Hanford has a pretty awesome Farmers Market. Being in the heart of the agricultural community, the fruits and veggies are all local and fresh. The event started as a small local farmers shindig with ratty booths overloaded with veggies, and that was about it, but over the years it has quickly expanded to include weekly art displays, bounce houses, mini petting zoos, face painting, live music and so on and so on. It’s all kind of fun.
I still usually go just for the fresh fruits and veggies. (And I won’t lie, and for the occasional Merry Go Round ride.) I went this last Thursday with my friends Amber (Crafty Book Goddess) and Devin, and their kids. We wandered around, I avoided people I knew (because obligatory small talk is boring), and I bought some catnip for my kitties. I also bought $5 worth of figs and ate them. All of them. Immediately. Didn’t even stop to wash them. Then I got really sick.
While trying to not hurl into every trash can or bush that I passed due to fresh fig overdose, I noticed that everything I do – everything I’ve been doing – these past few weeks has smacked of a bittersweet farewell. Impending Navy life has got me living in a perpetual state of uncertainty. I may never live in Hanford, California again. I may never go to another Hanford Thursday night Farmers Market as a local. This is my hometown. My stomping grounds.
I’m glad I’ve got this blog to dump my thoughts and rag tag photos onto. I suck at scrapbooking. But pinning a visual and verbal thought gumbo onto an online journal? That, I can do. And I know down the road these will be treasured memories. ^_^
I am envious a bit. Las Cruces, NM has an amazing farmer’s market, just like the one you shared here. I miss it from when we were stationed at Ft. Bliss. Where the Army threw us this time, it is just folding tables under a giant car port filled with fruits, veggies, and herbs. I like the music, art, and other wares for sale at the Las Cruces one and Monterey, CA. Oh to be on the Warf and Fisherman’s Row again.
Sooooo, apparently Pensacola has a really awesome Farmers Market, but I’ve been far too lazy to get out to check it out…