While there, she and I picked an assortment of vegetables for the evening's supper. We opted for tomatoes, onions and yellow squash. The nice lady that sold us the squash even sliced them for us! Now, I have never bought pre-sliced squash before in my life but these came either whole or pre-sliced. I thanked the lady profusely as I handed her the couple of dollars for the bag full of squash slices. We proceeded to another booth and purchased the other vegetables. After this, we hunted for Mark who was toting Mary Ruth. We caught up with them in a booth demonstrating the wonders of the fig to small children. I am sure Mary Ruth at her ripe old age of four months, learned a lot of fascinating facts about the fig! The talk about figs made Mark want some so back we went to the onion and tomato booth. They also had figs! He made his purchase from the young couple that had that booth and then announced that he had bought several pounds of homegrown beef. He needed to go to the other end of the market to get his meat packages. Hmmm..it sure was getting hot so Joanna and I decided to stop at a vendor selling homemade popsicles. I could have done without all of the other booths and stayed right there! Two nice gentlemen were serving flavors that were impossibly delicious. I chose a peach/ginger..it was out of this world! It was about this time that Mary Ruth (who was now in my arms!) was getting a bit hot. Joanna and I thought it best if I headed back to the car while she went to find Mark.
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| All that is left of our purchases from the Farmer's Market after our supper! |
I was meandering back through the booths when I came to the onion/tomato/fig booth. It was shaded by a large canopy and looked delightfully cool. Only the young lady was present so I asked her if I might cool the baby for a bit under her shade. "Sure! By all means! Come here, it is cooler on this side." she directed me. No sooner was I behind the counter, when she looked at me and asked if I would mind the booth for her. Huh? Keep in mind that I had never met this young lady before in my life! She told me that she had to get her phone from her boyfriend who was now on the other side of the market. "Here is the money box..things are marked with the price!" and she promptly rushed from the booth! Wait! Umm...wait? She was now no longer in sight! Alrighty, then...I supposed I was in business! Mary Ruth squirmed a bit in my arms. She was cooling off fast and was one happy camper in the cool shade. Oh well, I guess I could stand here for a bit.
Several potential customers wandered into the booth. I was a tad nervous. I searched for the scale to weigh the produce if they decided to buy. Hmmm..an electronic scale...hopefully, I could figure out how to use that thing. Ok..good..the people were exiting the booth without buying..whew! I searched the crowd for any sign of Mark and Joanna. I could see them walking PAST the booth! Wait...come back!! I called to Joanna. She stood looking at me almost in disbelief. "You are running the booth?" Yep...I cannot leave! We all looked at each other a bit confused. Again..Alrighty, then..was the response! And then I saw it..a crowd! A massive crowd of folks was descending on the booth..uh oh. I prepared myself for the onslaught of folks..me, not knowing how to use the electronic scale...me, with a small infant in my arms..me, a stranger in this state and to the nice, young couple who had the booth! I frantically looked at Mark and Joanna. He had his arms full of our produce, two loaves of bread and his beef and she was holding her purse and three dripping popsicles. Ok..Mary Ruth and I seemed to be on our own here! I mentally prepared myself to become a vendor. I am sure Joanna would have come to my rescue if needed but just in the nick of time, the young lady rushed back into the booth! After a profuse bundle of thank yous, she started weighing the tomatoes! I looked at Mark and Joanna..."Lets go!" I thanked the young lady for letting us cool in under her canopy and tried to make my escape. "Oh, do stay! You are so welcome to sit here!" Uh, no..we really have to go! Thank you!
I was impressed that the good folks of Georgia were so nice and so trusting! I really enjoyed myself at the Farmer's Market and can hardly wait for the "big" event come this weekend. I am a bit concerned that I might be asked to run a booth or even go pick the vegetables if I make conversation with any of the vendors, though. Perhaps I should just be a snobbish tourist and not make small talk with so many of the fine folks at the market...nah, that would never happen!
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