The Market

I knew eventually I'd be posting a day I was working at the market. Today is the day.

There are 3 staff at the market, and 2 of the 3 of us are there every Saturday. This week however, the other 2 weren't able to be there so the woman who managed the market two years ago filled in. I met her a couple times in the meetings leading up to the market as she is still involved. We didn't personally talk at all, however, I had a good feeling about her and genuinely looked forward to working with her today.

#1 - I was completely right. We had some great conversations on things we had in common, often having to interrupt ourselves to talk to shoppers and tend to other things.

#2 - For example - community living. She has been trying to ease her husband into sharing her interest in living in a Camphill Community (which I am at least vaguely familiar with). I asked her if she'd visited a nearby co-housing community. I said in the past they had info nights. She looked it up right away and saw that they still do and thanked me for reminding her it.

#3 - A woman who is a vendor at the market has long looked familiar. Today I asked if she went to my high school - nope. Then she said her college and, "That's it!" The fun part of it though was mentioning the music festival I go to over Labor Day weekend, as it was a band that did our college circuit. She was really interested and asked me to send her more info. I just did saying the info was for last weekend. She immediately replied.

"That still helps for the future. What a cool event!

Thanks!"



#4 - This is a bit funny since, I spent 4 years asking friends if they'd go to the festival and the first person I recruited ending up being a musician who played at the market earlier in the summer. He played for the second time today and I mentioned another music show coming up on Monday with a couple of the musicians that were at Storyhillfest, he thanked me and seemed genuinely interested, so maybe I'll see him there too!


A woman came to the info booth today and requested that we buy more tables and chairs by the musicians. She said they were all full. That would have been a better time to snap this photo, oh well.

There were complaints at the market too. The most common today because our hours shifted from 8AM to 9AM opening. It is because the vendors arrive up to 2 hours early to set up and this time of year it is dark at 6AM. We try to notify people, but it's impossible to catch everyone. Anyway, I mention this because if I wrote a "complaint" blog, I'd have those too, but the intention of this blog forces me to place my attention where I want it.


#5 - I picked my first cantaloupe yesterday. I was so excited. I started cutting it and thought, "Uh oh." It was NOT ready. Today I asked the organic farmer for advice on determining when it should be picked. Hopefully I'll make a better decision with the next one.