Roadside Farm Stands

"I would like to see people more aware of where their food comes from.

I would like to see small farmers empowered."

-- Anthony Bourdain

Fresh strawberries at a roadside stand 6-15-14

"Buy quality, buy organic, buy natural,

go to the farmers market.

Immediately that's going to increase the quality

of the food you make."

-- Michael Symon

Roadside farm stand 6-15-14

"Know your food, know your farmers,

and know your kitchen."

-- Joel Salatin

Farm stand money box 6-15-14

Sam and I drove to a roadside farm stand yesterday for fresh strawberries and rhubarb.

I love living in a place where the produce is fresh as can be from land that is in spitting distance.

Homemade strawberry-rhubarb cobbler 6-15-14

I love living in a place where people honor the "honor system" and trust their customers to deposit the right amount of money in the box and not steal all their unattended berries  -- or their money box.

I love bringing home fruit that tastes sweet as candy, and then baking it into something golden, warm and bubbly.

I love the intoxicating aroma wafting from my kitchen --  fragrantly comforting, homey and welcoming.

I love sharing a bowl of homemade strawberry-rhubarb cobbler, still warm and still fresh from the oven, with my sweet neighbor who reminds me, frequently, that strawberry-rhubarb is her favorite. I love her smile and her little pleased gasp when I tell her what's under the tin foil.

So why don't you find a farm market.

Then buy something good.

Then make something good.

Then eat something good.

And share something good.

Got it?

Good.

A Nice Ass

"Thanks for noticin'." 

-- Eeyore

Donkey's ass 6-10-14

"What are the thoughts that grope behind,

Down in the mist of a donkey mind?"

-- C.S. Lewis, "The Ass"

A donkey 6-10-14

Two donkeys 6-10-14

These cute little donkeys live on a farm with some horses, some sheep, some llamas, some chickens and a very affectionate cat.

I drive past this farm occasionally, and when I do, I always check to see if the donkeys are out so I can photograph them.

It never fails.

When the donkeys are out, I don't have my camera.

When I do have my camera, the donkeys aren't out.

It can be very frustrating.

Yesterday was a frustrating kind of day. I had some things to do, some errands to run, and I kept getting stymied every which way I turned.

I was being unusually ambitious, and the world simply wasn't cooperating.

Donkey's rolling around 6-10-14

I didn't want my errand-running mission to be totally fruitless, so I decided to take the long way home and swing by the farm.


It was a lovely afternoon. Perhaps the donkeys would be out.

They were.

And I had my camera.

I parked my car, wandered over to the fence and watched the donkeys do the stuff that donkeys do in their dopey donkey way.

They munched grass.

They rolled around in the dust.

They nibbled at each other's necks.

Mostly they munched grass.

You know.

Donkey business.

Sitting donkey 6-10-14

It was unexpectedly entertaining.

Unlike the rest of the stubborn old world, the typically-obstinate donkeys were being uncharacteristically cooperative.

Who doesn't appreciate a nice ass?