Farmers & Markets

A Farmer's Market is a great place to exercise your legs while supporting the local folks.  You'll likely pay a little more for some of the things you buy there but it's hard to find this level of quality from a retailer who purchases tomatoes by the train car load and most of the other stuff from China or Taiwan.  You'll also meet a lot of down-to-earth regular folks who are happy making a living off the land or with their hands.

I've gotten to know a real nice guy named Roger who crafts outdoor furniture from western red cedar he has shipped in from our friends to the North (Incidentally, Canada celebrated their 150 birthday yesterday: An important day for the Blickstead's, Chevigny's and Reids, as well as other great folks like Gary Crosina and his local crew of home grown Canadians). One of Roger's swinging adirondack chairs sits on our cabin deck and gets used every time I realize it's been too long since it's been sat in.  A hand-spun coffee cup crafted on a potters wheel by a gal named D. Little gets used by the author on almost a daily basis.  A huge jar of raw honey made by local Springdale bees sits on our kitchen counter and gets dipped into with frequency: sometimes just because it's there.

Yesterday, I bought these Hand-Made in America black iron hangers from a Bentonville man who had a working forge set up in his booth at the corner of 2nd & Main.  You won't find these at Lowe's or Home Depot.  The next time I'm out at the cabin the big hanger will have a 1930's era lantern swinging from it and I'll find a couple of old family trinkets to dangle from the 2 small hooks.   

Farmers markets: a great place to find cool stuff to use and healthy things to eat.  Regarding ways you can spend your hard-earned money, "You "Cain't go no better"!

Keeping you posted from NW Arkansas and SW Missouri...