Last Hurrah

The last farmers' market has finally rolled around, and I have to say I approach this last Saturday with a mixture of relief and regret.  It is nice to finally get Friday nights and weekends back.  At the same time, I will miss the sense of urgency and the fulfillment as the loaded truck rolls into the market and customers snap up the produce I put such effort to grow and harvest.  It sounds somewhat corny, but I feel a link between myself and the ultimate consumer on those sunny and even not so sunny Saturdays.  I think that essential link between farmer and consumer is missing in most transactions today.  The production of food has become so divorced from the people who buy and eat it that it is almost as impersonal as buying a pair of shoes or some laundry detergent.  If I keep doing this in future years, much of the satisfaction is that connection I make as a grower with my customers.  Of course it would be nice to make more than a minimum wage for the time I spend on this hobby.