"Off To Market We Go!"

There is a market up the highway from the farm. It's called "The Produce Wagon". We've been driving right past it for over 6 months now. (Long before we actually moved here, we visited the area many times.) Usually when we drove past it (on our way to Wal-Mart or Costco), we would say, "We need to stop there some time."

Well, "sometime" ended up being Friday, and it was one of the best decisions we've made recently.

It's a very small market. VERY small. When we walked in and noticed the way everyone was dressed, we quickly realized that it's a Mennonite market. The Amish are a branch of the Mennonites. If you don't know very much about the Mennonite religion, or people, click HERE.

It's not that ONLY Mennonites shop there, it's that the Mennonites run it....or own it...or something...I'm not really sure yet. I think they own it. The Mennonite people in this area are, of course, farmers. We walked by tables of fresh pies, muffins, bread, and rolls, all baked from scratch. Directly on the opposite side was an area full of hand-poured candles, quilting supplies, and local raw honey. I almost bought Ben a Men's Mennonite Hat, which looks very much like an Amish hat (but I refrained).

The feeling we got was friendly, wholesome, and "Back to Basics". As we walked down one isle, we filled bags with fresh produce for our new fruit basket at home. Peaches, apples, pears, lemons, and oranges. As we rounded the corner we saw freezers full of some of the prettiest (and least expensive) cuts of meat I have ever seen. Fresh, wholesome, healthy.

I strolled down the grain area and found bags of organic Barley, Spelt, and Cracked Wheat. Grains, grains, grains! I couldn't help myself as I started grabbing for pre-weighed and hand-measured sacks of Millet, Buckwheat, Quinoa, and Spelt. "EUREKA," I shouted inside my head. "I feel so inspired to eat healthy foods again, and bake wholesome breads for my little family!"

By the time we left, we had a basket full of great finds: Steaks for our grill, Fresh local wildflower honey, a Strawberry Rhubharb pie, and my Magnificant grains.

"I think this little market has influenced my life for the better," I commented thoughtfully to Ben as we walked out the door. "I want to eat better...I want to live healthier again...I want to embrace our organic life in the country."

The term "Back to Basics" has started to mean so much more to us after being here for a while. The thought scared me when we first decided to move here....letting go of the conveniences that we had become so dependant on.

A few days ago, we had a visitor; an aquaintance who lives right smack dab in the pace we moved away from. He asked me the golden question and I wasn't sure what answer he was expecting. I wasn't sure if it was out of LOVE or DISTASTE for the area and it's simple plainness. "So, Nancy, what is it that you like SO much about this place?"

I thought hard and gave him and honest answer. And then, my mind filled with peace and love and I felt a reassurance that nobody can feel for me. "Content," I said thoughtfully and sincerely. "This place makes me feel content. Content with myself and grateful for what I have." Maybe that's a part of the formula for the "Secret of Life"...the "Secret to Happiness." Enjoying the ride, seeing the beauty of life, and being grateful...just being Content.