to fight the good fight and bring a totally unique and cool pride-in-ownership craft experience to this world just like all the dreamer and hard worker farmers/producers that continue to bring their cool products to market every week.
And that’s probably enough for Saturday December 9th, 2023. Stay safe, stay healthy, keep the Faith, and please help your neighbors. We’re all in this together. We can go the distance. Don’t stop believing. Namaste.
Doc's Writing Refuge 